Hey guys I am just starting to prep my T2 cabinet and I am trying to get the decals off but it has been a bitch. I know later 90s games had a black coating that the decals were screened on to which i have gotten off much easier than there. I get most of the picture off but I am left with this crazy white stuff that is impossible to get off any suggestions for removing the rest when I flip it over guys would help out a lot
PinRob is correct..... Best way is heat gun and a putty knife. I have best results at higher temp right when the decal gets very soft and moving at a steady pace. Works great for me.
I think there is a distinct difference between games. Monster Bash and Cactus Canyon are those decals that tear really easily the decals come off like butter, but games like IJ and I would imagine T2 they were screen printed right to the cabinet. Makes it a real bitch to remove. I did see a thread once a guy removed FT decals with a belt sander.
Quoted from patrickvc:I think there is a distinct difference between games. Monster Bash and Cactus Canyon are those decals that tear really easily the decals come off like butter, but games like IJ and I would imagine T2 they were screen printed right to the cabinet. Makes it a real bitch to remove. I did see a thread once a guy removed FT decals with a belt sander.
Exactly this is why MB and those games have problems with decal wrinkles at the legs. My IJ came off much easier than this its a bitch to get that white stuff off 80 grit sand paper with a DA sander isn't doing a dent
90's W/B, for the most part, had a white membrane applied first, then the artwork was screened on. I've redecaled several 90's W/B games and at first I removed the artwork and the white membrane by using a heat gun and putty knife. Worked fine, but taking a cabinet down to bare wood, you can the have the issue of raising the grain that's a bitch to sand out. Then it hit me, why not just sand off the artwork and leave the white membrane which it appears is where you're at. All you're looking for is a smooth surface and once you've filled in imperfections and sanded out the ridges in paint, from the silkscreening, you're there. Think of it like sanding a car to repaint, the last thing you want to do is to get through the primer to bare metal. Here is a Fish Tales I redecaled for reference.
http://timhanian.smugmug.com/Hobbies/Fish-Tales-W-NOS-playfield/12071033_S4RcXF#!i=857297966&k=DpcL2LV
Good luck with the resto.
Quoted from Tim_Hanian:90's W/B, for the most part, had a white membrane applied first, then the artwork was screened on. I've redecaled several 90's W/B games and at first I removed the artwork and the white membrane by using a heat gun and putty knife. Worked fine, but taking a cabinet down to bare wood, you can the have the issue of raising the grain that's a bitch to sand out. Then it hit me, why not just sand off the artwork and leave the white membrane which it appears is where you're at. All you're looking for is a smooth surface and once you've filled in imperfections and sanded out the ridges in paint, from the silkscreening, you're there. Think of it like sanding a car to repaint, the last thing you want to do is to get through the primer to bare metal. Here is a Fish Tales I redecaled for reference.
http://timhanian.smugmug.com/Hobbies/Fish-Tales-W-NOS-playfield/12071033_S4RcXF#!i=857297966&k=DpcL2LV
Good luck with the resto.
Did you prime over the white membrane before painting. That fish tales looks beautiful nice job on the resto
I've used a heat gun with putty knife and it comes off great. Than Citrastrip for the glue. It's a PITA isn't it?! I've found this way fairly simple but time consuming. The glue's the hard part.
Quoted from Tim_Hanian:90's W/B, for the most part, had a white membrane applied first, then the artwork was screened on. I've redecaled several 90's W/B games and at first I removed the artwork and the white membrane by using a heat gun and putty knife. Worked fine, but taking a cabinet down to bare wood, you can the have the issue of raising the grain that's a bitch to sand out. Then it hit me, why not just sand off the artwork and leave the white membrane which it appears is where you're at. All you're looking for is a smooth surface and once you've filled in imperfections and sanded out the ridges in paint, from the silkscreening, you're there. Think of it like sanding a car to repaint, the last thing you want to do is to get through the primer to bare metal. Here is a Fish Tales I redecaled for reference.
http://timhanian.smugmug.com/Hobbies/Fish-Tales-W-NOS-playfield/12071033_S4RcXF#!i=857297966&k=DpcL2LV
Good luck with the resto.
Don't do this then you have another layer that could lift off the wood. Do it right.
Quoted from McCune:Not even close.
» YouTube video
Bought one of these a few years ago - one of my best purchases!
Quoted from McCune:No doubt about it .
I still do it the old fashion way. Scrape it off with my teeth.
Quoted from Bryan_Kelly:I still do it the old fashion way. Scrape it off with my teeth.
Good thing there isn't lead paint on there Bryan
Quoted from mmr61184:Did you prime over the white membrane before painting. That Fish Tales looks beautiful nice job on the resto
Yep. A bit of fine sanding after and they come out smooth as glass. Oh and I've done several this way, over several years, with no problems.
Quoted from McCune:Not even close.
» YouTube video
WHERE DO YOU GET THAT AND HOW MUCH!!!!!
looks just like and electric sander with vacuum attachment... nothing fancy or high tech.... if it is that cheap and easy why does everyone recommend the putty and heat gun? after the video... I am sold
Quoted from toasterman04:looks just like and electric sander with vacuum attachment... nothing fancy or high tech.
That is what everyone thinks and buys shit form home depot . The Festool sanders are not cheap. Why ? Because they actually work !
oh my goodness.... hmmm I think I might be using the putty knife... $600.00 for a sander. The wife would never... NEVER let that fly. for hobby purposes anyway
plus our Canadian dollar right now that would amount to... hang on let me grab my calculator............. oh.. oh wow... $1,000,000.00
Quoted from toasterman04:oh my goodness.... hmmm I think I might be using the putty knife... $600.00 for a sander. The wife would never... NEVER let that fly. for hobby purposes anyway
Yeah unfortunately for the hobbiest I cant justify that kind of spend too. Bryan Kelly said keep at it with the DA sander
Quoted from mmr61184:Yeah unfortunately for the hobbiest I cant justify that kind of spend too. Bryan Kelly said keep at it with the DA sander
Bryan Kelly also said the white is nothing but ink and you could sand down to that, and then do your cabinet prep. Really, no reason I can think of to go all the way down to bare wood.
Quoted from Bryan_Kelly:Bryan Kelly also said the white is nothing but ink and you could sand down to that, and then do your cabinet prep. Really, no reason I can think of to go all the way down to bare wood.
Depends on the game - a lot of mine it was vinyl - easy to tell when it starts rolling up right?
Quoted from Bryan_Kelly:Bryan Kelly also said the white is nothing but ink and you could sand down to that, and then do your cabinet prep. Really, no reason I can think of to go all the way down to bare wood.
Yup and that's what I think I am going to do. Get it to the white fill in the holes and prime right over it
Quoted from mmr61184:Get it to the white fill in the holes and prime right over it
Might as well just prep over the art work , what is one less mill?
Quoted from WeirPinball:Depends on the game - a lot of mine it was vinyl - easy to tell when it starts rolling up right?
Yeah the newer games have that vinyl and are so much easier to work with. These older games are much different
Quoted from WeirPinball:Depends on the game - a lot of mine it was vinyl - easy to tell when it starts rolling up right?
Exactly. T2 appears to be screened directly on the wood. No vinyl. In this case, there's really no reason to remove the first white layer of ink. If there's vinyl, I would remove it all down to bare wood.
Quoted from mmr61184:All right question I took it down to the wood in some spots more by accident than anything the eithe came off easier than expected do I have to skim coat a little bondo or will the primer take up the imperfection
Pics wood help - close ups - but I'd say skim coat of bondo
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