PlaymoFriends
Creative => How-To => Topic started by: skypurr on April 09, 2010, 15:04:03
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Could anyone tell me how to remove stickers carefully so that they can be reused?
I want to clean the base of my 3055 schooner but it has the sticker on the back and I don't have a spare so am worried about damaging it.
I have looked through a few pages of 'How to' but haven't spotted any posts about this (I expect there will be one somewhere!) so any help would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Elaine
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Hi Elaine!
In my experience, i had no trouble with stickers being damaged!!! What i do is put the tip of a knife in a sticker corner and then slowly unstick it...then pull it REALLY REALLY REALLY slowly until it comes off. I admit i have not tried it with such an important sticker as this one....but this works for me.
Maybe if you scan the sticker, holding the ship onto the scanner, and then print it in a photograph size sticker paper it might work....Just in case you damage the original....maybe experimentation is what you have to do first with both methods in a much less important sticker...
Cheers,
Panos
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Nail Polish remover works well for removing sticky stuff.
Maybe if you coat edge of the sticker in that it will be easier to remove.
Then just use Wolf Knight's method.
But be very careful! Patience is all it takes.
Hope you are able to remove the sticker. :wave:
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it depends how well has been stuck on the item
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The following procedure is to be done by adults only! I've removed & reinstalled many decals on Playmobil projects due to my perfectionist personality because I can't stand to see them misplaced, uneven, crooked, or with debris under them, etc.! Depending on the decal there are several procedures I use. CAUTION! Before attempting any procedures, be sure to wash your hands to prevent any additional contamination to the decals being worked with! 1. Is using a sewing needle, I try to lift a corner of the installed decal & once a tiny section lets go, I lay the needle parallel to the panel sliding it under the entire length of the existing decal. I release approximately1/4" of the decals edge or enough to use my fingers to pinch the decal & pull it at a 45% backward angle slowly until it becomes removed. I then put the the decal in a protective storage container to protect it from dust, fuzzy buddies, pet hair, etc. until I'm ready to reinstall it! I use 3M general adhesive remover part number 08984 or equivalent to remove any adhesive residue left behind on the plastic vehicle or part. The 3M cleaner will not harm Playmobil vehicles plastic that I've used it on. DONOT let any decals come in to contact with any adhesive remover due to irreversible damage resulting to the decal such as melting, fading, adhesive softening too much, etc.. After cleaning the plastic surfaces & prepping them for decal installment I use a shallow soup bowl with a 1" diameter spot of DAWN dish washing soap mixed in well. Submerse the decal to be installed, or reinstalled into the soapy water, & if the decal has been previously installed & you notice debris under it, you can gently rub the decal for a few seconds to remove the dirt, or debris & then it will be ready for reinstallation. With the decal coated in the soapy water lift it out of the bowl & properly place the decal on to the prepped clean plastic surface. While the surface is wet with the soapy water you can properly align & place the decal into position. Once the decal is correctly in position, use a linen handkerchief to smooth any bubbles & soapy water from beneath the installed decal starting from the center of the decal & working toward the outer edge 1 side at a time. If the decal does not want to lay flat use a hair dryer set on warm to soften the decal & make it conform to the surface using the linen cloth to persuade it into adhesion. Be sure to press on one edge of the decal after warming it & to keep it from sliding out of position while smoothing it. Here's a tip; If a corner of a decal is not able to be released from the plastic surface, try warming it gently with a hair dryer to make it pliable. Take caution that you DONOT over heat the decal which will cause it to become stretched or deformed. Let the decal cool down once you get an edge released before pulling or proceding any further.
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Thank you all for your advice and Bill for a very detailed set of instructions. I will try this but also see if there is any way I can copy it first - just in case. Unfortunately I missed a part schooner on ebay uk last week - it went for £10.50 and was in great condition, much better than mine :(
I'll let you know how I get on.
Elaine
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The following procedure is to be done by adults only! I've removed & reinstalled many decals on Playmobil projects due to my perfectionist personality because I can't stand to see them misplaced, uneven, crooked, with debris under them, etc.! Depending on the decal there are several procedures I use. CAUTION! Before attempting any procedures, be sure to wash your hands to prevent any additional contamination to the decals being worked with! 1. Is using a sewing needle, I try to lift a corner of the installed decal & once a tiny section lets go, I lay the needle parallel to the panel sliding it under the entire length of the existing decal. I release approximately1/4" of the decals edge or enough to use my fingers to pinch the decal & pull it at a 45% backward angle slowly until it becomes removed. I then put the the decal in a protective storage container to protect it from dust, fuzzy buddies, pet hair, etc. until I'm ready to reinstall it! I use 3M general adhesive remover part number 08984 or equivalent to remove any left over adhesive residue. The 3M cleaner will not harm Playmobil vehicles plastic that I've used it on. DONOT let any decals come in to contact with any adhesive remover due to irreversible damage resulting to the decal such as melting, fading, etc.. After cleaning the plastic surfaces & prepping them for decal installment I use a shallow soup bowl with a 1" diameter spot of DAWN dish washing soap mixed in. Submerse the decal to be installed, or reinstalled in to the soapy water, & if the decal has been previously installed & you notice debris under it, you can gently rub the decal for a few seconds to remove the dirt, or debris & then it will be ready for reinstallation. With the decal coated in the soapy water lift it out of the bowl & properly place the decal on to the prepped clean plastic surface. while the surface is wet with the soapy water you can properly align & place the decal in to position. Once the decal is correctly in position, use a linen handkerchief to smooth any bubbles & soapy water from beneath the installed decal starting from the center of the decal & working toward the outer edge 1 side at a time. If the decal does not want to lay flat use a hair dryer set on warm to soften the decal & make it conform to the surface using the linen cloth to persuade it into adhesion. Be sure to press on one edge of the decal after warming it & to keep it from sliding out of position while smoothing it. If a corner of a decal is not able to be released from the plastic surface, try warming it gently with a hair dryer. Take caution that you DONOT over heat the decal which will cause it to become stretched or deformed. Let the decal cool once you get an edge released before proceding any further.
Yet another brilliant thorough method Bill!!! Thank you for sharing...!!!! :wave: :wave:
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I'll let you know how I get on.
Please do Elaine!!!!
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I got a few viking shields the other day and many of their decals were misplaced ::) ... I used Bill's technic to remove them, and clean them, but as I was rubbing them to clean them, the old glue came off... So i used an UHU glue sticker to place the stickers back on the shields.
Maybe I left them too long in the soapy water, or maybe this happened because i used warm water? Anyway the result is the same for me.
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If the area where you are applying the sticker is recessed and protected, you can always use white glue to fix them in place.
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that's a great method Bill!
i too hate having misplaced decals on vehicles, etc...it just looks horrible
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FYI some of the vintage sets the stickers become brittle over time; any attempt to peel the sticker off in one piece can sometimes result in the sticker breaking and tearing off.
I experienced this when trying to re-position the side hull sticker trim on an old 3750. Newer playmobil stickers seemed to come off in one piece easily, and were easily re-applied. I took this for granted and didn't realize the older stickers would be a bit more fragile. I imagine a vintage schooner sticker might suffer the same fate.
My suggestion would be to take a hair dryer on low setting, and slightly warm up the plastic and the sticker. it might help revive the old sticker glue that has since gone completely dry and brittle, causing the sticker to stay stuck to the plastic. Heating it may make it more workable and less prone to break. But if it's already old and going to break anyway, there may be no stopping it. Just baby it as much as possible, little by little, as you peel it slowly.