I recently purchased a Branchline kit with these shingles. I can’t get the backer off the shingles to expose the adhesive. It seems like the adhesive has fused to the backer, and when I try to remove it it won’t expose the adhesive, just fuzzy paper. Is there a trick to these things?
I have not had that problem and I wonder if your sample got extremely warm and somehow fused to the backing? What I can say is that it can be a bit of a trick to find the exact parting line between shingle and backing and a fingernail is too crude for the job. While wearing my Opti-visor and in excellent bright light I use a fine knife blade and tease the shingle until I find the right spot. And sometimes, yeah, one entire shingle is the sacrificial lamb to this attempt.
Dave Nelson
I would suggest that you contact Branchline about your problem. They may consider it a defect, and replace it with a new product
Someone entioned heat fusing it together.
What I wonder is how old is the segments you have?
Maybe the backer paper has deteriorated to a point where it itself comes apart? Old stickers do that…the paper layers separate and only the top layer of paper comes off leaving the bottom layer stuck to the adhesive.
Just a thought…
[8-|]
If Branchline finds it out of warranty, I have liked using a spray adhesive in similar cases.
Richard
Update: I contacted Branchline. Turns out that in their new HO kits the shingles are no longer peel-and-stick, they are to be glued on. In some cases however the instructions have not been updated. So, they sent me the revised instructions and a new sheet of shingles at no cost. Good outfit!