I’m going to do my first relettering and need some tips. First how to I remove the painted on railroad name from a tender? Will I need to just repaint it? When I get ready to apply my decals, how do I make sure I’m putting them on strait? Thanks for the help everyone.
Dave
Take a look at this for a start:
http://www.modelrailroader.com/Content/Dynamic/Articles/000/000/001/408eocme.asp
I use the same decal-set that is used for softening decals to loosen the roadname paint. Then rub the name with a pencil eraser. Softly, so as to not remove the underlying paint. This does not always work for me and I have rubbed down to the bare plastic at times. If this happens you will need to re-paint the side.
Just re-painting without removing the existing roadname doesn’t work. The old roadname is still visible.
As far as making the new decal straight, I lay a strip of masking tape on the tender side and use it as a guide to placing the decal on properly.
Then, when the decal is applied moisten it with the decal-set so that it melts onto the rivits etc for a good application.
I then wait a day or so and then spray dull-coat over the side of the tender to hide the edges of the decal. Sometimes more than one caot is needed befor the decal blends in well.