# Removing lettering--not paint--from aristo heavyweights



## lownote (Jan 3, 2008)

I'm wondering if anyone recalls how to get the lettering, not the paint, off aristo heavyweights. I know about the various fluids people recommend--brake fluid, degreaser, etc. I'm not interested in taking the paint off, just the lettering. I seem to recall that denatured alcohol works. 

I'm thinking about turning an aristo Pacific into a Reading G1sb, and the Aristo Southern coaches match the Reading's green and green color scheme pretty well. But the lettering would have to go. Either that, or just repaint them altogether


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## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

I've had great success with using Solve Set and a Q-tip. It takes a little elbow grease but the lettering will come off. I will wet the area with the solve set let set for a bit and then continue rubbing with the Q-tip. Later RJD


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## pimanjc (Jan 2, 2008)

On the DRGW [pictured] Pullmann, the UP markings were removed, roof and lower body painted silver, and the black pinstripping applied. 









The lettering in this case was black or red on gold. Removing gold lettering from green paint works equally well. 

Removal:
I remove lettering from Aristo Heavyweights by using a blue shop towel, wetted with laquer thinner. The towel needs to be wet-to-damp, not drippy, and the lettering will rub right off. After removing most of the lettering [some may slightly smear] dampen a clean part of the towel and lightly rub off the remaining residue of the lettering. Finally, wash the car with Windex window cleaner and a soft cloth or shop towel. Note: If you get the lettering/paint too wet with thinner and let it soak, you may damage the underlying paint. 









When building Hospital car # 95300, all Santa Fe diner gold lettering was removed by the above method and then decals were applied to the original paint. The decals would have been easier to apply if I had oversprayed the body with gloss clearspray first, and then later, clear satin overcoat after application.

Hope this helps.
JimC.


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

De-natured alcohol rubbed on with a Q-tip, easy to control, just have a wet rag ready to wipe it off.


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## GarryH (Jan 20, 2010)

I heard that oven cleaner works..............never been brave enough though!


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

We used the oven cleaner when we were doing sign work. If the lettering is on factory paint, spray it on, let it set and wipe it off. That was on metal truck doors though, so not sure about plastic.


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## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

He is trying to avoid having to repaint the car so I think the oven spray is not what you'd want to use. Later RJD


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## lownote (Jan 3, 2008)

Yes--the Reading used a two-tone green color scheme very similar to the scheme used by the southern crescent, so Aristo's Southern Cresent heavyweights would make a good base for the model if they could be re-letttered. 

Thanks for the replies--as I recall Aristo uses ink, not paint, for its lettering and I seem to remember getting it off with denatured alcohol and elbow grease


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## Stan Cedarleaf (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By lownote on 21 Jan 2010 07:09 AM 

Thanks for the replies--as I recall Aristo uses ink, not paint, for its lettering and I seem to remember getting it off with denatured alcohol and elbow grease



I would try that first. Proceed slowly.









I have used Jim's method with lacquer thinner but it can get to the paint in a hurry if you're not real careful and patient.


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## ORD23 (Jan 2, 2010)

I have used many options, de-natured alcohol with a q tip seems to work best


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