Removing old CP overlay...

[arizonacats]

Does anyone have any tips and/or tricks to removing an old control panel overlay?  

My CP (from XMen: COTA) has an overlay in terrible shape, and an old SF2CE overlay underneath that.  It's a metal CP and I'm attempting to strip off the current overlays to replace it, but I am having a hell of a time!  I've tried a heat gun, adhesive remover, paint stripper, and a good old fashioned scraper, but it's still not cooperating.  If you looked at it now (after all my attempts) you can barely tell it's a control panel!

Have any you guys had success with a tecnique you could share with me?

Thanks!

[SirPeale]

The heat gun trick is the way to go.  Keep the heat in one spot, and lift the overlay away from the metal.  It will be slow going, but it works.

[NoOne=NBA=]

Have you tried undu?

That stuff is amazing.
You would need to lift an edge, and then work it farther and farther under the overlay until it comes off.
The really neat thing about it is that it TEMPORARILY deactivates the adhesive.
If you could get just the X-Men CP off, you could probably save the Street Fighter one, if it's in good shape, and reapply it later.

My only complaint about it is that it smells like a skunk--LITERALLY.

My wife uses it if she messes up scrapbooking, to lift the stickers and such off, and then put them back down.

[Ken Layton]

Go to the hardware store and get some MEK (Methyl Ethyl Ketone) in the paint stripper section.

[Stingray]

If you can't get it off with a heat gun, you probably aren't letting it get hot enough before you try to pull it off. Like Peale said, you just have to heat it one smallish area at a time. Don't try to do the whole thing at once.

-S

[arizonacats]

Looks like I wasn't patient enough with the replies, as I finally got it all stipped and cleaned up last night.  I should say first that I definitely do NOT recommend my hack-job method, as it took days and isn't too clean.  

I ended up using a heavy duty adhesive remover and a metal scraper... using about 10 coats of the stuff.  I'd apply a thick coat, wait a couple hours (just to be sure) and then start scraping.  What didn't come off that time got another coating and soaking.  It's finally off, but still a little sticky and has some scratches from the scraper (it's getting recovered, so no big deal).  

That Undo stuff sounds great... I wish I had read the post instead of using the brute force method!  As far as the MEK... how different is that from Paint Thinner or Acetone?  I tried both of those as well with not much luck.  And the heat gun... well, you guys know all about this stuff, so I'm guessing you're right about not letting it get hot enough.  I didn't want it to melt/burn so I probably rushed it.

Thanks for the tips, I love this place!

[Lance]

I removed most of the vinyl with a scraper and a propane torch (i didnt have a heat gun) then I took a brass brush on a high speed drill and cleaned off all the glue residue.

The result?  



lance

[Ken Layton]

MEK is for removing adheisives.