Hi all. I searched in vain for a thread offering tips for removal of the numbers from a Kato diesel cab side. I am specifically working on a BNSF SD70MAC. Found a deal on a DCC equipped with a cab number I already have. I am too chicken to experiment so, I was hoping this had been done by a fellow member and they would be willing to share. Haven't checked but I assume Microscale makes an appropriate decal set for replacement numbers. Thanks!
The first thing you can try is the Micro-Sol method, which I doubt will work. Kato models are notoriously difficult to strip, and I suspect it will come down to 70% or 91% isopropyl alcohol on a cotton swab. Hopefully you can use the paint durability to your advantage and take the numbers off before the alcohol strips the rest of the paint off. If not, you can always try wet sanding them off, or painting over the cab side and relettering that way.
I'll commit blasphemy. Just run it as is. None of us really studies the numbers as N scale equipment rolls by.
It's been a while and I can't remember exactly what I did but, as I recall, I didn't have too much trouble removing the cab numbers off a Kato N ATSF C44-9W. I believe I used a pencil eraser for part of it but can't remember if I also used Micro-Sol or alcohol. I ended up with a nice and shiny finish that was ready for the new numbers to be applied. Your mileage may vary.
Thanks everyone for the replies. Ntex, love the idea but I'm a little chicken for that much painting! Sandro, thanks for the recommendation. I was unaware of this product. Will try that. Should get it done this weekend, will post results. Perhaps I'll use Mr. Traniac's suggestion and start the project like the way I start the weekend. (With Alcohol!). GO CHIEFS!
As I recall, just about everything I tried either didn't work or took the paint off before it took the numbers (I have several shells that I tried stripping that has all of the paint gone, but there's still a ghost of the numbers present). Never tried Scalecoat Wash Away but it is also a paint stripper and will remove the paint as well. Let me know if you find something that works...
I have used a common pencil eraser. You must be very careful and concentrate only on the numbers. It will take some of the base coat with it, but, once you substitute the decals and the clear coat of your choice, it is not that noticeable. I do it under a mangnifying lamp so that I can take care that the eraser strokes do not stray too far from the digits. It is tedious, but it has worked for me. I have no experience with the locomotive mentioned by Original Poster, as it is far out of my era, but this has worked for me on Kato F-units and Atlas/Kato SD-9s. Use the common pink eraser found on the butt of most pencils. I do not use the grey or white abrasive erasers, as those could scratch the paint. I definitely do not use a track eraser.
The pencil trick seems to come up at least once on every forum thread talking about Kato locomotive paint. If I were Cliff, I would try to test it in order of extremity. The precision nature of the eraser method is probably more reasonable before breaking out paint thinners or paint stripping methods, which are more likely to have a negative effect on surrounding paint. If the erasers don't work, the isopropyl alcohol doesn't work, then it may be time to try wet sanding.
