Removing Graphics from an overgraphic'd board

thombiz · Joined: 25 Jun 2007 Posts: 799 Location: Corpus Christi

Anybody have a hack to remove the graphics from a windsurf board without damaging the paint below the graphics. Some graphics are printed on polyester sheet that has adhesive on one side. This is applied to the board during construction. Other graphics like those on my 2011 Quatro board seem to be painted. Is there a hack out there to easily remove the graphic sheet and or painted graphics without damaging the paint on the boards surface?

isobars · Joined: 12 Dec 1999 Posts: 20935

Paint?
Opaque traction coating?

i.e., cover it up?

wsatl · Joined: 30 Sep 2014 Posts: 66

Just throwing an idea out there: Would a heat gun (used with prudence) help loosen the adhesive? I've seen the graphics distort or peel over time from heat from the car and/or sun.

The challenge is that the poly or whatever is over the graphic does a pretty good job of sealing everything in.

I'm assuming that most solvents would be as effective on the underlying paint as they would be to the adhesive.

thombiz · Joined: 25 Jun 2007 Posts: 799 Location: Corpus Christi

So far, I've found that lacquer thinner, rubbing alcohol, and acetone won't do anything to the graphics or to the the paint on the board that is underneath the graphics sheet, so no help there. I was hoping to come up with something that would perform like fingernail polish remover.......it would remove what is on top, the paint, but leave the "nail" intact and undamaged. Hasn't happened. What has worked on the "sheet" graphics adhere'd to the top of the board is a razor cutter and a 1/4" wood chisel that is very very sharp. Judicial use of the razor to lightly cut a narrow strip about 1" wide by whatever length then use the chisel to lift up the end of the strip and very slowly and deliberately pull up the strip of graphics. I tried a 3/4" chisel, but it was too hard to control, but the 1/4" chisel works slow and controled. I use very light pressure with the razor and it just barely scratches the polyester sheet without cutting thru. This is like scoring glass then breaking it along the score. The polyester is a bit "brittle" and when I start to lift it up with the chisel, it cracks/tears along the score mark. Once the strip is up, I use acetone to clean the formerly covered paint and the acetone takes up any residue adhesive, leaving the OEM Paint looking like new, plus there are no scratches in the now exposed paint. This seems to be working for the top, but on the bottom, the paint of the graphics is sprayed directly to the board paint...no polyester sheet involved. I tried the technique I'm using on the top, but it was horribly slow. It took an hour to get the paint up on a strip about 6" long and 1/2" wide. The result looked good, but it was tedious. I'm afraid the bottom will have to be sanded to remove the graphics then painted with white polyester based polyurethane ...Awlgrip which I happen to have. Good thing I'm not in a hurry. I haven't had the testicular enhancement to try a hot air gun.

outcast · Joined: 04 May 2004 Posts: 2724

paint over it...that stuff is under a layer of epoxy

I hate most graphics but just leave em

Heat gun? wow....that could get ugly

jingebritsen · Joined: 21 Aug 2002 Posts: 3371

i have said to friends of mine, "that board is perfect. it could have turd or floofy graphics, and would not care a hoot." if rides divine, who cares about the looks?

thombiz · Joined: 25 Jun 2007 Posts: 799 Location: Corpus Christi

My efforts have a purposeful motive. I bought the Quatro Freeride 110 used. The former owner had repairs made to the nose of the board including adding a 1" thick foam pad to the nose. This pad added about a pound of weight to the nose of the board. I wanted to remove the pad, and in the process inspect the repairs to make sure they were done well. They were. Then, there was the multipurpose of removing the graphics which included removing the non-skid off the nose of the board. Who in the hell puts non-skid on the nose of the board or the rails, or the very tail of a board? You can't walk there......so you don't need non-skid there. Non-skid in non-walking areas makes the graphics easier to install during production. The downside of the non-skid in those areas is it abrades the fabric portions of the sail when the sail comes in contact with the non-skid during falls and when positioning the sail for water starts. Check my sails, I have no fabric abrasion below the boom for a reason. That removing the non-skid makes the board lighter in weight is just a welcome plus to me.

thombiz · Joined: 25 Jun 2007 Posts: 799 Location: Corpus Christi

If you wander how the board turned out, check the pics. The first pic is the OEM pic and the second is the pic just taken.

Once the graphics were trimmed, I decided to paint the board. Check it out.

jmcilhiney · Joined: 16 Jul 2009 Posts: 17

Nice job, I was watching the price come down on that board but wasn't sure what was under that ugly pad.

thombiz · Joined: 25 Jun 2007 Posts: 799 Location: Corpus Christi

I was concerned about the pad and what was under it, but figured I could rebuild it if the work under was subpar. I'm happy to report the repairs were very professionally done. Looks like I got lucky on this one. The rest of the hull is in first class condition. Windance did a great job of packaging the board for the shipping. I got to give them all thumbs up.