I need to remove some old lettering from our boat's hull as I have
changed its country of registration and need to remove the old numbers
and (possibly) add some new.

It's a painted steel hull and the numbers/letters appear to be stick
on vinyl, they've been there for 6 years (since it was last repainted)
so they're pretty hard and stuck on.

What's the best way to set about removing them? I've done some
searching and most recommendations seem to be to heat with a hair
dryer (or heat gun on low setting) and then ease off. Will that work
so well on a boat hull though (mostly they're about removing from car
bodywork)?

White spirit seems to have no effect at all on the vinyl, acetone
makes it soft and it can then be scraped off but doesn't let it peel
in a piece which would be easier.

Any experience and recommendations would be very welcome.

--
Chris Green
·

Chris Green wrote:

> I need to remove some old lettering from our boat's hull

A "caramel wheel"?

On 10/05/2022 11:11, Chris Green wrote:
> I need to remove some old lettering from our boat's hull as I have
> changed its country of registration and need to remove the old numbers
> and (possibly) add some new.
>
> It's a painted steel hull and the numbers/letters appear to be stick
> on vinyl, they've been there for 6 years (since it was last repainted)
> so they're pretty hard and stuck on.
>
> What's the best way to set about removing them? I've done some
> searching and most recommendations seem to be to heat with a hair
> dryer (or heat gun on low setting) and then ease off. Will that work
> so well on a boat hull though (mostly they're about removing from car
> bodywork)?

They are both painted steel, so I wouldn't expect there to be any
practical difference.

> White spirit seems to have no effect at all on the vinyl, acetone
> makes it soft and it can then be scraped off but doesn't let it peel
> in a piece which would be easier.
>
> Any experience and recommendations would be very welcome.
>

I've seen the hot air system used on a van and the vinyl stickers came
off easily. However, it was being done by an expert and I don't know how
much practice it took to make it look easy. :-)

--
Colin Bignell

On 10/05/2022 11:11, Chris Green wrote:
> I need to remove some old lettering from our boat's hull as I have
> changed its country of registration and need to remove the old numbers
> and (possibly) add some new.
>
> It's a painted steel hull and the numbers/letters appear to be stick
> on vinyl, they've been there for 6 years (since it was last repainted)
> so they're pretty hard and stuck on.
>
> What's the best way to set about removing them? I've done some
> searching and most recommendations seem to be to heat with a hair
> dryer (or heat gun on low setting) and then ease off. Will that work
> so well on a boat hull though (mostly they're about removing from car
> bodywork)?
>
> White spirit seems to have no effect at all on the vinyl, acetone
> makes it soft and it can then be scraped off but doesn't let it peel
> in a piece which would be easier.
>
> Any experience and recommendations would be very welcome.
>

I had to remove all the vinyl from a Snap On Tools van. There was a hell
of a lot of it. The best way was to point an electric fire at the inside
of the van wall so the heat soaked through. Then it was easy. I realise
that the steel of a boat will be thicker than the steel of a Merc.

Bill

On 10/05/2022 14:07, williamwright wrote:
> On 10/05/2022 11:11, Chris Green wrote:
>> I need to remove some old lettering from our boat's hull as I have
>> changed its country of registration and need to remove the old numbers
>> and (possibly) add some new.
>>
>> It's a painted steel hull and the numbers/letters appear to be stick
>> on vinyl, they've been there for 6 years (since it was last repainted)
>> so they're pretty hard and stuck on.
>>
>> What's the best way to set about removing them?  I've done some
>> searching and most recommendations seem to be to heat with a hair
>> dryer (or heat gun on low setting) and then ease off.  Will that work
>> so well on a boat hull though (mostly they're about removing from car
>> bodywork)?
>>
>> White spirit seems to have no effect at all on the vinyl, acetone
>> makes it soft and it can then be scraped off but doesn't let it peel
>> in a piece which would be easier.
>>
>> Any experience and recommendations would be very welcome.
>>
>
> I had to remove all the vinyl from a Snap On Tools van. There was a hell
> of a lot of it. The best way was to point an electric fire at the inside
> of the van wall so the heat soaked through. Then it was easy. I realise
> that the steel of a boat will be thicker than the steel of a Merc.
>
> Bill

Stobart tractor units are unwrapped before they they sell them on,
and there is a lot to remove from those, so there must be a proper
way to do it.

On Tue, 10 May 2022 11:38:10 +0100, Andy Burns <usenet@andyburns.uk> wrote:

>Chris Green wrote:
>
>> I need to remove some old lettering from our boat's hull
>
>A "caramel wheel"?

+1

Thomas Prufer

williamwright <wrightsaerials@f2s.com> wrote:
> On 10/05/2022 11:11, Chris Green wrote:
> > I need to remove some old lettering from our boat's hull as I have
> > changed its country of registration and need to remove the old numbers
> > and (possibly) add some new.
> >
> > It's a painted steel hull and the numbers/letters appear to be stick
> > on vinyl, they've been there for 6 years (since it was last repainted)
> > so they're pretty hard and stuck on.
> >
> > What's the best way to set about removing them? I've done some
> > searching and most recommendations seem to be to heat with a hair
> > dryer (or heat gun on low setting) and then ease off. Will that work
> > so well on a boat hull though (mostly they're about removing from car
> > bodywork)?
> >
> > White spirit seems to have no effect at all on the vinyl, acetone
> > makes it soft and it can then be scraped off but doesn't let it peel
> > in a piece which would be easier.
> >
> > Any experience and recommendations would be very welcome.
> >
>
> I had to remove all the vinyl from a Snap On Tools van. There was a hell
> of a lot of it. The best way was to point an electric fire at the inside
> of the van wall so the heat soaked through. Then it was easy. I realise
> that the steel of a boat will be thicker than the steel of a Merc.
>
Yes, it's mostly around 6mm or even more in places. It's also
inaccessible from the other side in most places where I want to remove
stickers.

I've just tried my hot air gun on a low setting and it works
reasonably well, one just has to take things slowly.

--
Chris Green
·

On 11/05/2022 09:16, Chris Green wrote:

>>
> Yes, it's mostly around 6mm or even more in places. It's also
> inaccessible from the other side in most places where I want to remove
> stickers.
>
> I've just tried my hot air gun on a low setting and it works
> reasonably well, one just has to take things slowly.
>

From what I've seen there is an optimum temperature where it peals in
one go. Too hot and it fragments, too cold and it still sticks.

--
mailto : news {at} admac {dot} myzen {dot} co {dot} uk

On 11/05/2022 10:04, alan_m wrote:
> On 11/05/2022 09:16, Chris Green wrote:
>
>>>
>> Yes, it's mostly around 6mm or even more in places.  It's also
>> inaccessible from the other side in most places where I want to remove
>> stickers.
>>
>> I've just tried my hot air gun on a low setting and it works
>> reasonably well, one just has to take things slowly.
>>
>
>
> From what I've seen there is an optimum temperature where it peals in
^^^^^^^^
Ding Dong!
> one go. Too hot and it fragments, too cold and it still sticks.
>

--
If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will
eventually come to believe it. The lie can be maintained only for such
time as the State can shield the people from the political, economic
and/or military consequences of the lie. It thus becomes vitally
important for the State to use all of its powers to repress dissent, for
the truth is the mortal enemy of the lie, and thus by extension, the
truth is the greatest enemy of the State.

Joseph Goebbels

On 10/05/2022 11:11, Chris Green wrote:
> I need to remove some old lettering from our boat's hull as I have
> changed its country of registration and need to remove the old numbers
> and (possibly) add some new.
>
> It's a painted steel hull and the numbers/letters appear to be stick
> on vinyl, they've been there for 6 years (since it was last repainted)
> so they're pretty hard and stuck on.
>
> What's the best way to set about removing them? I've done some
> searching and most recommendations seem to be to heat with a hair
> dryer (or heat gun on low setting) and then ease off. Will that work
> so well on a boat hull though (mostly they're about removing from car
> bodywork)?
>
> White spirit seems to have no effect at all on the vinyl, acetone
> makes it soft and it can then be scraped off but doesn't let it peel
> in a piece which would be easier.
>
> Any experience and recommendations would be very welcome.
>
hot air gun

rick <rick_hughes@_remove_btconnect.com> wrote:
> hot air gun

Parking it in the sunshine helps:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSBznf9fgWg
See 10min and 15min in

On Tuesday, May 17, 2022 at 1:51:43 PM UTC+1, Theo wrote:
> rick <rick_hughes@_remove_btconnect.com> wrote:
> > hot air gun
>
> Parking it in the sunshine helps:
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSBznf9fgWg
> See 10min and 15min in
Power washer instantly took the letters off my admittedly plastic Pioner.

On 10/05/2022 13:19, Colin Bignell wrote:
> On 10/05/2022 11:11, Chris Green wrote:
>> I need to remove some old lettering from our boat's hull as I have
>> changed its country of registration and need to remove the old numbers
>> and (possibly) add some new.
>>
>> It's a painted steel hull and the numbers/letters appear to be stick
>> on vinyl, they've been there for 6 years (since it was last repainted)
>> so they're pretty hard and stuck on.
>>
>> What's the best way to set about removing them?  I've done some
>> searching and most recommendations seem to be to heat with a hair
>> dryer (or heat gun on low setting) and then ease off.  Will that work
>> so well on a boat hull though (mostly they're about removing from car
>> bodywork)?
>

Hot air gun played gently on stickers will allow them to peel off.