decals

[jayjay]

Please help a newbie out. I just picked up a stock Harley tank and fender set that I would like to paint. The tank has a decal on it that has been clearcoated over. Can this tank be scuffed and painted or will the decal show through? Is the proper way to take the tank down to bare metal to get rid of the decal completely? Thanks for the help..Jim

 

[BonesFX]

Hit it with some 400 grit and try to get it as smooth and flat as possible - If you bust through the clear you'll have to strip it all the way down - I personaly take my DA and take the sticker all the way down to bare metal, then use some spot filler in that area - epoxy prime and I'm ready to go - sometimes you'll think you have it sanded flat but there will be a little edge that seems to show through when you put some metallic base over it -- Bones!~

 

[Mark-XIX]

I am really new to this. I have a small airbrush et up & a motorcycle that I want to paint. It also has a decal under the clear, but I was planning on strippng it all the way down anyway. What is a "DA"? I was going to use a solvent to remove the paint. What is the easiest way?
Thanks,
Mark

 

[BonesFX]

There are 3 ways you can strip a tank - Chemical / DA Sander (this is an air powered disc sander) / Sandblasting - I like sandblasting the best by far - but I have to send out my parts to the local blasting house which I don't make any money on - As I said in my previous post - you don't need to strip it down - you can get away with sanding it flat - or use a DA and some putty if you have any doubts - You have to take in the considerations of paint color / how good is the tank to begin with.... before you decide which way to go - if in doubt - take it all the way down to metal!! --- Bones!~