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Removing stickers from powder coated pieces

Aero_Octaveus

Well Known Member
So here is a neat trick. I always hated the paper stickers that Vans puts on the pieces as they never peel off nicely, When they are placed on bare aluminum parts its no big deal as Acetone and MEK take the stickers off. However this doesn't work on the powder coated parts as both Acetone and MEK seem to soften or dull the power coat finish. I think MEK would take off the coating completely if you rubbed hard enough.

I ended up using a damp rag and that easily removes the top paper layer of the sticker.
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But what is left is the annoying part. The adhesive layer.
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Take a different cloth and spray a bit of WD-40 and then wipe, and the Adhesive layer comes off in an instant. Better yet there is no dulling the powder coat finish.
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Have you tried warming the sticker with a heat gun? The powder coat can take it since it is baked at 400* F.
 
I like the WD-40 idea. quick, easy, and who doesn't have some WD-40? I didn't know this was possible - now I do, THANKS!
 
Clean

I'm sure everyone knows but it's probably a good idea to clean off the WD after.
I think it's Varsol.
 
Adhesive removal

In the opinion of some, this is the ONLY thing WD-40 is good for.

(And to think as a kid I soaked my guns in that stuff after cleaning them...)
 
Another good use for my favorite solvent, Coleman fuel. It's mild enough and evaporates slowly enough to do a great job of removing sticker "goo" without harming the substrate, and without leaving residue.

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Wax & Grease Remover

I have just used Wax & Grease remover for these annoying labels. It brings them off cleanly, even if some of the paper remains on top of the adhesive.
 
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