removing window strips on AF passenger cars
#1
I am repainting a few passenger cars and I am wondering how to remove the window strips on AF passenger cars.  They are glued in real tight.  I was thinking of trying to pry them off with a hobby knife but I am afraid I may crack the car body.  Any suggestions?  Icon_rolleyes
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#2
how old ? what gauge ? a photo would help .
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#3
I'm assuming that the cars and windows are both plastic - if the manufacturer used a solvent-type cement, your chances of removing the windows are slim.

However, if you can remove the trucks and couplers, and perhaps the underbody, too, you might try letting them soak in water, with some dish detergent, in the hope that the glue is water-based, and will eventually dissolve or at least loosen its grip.

If you're planning to repaint the cars, but can't remove the windows, your only likely option is to mask the windows.  On most passenger cars, there are two or three sizes/shapes of windows, but it you can duplicate each of them in sheet styrene, you can use them as templates to cut out masking tape.

Apply the masking tape in strips on a smooth hard surface - a sheet of glass is ideal.  Apply the tape in layers, three or four, so that when you trace the shape on the tape, then cut it out, you'll have masks for 3 or 4 windows every time.  If the windows are square or rectangular, the task will be a breeze.  If they have rounded corners.....well, it's still do-able with the patterns, but will need a little more finesse.  Use a sharp blade in your X-Acto, and hone or replace it as needed.

There is, or was, a paint-on masking material available at one time, but I can't recall its name or manufacturer - perhaps someone else will be able to provide that information.  I would think, though, that it is brush-applied, which could prove even more tedious than cutting out shapes from masking tape.

Wayne
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#4
the only one I know of is bob dively liquid mask , but I can't recommend it as the only bottle I ever bought dried out in less than a year.
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#5
I could not remove the window strips from the passenger car and decided to remove the old paint--needless to say the inserts had the figures removed also. So now I have clear windows. I figure I could glue some figures in the car. I guess I will have to decide on removing or NOT removing the old paint in order to save the inserts. Maybe I could mask off the area of the windows-paint the rest of the car-then come back and brush paint the masked area. Of course this would mean leaving on the old paint. What are your thoughts about this? I do thank all of you for your input.
leon
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#6
(11-01-2019, 05:33 AM)leon Wrote: I could not remove the  window strips from the passenger car and decided to remove the old paint--needless to say the inserts had the figures removed also.  So now I have clear windows.  I figure I could glue some figures  in the car.  I guess I will have to decide on removing or NOT removing the old paint in order to save the inserts.  Maybe I could mask off the area of the windows-paint the rest of the car-then come back and brush paint the masked area.  Of course this would mean leaving on the old paint. What are your thoughts about this?  I do thank all of you for your input.
leon

Since I'm not familiar with those American Flyer cars, I'm confused by your reference to "inserts".  Are they some sort of separate feature inside the car?  I have seen similar cars with the silhouettes of figures painted on the interior of the windows.  A picture or two might be helpful in understanding the set-up.

If the exteriors of the cars don't have too many fine details, you may be able to get by with masking the windows and painting over the rest, then going back later to do the brushwork.  However, if there's lettering on the cars, it might be a good idea to remove it, as it's been mentioned that it may show though the new paint as a low relief "ghost", regardless of how well the new paint will otherwise cover it.

Methyl hydrate or 99% alcohol, on a clean rag, and with some amount of "elbow grease" may work for removing the lettering.

Wayne
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#7
I may be too late with this suggestion, but if you have a flat bed scanner you can lay the car on its side and scan it, thus giving you the silhouetted passengers in the actual size, then you can print the "passenger" area and paste it on the windows that you stripped.  I just made silhouetted passengers to serve my aerotrain until the interiors arrive. 
I didn't have any silhouetted passengers so I had to "make" my own. I placed the car on a flat bed scanner and scanned it . That enabled me to locate the window area and I made this strip     
I need enough to do 10 cars so I copied and pasted until I had a full page 
      .
 I reversed some of them so I had inserts for both sides of the car then I printed the sheet, sprayed 2 generous coats of clear and let them dry thoroughly. After drying overnight I applied scotch crystal clear tape to both sides of the paper. (I was afraid I wasn't co-ordinated enough to use the wide tape.) I did this because there is no glazing in the windows. In your case you probably should tape only the back side, then you could use white glue to glue them to the glazing in the car.  I used scotch tape to hold mine.
     

I hope this is of some use to you. 
Charlie
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#8
(11-02-2019, 10:08 AM)Charlie B Wrote: I may be too late with this suggestion, but if you have a flat bed scanner you can lay the car on its side and scan it, thus giving you the silhouetted passengers in the actual size, then you can print the "passenger" area and paste it on the windows that you stripped.  I just made silhouetted passengers to serve my aerotrain until the interiors arrive. 
I didn't have any silhouetted passengers so I had to "make" my own. I placed the car on a flat bed scanner and scanned it . That enabled me to locate the window area and I made this strip . 
I need enough to do 10 cars so I copied and pasted until I had a full page 
 .
 I reversed some of them so I had inserts for both sides of the car then I printed the sheet, sprayed 2 generous coats of clear and let them dry thoroughly. After drying overnight I applied scotch crystal clear tape to both sides of the paper. (I was afraid I wasn't co-ordinated enough to use the wide tape.) I did this because there is no glazing in the windows. In your case you probably should tape only the back side, then you could use white glue to glue them to the glazing in the car.  I used scotch tape to hold mine.
 

I hope this is of some use to you. 
Charlie
I think your idea will do just fine.  Just another thought---is there some sort of 'clear' paper that one could use to print the figures on instead of the white paper you used?
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#9
Quote:I think your idea will do just fine.  Just another thought---is there some sort of 'clear' paper that one could use to print the figures on instead of the white paper you used?

You could use this however this is for 20 sheets. https://www.ebay.com/itm/Koala-20-Sheets-8-5x11-OHP-Film-Transparency-Overhead-Projector-Inkjet-Printer/392384705579?hash=item5b5bf3742b:g:J~AAAOSwslJdVluF


Charlie
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#10
well the cost for 20 sheets might seem a waste but the thought of having a clear window might overshadow that. Also you might have use of the sheets further down the line for windows in the buildings and what ever else comes to mind.
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#11
(11-03-2019, 11:22 AM)leon Wrote: well the cost for 20 sheets might seem a waste but the thought of having a clear window might overshadow that.  Also you might have use of the sheets further down the line for windows in the buildings and what ever else comes to mind.

Now you are reasoning like I do. I have a lot of items that I ordered more than I needed because I MIGHT someday be able to use them.  Of course, when I do need them I can't find them.  Goldth
Charlie
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#12
HERE HERE
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#13
It used to be possible to get photocopying done onto transparencies. Not sure if anybody uses them anymore.
I did it with some curtains for a building, but they came out a bit pale and washed out.

I also did it with layout plans. I needed a station that was the mirror image of one in a book, so I copied it onto a transparency and turned it upside down and copied that. (digression over)
David
Moderato ma non troppo
Perth & Exeter Railway Company
Esquesing & Chinguacousy Radial Railway
In model railroading, there are between six and two hundred ways of performing a given task.
Most modellers can get two of them to work.
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