New Print Removal Technique

Hey Damien, that sounds great! I was thinkin about brassoing the indian horse, you know with the spots and the blanket on the back. If you brasso that horse eccept for the eyes and the mouth you'd get something like this:

http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=219823

Does that look great or what... The only thing which prevented me from erasing this decal is the fact that I would be rubbing a in brasso dipped q-tip on a piece plastic for about an houre....

PS do you have a pic of how testors dullcote looks like (the bottle)

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http://www2.gpmd.com/image/t/tesr3160.jpg

There ya' go.

This is powerful stuff, though. So remember that if you even get part of a drop of it onto a spot, it's going to start destroying the print, so you have to be really precise if you want to only remove -part- of a design.

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MCN Moderator of Customization Tips, Techniques & Questions

Any idea why the same doesn't happen with gloss coat? I've sprayed tons of decals/prints and nothing's ever happened.

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MCN Moderator of Customizing Tips, Techniques & Questions

Sounds like a great technique, Damien!
I don't know if I am the only one, but it honestly takes me about 40 seconds to Brasso a torso.  But I don't use a Q-tip, I bought a little scrap of corduroy fabric at the craft store that I put Brasso on, then just rub the torso against it, it works surprisingly well. (I used to do the same with a paper towel, but I got tired of them ripping all the time.)

However, this doesn't work well for other parts, as they are not all flat like the torsos. (It takes like an hour to Brasso bardings...) So I'm definately using this technique!

~Amanda

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MCN Brick Talk MOD
My B-Shelf (Under Construction)

Any idea why the same doesn't happen with gloss coat? I've sprayed tons of decals/prints and nothing's ever happened.

No idea, really. I've never had this happen to a decal I've applied (I always use Testors Dullcote as the final coat - after two coats of clear nail polish). Maybe it's just the particular chemicals in dullcote.


I don't know if I am the only one, but it honestly takes me about 40 seconds to Brasso a torso.  But I don't use a Q-tip, I bought a little scrap of corduroy fabric at the craft store that I put Brasso on, then just rub the torso against it, it works surprisingly well. (I used to do the same with a paper towel, but I got tired of them ripping all the time.)

I use a rag soaked with Brasso, myself. But even then - it takes way too long to entirely get rid of a print. So this is a pretty happy accident for me. Although it did ruin a torso I -wanted-. That kind of stinks.

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MCN Moderator of Customization Tips, Techniques & Questions

What torso did you ruine?

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This One.

A friend sent it to me, and I thought it was really cool that the shield emblem had remained on it, while the rest of the design had faded completely. A great mix between LEGO and the historical concept of a black knight. S'too bad.

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MCN Moderator of Customization Tips, Techniques & Questions

Yes, too bad indeed.
I have one like that, and another that is a blue torso. (Was a Falcon)
You might actually be able to get yourself another by searching Brickshelf. It was noted on the figs I  bought that the designs were worn.

I use a rag soaked with Brasso, myself. But even then - it takes way too long to entirely get rid of a print.

I think it comes off quickly because the corduroy is pretty rigid, at first when I bought it I thought it might scratch the torsos, but so far there havn't been any problems with it. (Now I just need to find a type of fabric that replicates Lego canvas and I'll be a happy customizer. : ) )

So this is a pretty happy accident for me.

Definately. And sense you were kind enough to share the secret with the rest of us it's a happy accident for all of us.

I actually havn't seen any of the Testors Dullcote in a couple stores so far, where did you find yours, Anthony?

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MCN Brick Talk MOD
My B-Shelf (Under Construction)

Thanks for the tip, Amanda. I'll keep an eye out for 'faded torso' notations on Bricklink.

I actually havn't seen any of the Testors Dullcote in a couple stores so far, where did you find yours, Anthony?

Michael's, I believe. Not sure if that store exists in your area. Remember that I live in Alberta. It's Testors, though -- so you're not likely to find it in mass market type stores like WalMart. Only craft stores/art supply stores are going to carry it, and then not even all of them will. Your best bet is probably to order it directly from Testors' website. Or ask your local craft store if they can order it in for you.



One more thing I wanted to mention about this technique, that I forgot to earlier, is that it's very clean. I don't know about the rest of you, but I find the Brasso technique extremely messy. Besides my rag soaked with old brasso stains - the whole area where I'm working always ends up with that terrible smell (Winter in Canada, so I can't really go do it outside), and the minifig parts I use it on always end up gunked up with that dried Brasso build-up, even though I soak them as I'm working and wash them thoroughly after. So it takes even more time out of my day to carefully and very arduously wash off as much of that as I can. Dullcote doesn't leave any of that behind, and doesn't smell nearly as strongly, and has its own applicator inside the bottle, so no need for Q-tips or gross rags.

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MCN Moderator of Customization Tips, Techniques & Questions

Do they sell Dullcote in a bottle that I am not aware of? Or this from the spray can? If so, I have three good cans just sitting in my hobby cabinet.

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~MCN Moderator of the Minifig MOCs Forum~

It comes in a bottle as well (which is what I use). I posted a link to the picture of it for Badboy -- third post of this thread. ;)

Edit: Oh, the link apparently doesn't work, as the Testors site doesn't allow it. I'll have to nab a picture of my own bottle of it, when I find my camera, that is. .

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MCN Moderator of Customization Tips, Techniques & Questions

UPDATE:

Apparently, this technique does not actually work. I've since tried it on four different torsos and nothing happened. Not a thing. I have absolutely no idea why it so easily removed the print on one LEGO torso, and cannot remove the prints from any others. Sorry for not checking this more thoroughly before posting it.

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MCN Moderator of Customization Tips, Techniques & Questions

That's odd. Perhaps it was because the first torso you used was older, and had already lost it's glossy finish?
I know it's alot easier to brasso older pieces because of this.

~Amanda

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MCN Brick Talk MOD
My B-Shelf (Under Construction)

For me, brassoing takes about 10 seconds to remove the design on older pieces.

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I am the chosen one!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!(but of what?)

That's odd. Perhaps it was because the first torso you used was older, and had already lost it's glossy finish?

That's likely. The piece that was accidently wiped clean had already begun to fade on its own, which I should have considered before posting this.

For me, brassoing takes about 10 seconds to remove the design on older pieces.

I think it's more like 20-30 seconds. But it depends on the piece. I don't use a lot of older pieces in customs because it's a lot cheaper to buy newer parts, generally speaking. I love to buy the torsos from the Basketball minifigs. NO ONE seems to want them, so they're incredibly cheap. Unfortunately, they're also the hardest prints to remove that I've ever dealt with.

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MCN Moderator of Customization Tips, Techniques & Questions

I love to buy the torsos from the Basketball minifigs. NO ONE seems to want them

Same here, they are only like five cents each, and come in lots of colors. Another kind of torso I like to get are the Soccer torsos, especially the assemblies, which can be handy when making Forestmen.
Best torso deal I have had were some director torsos, I got 35 of them for a penny each! : )

Unfortunately, they're also the hardest prints to remove that I've ever dealt with.

Yeah. I've often wondered why the sports torsos are so hard to Brasso, sometimes I actually buy the more expensive torsos just because I hate dealling with them..

~Amanda

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MCN Brick Talk MOD
My B-Shelf (Under Construction)

Yeah! That's soo true I've brassoed a NBA torso because I needed a plain yellow tirso, and didn't feel like ruining a pirate torso. It took me about 10 minutes to get the decal totaly off!

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Hm, well that's disappointing.  I recently picked up a small vial of it.  Is there any use for it, such as actually protecting decals and paint now?

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Testors Dull Coat is relatively useless for protection. Just for taking away the "fake" sheen some don't like on their figs once coated with polish. If you don't like the sheen then you're in luck.

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~MCN Moderator of the Minifig MOCs Forum~

As Phar said.

I use Dullcote religiously, largely because I use two coats of nail laquer to protect my customs, which creates a terrible shininess and fake look to the figures. Dullcote removes this quite easily, making the figure look much more natural. Dullcote will add a level of protection when dried, but it's useless as the -only- form of protection.

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MCN Moderator of Customization Tips, Techniques & Questions

Ah, thanks guys.  At least this isn't =completely= useless :P  Now if only I had some of my laquer with me...

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Ding ding!  That's the tip I've been missing.  I'll try this.  Thanks, Damien.

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Will Chapman • BrickArms.com