[Edit: I found a new MUCH EASIER way to do this! Use an oscillating multi–tool with a scraper blade! Check out the post here.]
Removing decals and reflective tape on our skoolie is necessary for a couple of reasons. First, we will want to paint the bus and need to get the surface as clean as possible. Second, we can’t drive around a vehicle functioning as an RV with School Bus signs on it.
I felt like Mary Queen of Scots. “Off with the decals,” I cried. They must be gone.
Removing Skoolie Decals
I had bought a rubber eraser wheel attachment fro my drill hoping that it would make those pesky decals flee in fear. It didn’t. I’m not sure if it was the 20-degree temps or if our bus has steroid-using’ decals, but I spend a good 2-3 minutes with rubber flying all over the place to get a decal off. A good chunk of the rubber wheel went with it. I worried that I would chomp through a half dozen of the suckers before I could remove the veritable bus alphabet and de-school the school bus.
Bring in the Blowtorch!
I figured maybe some warmth would help. So I grabbed a blowtorch. (Tim the Toolman Taylor would have been proud).
I blasted a decal until it shriveled a bit, then went, “Hmmmm”¦looks I could peel that thing right off.”
So I did.
I started with a thumbnail, then rolled the edge a bit, then stripped the whole thing right off.
Voila!
Invigorated, I continued on, being careful not to scald paint or turn vinyl letters to molten plastic that would love to adhere to fingers. Some of the letters (and numbers) responded more belligerently and peeled off in several sections. However, within the hour we de-lettered the bus!
Time for a beer.
Removing Reflective Tape
Letters were easy; the reflective tape was a big pain in the patootie. We used a similar approach. I heated the tape with the torch and Julie peeled it off with a paint scraper.
The technique required a delicate balance.
I will preface this to say that we worked in the winter with the temps in the low 30’s, Had it been in the height of summer with the sun beating right on the tape, perhaps the torch would have been unnecessary.
I tried a heat gun as well, but it took longer to get the temperature up, so”¦. I had a torch, figured I might as well use it.
Anyhoo…to achieve a delicate balance I had to get the temperature to the point where the glue softened up but not so much that the reflective tape just melted to the bus.
We tried not to scrape paint off the bus. Even though we plan on repainting it, getting new paint to stick to the metal as well as the old factory paint is difficult. So, we wound up with a few scratches but overall managed to separate the tape from paint.
Goo-Gone to Remove Skoolie Decals
After getting the reflective tape off, however, a sticky glue residue remained. I tried a variety of methods involving a scraper, my fingernails, “Goo-gone” and cursing.
Cursing didn’t really help that much.
I found this method worked the best. I blasted the adhesive with Goo-Gone and let it sit for about 10 minutes. Then I used the 5 in 1 scraper. I scraped a section all the way to one end, then turned around and worked back. Then scraped up, sort of “herding” the glue into clumps then scraping it off.
When the area dried, I gave it another blast of Goo-Gone, let it sit for a bit, then renewed the assault with the scraper.
For the remaining stubborn glue, I reverted back to the rubber wheel. Then used the scraper to scrape off the rubber, another blast of Goo-Gone, then some hot soapy water to clean it all up.
It took a couple of hours, but I managed to get it all off!
Removing Skoolie Decals Conclusion
I’d sum up this project thusly: It’s one of those necessary ones that doesn’t feel like you’re accomplishing much, even though you are.
And though I had to fight the feeling of treading water, I tried to remind myself that, cliche as it might sound, Skoolie conversion is about the process.
If I wanted a finalized product, we could have bought an RV. (Well, we actually couldn’t have bought an RV, but besides that, they’re just not as cool!)
But what’s cool about Skoolie’s is that they truly become an extension of their people.
And through this process, I’m learning more skills and learning more about our bus. So spending a day hanging out with the bus is”¦good. It’s the skoolie conversion lifestyle.
Removing Skoolie decals might not be the most exciting activity. But it IS productive.
And it’s not a faculty meeting.
For painting, the next step, check out this post here!
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