Pricing for removal of deteriorating decals

[kal259 18]

 I need help pricing decal removal.  The decals are on fuel tankers and are roughly 60" x 24". The doors are easy, but the decals on the tanks are deteriorating. They are printed vinyl with laminating that is peeling all over. Heat is out of the question as removal and installation with take place at the customers facility, and no source of ignition is allowed. Is $45 an hour too steep? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[slice&dice 2,451]

Powerwashing?

 

or 

 

High-speed rotary 'eraser' ? --- Astro Pneumatics makes the eraser pad and it sells for around $10.

[kal259 18]

Thanks,  I'll look into the eraser pad.

 

Found it on Amazon for $130.00 12 pads and 4000 rpm die grinder. I'll give it a try. Hope it saves me some time not looking forward to removing the graphics by hand.

[Coaster36 327]

Why is heat out of the question? Were you planning to use a blow torch? A small heat gun wont cause any real heating of the fuel vapors in the tank. I would be willing to bet you cant even feel the heat on the inside of the tank from a small heat gun. The tanks probably get hotter sitting in the sun then they would from your small heat gun. Unless the customer said no heat gun, thats what Id use. 

[mabscotthandyman 1,410]

$45.00 per man hour is very reasonable. I have seen a viedo of the eraser working and it seems to work well.

[kal259 18]

 I'm talking to them today about using a heat gun, these are thick steel tanks that are under pressure, so they are not vented to the atmosphere. I dont think a heat gun would be a problem but you never know what they will allow. I'm just trying to keep the cost down on removal as they have 20 vehicles that need to done. I hope I can get the od graphics off and new ones installed in around two hours each truch with a two man team.

[Go-C Graphics 856]

Eraser wheels work great on car decals. I don't see why they won't work here. 

You're basically just rubbing the adhesive off with a rubber wheel.   You'll go through several wheels with your large project so just make sure you factor in that cost.

[dwp99 283]

Thanks,  I'll look into the eraser pad.

 

Found it on Amazon for $130.00 12 pads and 4000 rpm die grinder. I'll give it a try. Hope it saves me some time not looking forward to removing the graphics by hand.

I found this.on Ebay that will save you a little

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Astro-Pneumatic-232-ONYX-Pinstripe-Removal-Kit-1-Tool-12-Eraser-Wheels/330870140868?rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.m1851&_trkparms=aid%3D222002%26algo%3DSIC.FIT%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D17824%26meid%3D1909261926068640936%26pid%3D100005%26prg%3D8234%26rk%3D2%26rkt%3D5%26sd%3D231007988586%26

[Hummer 21]

Wow, wish I had heard about the above before.  Stripped the striping and graphics off of my boat and it took four wheels at $35.00 bucks pop!  Thank you for this information...

[Coaster36 327]

Thats pneumatic, those die grinders use a lot of air. Be ready with a big compressor. 

 

I think a good heat gun or several from harbor fright and some putty knives should work. Nothing will be easy. 

 

 

Wonder how well the pressure washer would work like slice suggested.

[kal259 18]

 I have three heat guns already so thats not a problem. Air is not a problem either, they have two huge compressors that i can use that are close to where we will

 

working. I don't think a pressure washer will work, they wash the trucks once a week with a degreaser/acid soap to keep the trucks clean. That may be the reason the

 

original printed/ laminated graphics failed after 4 years. The laminate is peeling all over the place and the printed vinyl is faded. There is a ton of adhesive around the

 

edges still. The new graphics will be 2 layered 751, that should hold up better. it only has to last another 4 years before they replace most of the trucks.

[Rodger 527]

Consider the electrically heated scrapers . They have a scraper that looks like a heat iron that uses razor blades . It can damage the paint unless much patience is taken . Maybe try a duller blade . The Harbor Freight scraper give up quickly ... in this case a brand name tool would be worthwhile imo .

[mopar691 281]

Use vinyl off and be done with it. Why go thru all the work? Spray it on, eat a sandwich, Pull it off or Hit it with a pressure washer and it will all be on the ground. Simple and easy. I prefer the Reflective super strength if the substraignt can handle it.

 

 

https://www.signsplusbanners.com/itemdetail.php?sku=914032-12&p=Removal+%26+Storage&c=Removal+Fluids&s=Vinyl+%26+Adhesive+OFF

 

 

[Coaster36 327]

Nice find mopar. Got to remember that one.

[karkess 28]

I am, as of right now, a truck driver by trade and aspiring sign maker.  I drove fuel tankers for 5 years.  I can tell you, you should have no issues with a heat gun.   You won't be anywhere near the venting systems and the those tankers are double walled.  Meaning there is an insulating air pocket between the two walls.  Also, see if you can do the removal with the trucks full. I know this sounds crazy, but a tanker is less dangerous full than empty, because it is never really empty, because when delivering fuel we capture our vapors back into the truck and the vapors are the explosive part.  Also gasoline in liquid form does not burn, it's the vapors that burn and you could never heat 13000 gallons of fuel to flash point with a heat gun.  I had my breaks catch fire with a full tank once and the flames burnt through my aluminum fenders and hose tray and up the side of the tank, if the truck had been empty it would have burned through the walls of the tank and exploded, but because it was full, the flames weren't hot enough to heat the fuel inside to its flash point.

 

Hope this makes you fell better, good luck.

[Rodger 527]

I agree with that advice , but I am sure it is insurance regulations etc that would stop anything remotely flamable from being used .

[BearlyRich 167]

karkess & Rodger are right. When I was young and working in a truck shop, they used to repair leaky cracked fuel tanks by welding them up right on the truck. But they had to be full, and done in the street. The insurance company wouldn't allow such work to be done in the building or even on the lot...

[Willmac1.wm 6]

Sorry posted in the wrong thread