dreadful reflective tape

[HazMatt]

No challenge in (eye)stalking a blind snail...

Originally Posted by tugboater

...maybe even a blind one too? If you're looking for some xylol I may have some extra. Shipping may be a bear though, I'll have to check 49 CFR parts 100-180.

You might just be able to ship that schite on a negative-pressure equipped pony.

But even then, OSHA, DOT, FDA, & EIEIO require that the equine may only traverse into a head wind.

So, yet more of a delivery delay...

[The opposite of Progress is Congress]

[john61ct]

Oscillating Multi Power Tool, $20-40 @ Harbor Freight.

Fein Supercut lots more.

Usual suspects in between

[Galleon]

Originally Posted by EastCoastCB

I've de-stickered 5 buses and the rubber wheel will work on reflective tape. But its a ton of work. Hours.

Just de-stickered and took the reflective tape off tonight using both rubber eraser wheel and wire grinder brush. Grinder brush worked better on the reflective tape but left some adhesive that I cleaned up with the eraser wheel. When I used the grinder brush on the lettering, I needed to do a lot more goop cleanup with the eraser wheel, so the eraser wheel alone worked best on the lettering and the adhesive.

[Tiffanitza]

I'm really just here to be with my people who have felt the pain that I am currently feeling. I'm a Skoolie noob, just bought a shortie so just barely getting started with demo, but I want to paint first to cover the yellow.

The reflective tape... GAH THAT TAPE... will give me nightmares forever. I peeled one side of the bus all by hand, slowly, any adhesive residue I then Goof-offed but it was rather irritating.

So then I thought I was being smart and got me one of them rough and holey grinder pads to just bust the tape off... OMG what have I done?! It ground the paint down to the metal and mixed that nasty adhesive into the paint dust making for a new hassle unlike anything I have encountered thusly.

Anyway, for anyone out there about to embark on the reflective tape journey... mental fortitude be with you. Do it by hand, gingerly remove remaining adhesive, and move on with your life (and probably carpel tunnel surgery).

Trying to hack it with power tools (IMHO) wasn't worth it.

Cheers to your new obsession.

[Danjo]

Originally Posted by Ciscokid

EastCoast I did use a heat gun to get the tape off. Some came off easy some not so easy in pieces about the size of a dime. We are prepping for paint been long awaited winter to get this completed. Any tips on a spay gun would be helpful. I plan to use the Sherwin Williams paint. I don't think my gun I use to spray cars with will work.

Rent an airless sprayer. Check this blog. They used SW paint.

https://wegotschooled.com/2016/05/23/to-paint-a-bus/

[Elliot Naess]

Leave the reflective tape there and paint around it.

It is a great safety feature.

[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by Elliot Naess

Leave the reflective tape there and paint around it.

It is a great safety feature.

I've seen folks remove it, paint then add it in a less "school" color. Someone on the forum has blue reflective tape.

[farok]

I ran a heat gun over the tape, followed closely by a scraper, and each strip came off in one piece. The leftover goop came off pretty easily with Goo Gone and a little elbow grease. No carpal tunnel here!

Chris

[Elliot Naess]

Originally Posted by EastCoastCB

I've seen folks remove it, paint then add it in a less "school" color. Someone on the forum has blue reflective tape.

Sorry to hear this, because that's the stupidest thing I have heard all week. Safety features need to be standardized so they are readily recognizable.
(And in California, blue lights are reserved for identifying law enforcement vehicles, which surely pertains to blue reflectors as well.)

[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by Elliot Naess

Sorry to hear this, because that's the stupidest thing I have heard all week. Safety features need to be standardized so they are readily recognizable.
(And in California, blue lights are reserved for identifying law enforcement vehicles, which surely pertains to blue reflectors as well.)

I was thinking that painting around them was pretty silly.

[Elliot Naess]

It would likely look tacky, yes. But there is a cure for that: pinstriping. A thin and precise border of contrasting color -- preferably a color found elsewhere on the bus -- could make all the difference.

[o1marc]

Originally Posted by Elliot Naess

It would likely look tacky, yes. But there is a cure for that: pinstriping. A thin and precise border of contrasting color -- preferably a color found elsewhere on the bus -- could make all the difference.

Pinstriping would be another band aid to doing it right.

[roach711]

Originally Posted by farok

I ran a heat gun over the tape, followed closely by a scraper, and each strip came off in one piece. The leftover goop came off pretty easily with Goo Gone and a little elbow grease. No carpal tunnel here!

Chris

I used Farok's method except I used a hair dryer to strip the tape and gasoline to remove the goo. I'd soak one section of adhesive while scraping the previous one. Still a PITA but it worked.