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ghost removal?
- Thread starter raider
- Start date
heyskull
New Member
We were supplied some Ghost-Off by one of our suppliers to try.
It nearly ended in disaster.
A virtually brand new Nissan Navara demonstrator after removing the graphics leaving a ghost image and using Ghost-Off the paintwork went soft and took over a week to settle.
This nearly cost me a re-paint!
I dont know wether it was a dodgy paint job but I wouldn't touch the stuff with a bardgepole.
SC
It nearly ended in disaster.
A virtually brand new Nissan Navara demonstrator after removing the graphics leaving a ghost image and using Ghost-Off the paintwork went soft and took over a week to settle.
This nearly cost me a re-paint!
I dont know wether it was a dodgy paint job but I wouldn't touch the stuff with a bardgepole.
SC
klemgraphics
New Member
Tried the ghost-off several times, never helped even the slightest bit. From what I can tell its mostly just amonia.
AUTO-FX
New Member
Good advice. If you aren't experienced with a buffer, wet sanding or compounding, call a detail shop. Put a markup on whatever they charge you. Or have the customer take it and it's out of your hair.
GypsyGraphics
New Member
i've had surprisingly good luck with using a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser (Extra Power), with rapid prep and a lot of elbow grease.
Mosh
New Member
Yeah, have them get it painted. Of course there is going to be a boogy-man. By the time you letter it and it is on thre 6 months they will not even notice. If they are that picky, like I said have them get a new paint job. I hate customers who thing us sign guys are some miricle workers. Well....
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wetgravy
Guest
A buffing compound with a wax applied with a professional buffer will remove most ghosting.
There are 3 types of ghosting though. ghosting from the paint being burnished from sand/wind/rain/snow/birdpoo/whatever ... the vinyl will act like a mask so there will be a glossy lettering left over ... buffing will fix this or atleast throwing a new clear coat on the vehicle. There are 2 types of discoloration I have come across, fading and staining. Fading generally occurs when the paint oxidizes or when it reacts to the sun and literally becomes whiter. Obviously, with oxidation it can be buffed and color fade will be reduced if not goes away, true fading needs repainting. Oh and just to make sure I mention this ... white can fade, as true white paint is impossible to get as it's still particles of pigment in a suspended binder ... batches can be subtle off whites that can fade to a white depending on what/where/when/etc they get the pigments. Staining. I have seen letters stain the paint generally when someone (mainly truckers) take their vehicles through the acid washers. It kills vinyl and the acid will react with the adhesive and stain the paint with an orange to purple hue, I've seen this more with metallic flake vinyls than anything else ... but it still happens. I don't know how to fix it, but I suspect that sun light will bleach the discoloration out since most of the discoloration comes in the heavy flake areas of the vinyl.
There are 3 types of ghosting though. ghosting from the paint being burnished from sand/wind/rain/snow/birdpoo/whatever ... the vinyl will act like a mask so there will be a glossy lettering left over ... buffing will fix this or atleast throwing a new clear coat on the vehicle. There are 2 types of discoloration I have come across, fading and staining. Fading generally occurs when the paint oxidizes or when it reacts to the sun and literally becomes whiter. Obviously, with oxidation it can be buffed and color fade will be reduced if not goes away, true fading needs repainting. Oh and just to make sure I mention this ... white can fade, as true white paint is impossible to get as it's still particles of pigment in a suspended binder ... batches can be subtle off whites that can fade to a white depending on what/where/when/etc they get the pigments. Staining. I have seen letters stain the paint generally when someone (mainly truckers) take their vehicles through the acid washers. It kills vinyl and the acid will react with the adhesive and stain the paint with an orange to purple hue, I've seen this more with metallic flake vinyls than anything else ... but it still happens. I don't know how to fix it, but I suspect that sun light will bleach the discoloration out since most of the discoloration comes in the heavy flake areas of the vinyl.
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wetgravy
Guest
Or as I always say "This one wants me to slap lipstick on his donkey, so it will look more like a woman."
I'm liking this customer each time we do biz. Just informed me their body shop couldn't buff out the ghost so they're having that portion of the van repainted (short of repainting the whole van, at least they're trying to get it right the first time). Body shop asked customer if he should "seal" it (I'm assuming that means clear coat). If it were my van, I would think it would be best to clear coat. Coat or not, I'm planning to wait a month before lettering. Any preferences when a customer plans on providing new paint on a vehicle - coat or not to coat?
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wetgravy
Guest
clear coat. clear coat is always better. Later on when the top layer of paint oxidizes it won't be pure paint which gets chalky and over scarred from road grime and sand. Also make sure the shop heat sets that paint, helps it bond with the older stuff ... and man I hope they atleast did a surface sand with a ultra fine grit wet/dry sand paper to give it tooth. Had one customer tell me they painted their truck a month prior (shop only did it less than a week prior and told them a month) also told me it was heat set (wasn't ... again lied to) and did nothing to prep the surface of the truck ... transfer tape ripped off a 2x3 strip of white paint off the truck ... not cool at all and I even waited 2 weeks to get around to that job just to make sure it was safe.