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Hi, I am replacing a decal on my Columbia BI Sterling with a Cline decal. How can I safely remove the decal without disturbing the finish beneath the decal. Any help is greatly appreciated. Thank you, Bill

I'm a little confused. Most of the time when the original decal is bad you also need to refinish the cabinet. Are you saying the original finish is good but the decal is bad? How about some photos? I love the BI. It was my first machine found in the wilds of Central Oregon back in 1975 or so. It's still a prize in my collection.

Thanks, Jerry

In another recent posting, it was suggested to simply apply the new decal over the old one. The person who did it seemed happy with the result.

Trying to save the original finish beneath the decal.

The front of that machine needs a good clean before doing anything... clean the entire case and get the dirt out of the corners and around the moldings. I wouldn't worry so much about the original finish beneath the decal. You won't see it anyway, since you will need to over coat the new decal with a thin coat of Zinsser Bulls Eye Amber shellac to blend it back in.

Once you have cleaned it, remove the old decal with a scraper or single edge razor blade, trying to remove it as carefully as possible. Once removed, you can apply the new decal over the spot where the old one was, being sure to follow Gregg Cline's instructions to the letter. Wait for the decal to dry over night, then use masking tape to outline the entire panel where the decal is.

Spray over the decal with clear matte lacquer to protect it - several coats, then let it dry for a few hours (use spray on this step, because the decal is thin and fragile and easily torn). Once it is completely dry, use a clean lint free cloth to carefully over coat it with amber shellac (just wipe it on, don't use a brush), this will blend the decal back into the finish and restore the original look. If the shellac seems thick in the can, you can thin it with alcohol, which makes it easier to apply - only one coat at a time - and don't go back over any areas until it has dried completely or it will cause problems. That should do it...

I followed Gregg Cline's instructions to the letter and the advice from Curt A and was quite pleased with the results. I carefully scraped off the old decal with a razor blade. I then re-stained the area where the original decal was and then wiped the area with a coat of shellac. I carefully applied the decal and let it dry overnight. I coated the decal with a coat of lacquer and let it dry for a few hours followed up by two coats of shellac. The last picture is the finished result although the flash washed out most of the coloring. Looks much better than the picture shows. Special thanks to Curt A.

WOW, what a difference... it really looks great... You saved your finish and have a new decal. Glad I could help...

Looks terrific! Glad you received good advice here on the Forum.

Jerry B.

wow,,, super job..

blizz