Section III. PRESSURE SENSITIVE ADHESIVE VINYL MARKERS (DECALS)

TM 43-0139 b. Paper Stencil Application Techniques. (1) Identify the area to be marked. Draw a straight guideline for proper positioning of the letters, numbers, or legend. (2) Peel off gum-protector paper from the paper stencil; avoid touching the adhesive. (3) Handle the stencil with caution to avoid wrinkling or distorting the characters, and apply to the proper location on the vehicle or equipment. (4) After fixing the stencil in place, remove the webs from the letters and numerals so that the finished marking appears with unbroken lines. (5) Mask the areas between, above, and below the stencils using masking tapes and paper to prevent overpainting. (6) Apply paint to the stenciled area by spraying or brushing; spraying is preferred. Use CARC lusterless Black 37030 or 37038, or Green 383 (from table 4-1 in Chapter 4) for applications requiring chemical agent resistant systems. (7) A few minutes after painting, remove the stencils. This must be done with care to avoid smudging the marking or the adjacent surface area. (8) Do not touch the painted marking until thoroughly dry; drying time is dependent upon temperature, type of paint, method of application, and the thickness of the paint film. Take care to protect the marking from dust and dirt during the drying period. (9) Carefully clean all paint overspray, smudges, and residue from the area. Use mineral spirits paint thinner and a cloth. This must be done with care; avoid contact of the marking with the thinner. Section III. PRESSURE SENSITIVE ADHESIVE VINYL MARKERS (DECALS) 6-8. GENERAL a. These markers are available as die-cut letters, numerals, and legends in various sizes. b. The vinyl markers are applied to the surface without water or other solvent to activate the adhesive. They are mounted on a protective paper lining that is removable without the use of a solvent. The marker face is covered by a translucent application tape which is removed after marker application. c. The markers are resistant to grease, oil, water, salt spray, gasoline, and aromatic fuels. Cleaning of the marking requires only water and soap or detergent. 6-9. APPLICATION TECHNIQUES a. Surface. The surface on which the marker is to be applied must be clean and dry. All oil, grease, and dirt must be removed by washing with liquid detergent cleaner or an approved cleaning solution to prevent contamination of the adhesive. Allow sufficient time for the cleaning agent to evaporate. Vinyl markers cannot be adequately applied to extremely irregular or rough surfaces. Complete contact of the marker to the surface is necessary for proper adhesion. Old markers must be removed completely prior to applying a new marker. (1) Old pressure sensitive vinyl markers may be removed by soaking the markers with a rag or sponge dipped in technical methyl ethyl ketone or technical xylene, TT-X-916, which acts on the adhesive to soften it. A mixture of 75 percent methyl ethyl ketone and 25 percent technical xylene is recommended. The marker may then be removed with a putty knife or scraper without damaging the materiel surface. 6-9