REMOVING WINDOWS, HEADLIGHTS, NUMBER BOARDS ETC FROM LIONEL ENGINES

Instead of removing windows and lenses, it's often more effective to coat the clear bits with liquid masking, paint your item and then peel off the masking, leaving your delicate parts un-molested.

Dont remove them. Liquid mask or cut masking tape into little squares on a piece of glass. Use a toothpick or tweezers to put the pieces on to cover the windows. Either way takes time.....but better than trying to remove them.

Does anyone know an easy and simple way to dissolve the glue used to attached windows to plastic engines or is
there some trick at removing windows, headlight lens, etc.

Thanks

Ray

As stated above, you are better off masking them than trying to remove them. Many times now the plastic is melted together in the bonding process so attempting to pry it off will only damage the piece. If the piece you are trying to remove does NOT come off easily, then it's a good chance the piece is melted together.

I'd remove the easy ones that come off without issue.  Any that don't just pop out, mask them as described.  I find many headlight and marker light lenses are not glued, but just pressed in.  Windows are a different matter.

Thanks guys, for the info. I figured that the only way to protect the window glazing would be to cover it up with either masking tape or liquid masking. I just wanted to be sure that there was nothing out there that would loosen the glue.

I have never used liquid masking and I'm a little concerned about how well it covers and protects the lens.

Ray

Works pretty well, and if needed you can trim the edge with a sharp #11 blade.

Needs 2 or 3 coats...and drying time between coats but works really well.