Macybaby

You may want to contact the seller - if they were who repainted it - to see if they have any suggestions, as they know what they used for the top coating on the machine.

Most often there will have been a clear coat sprayed over the paint and decals.

BTW - ever put shelves on walls and have them take the paint off when you go to remove them? I hate when that happens! Most paint takes several months to fully cure, but who wants to wait that long?

Belfrybat

Update: I used a hair dryer on high which softened the vinyl enough for me to scrape most of it off with my fingernail. Then I soaked a piece of terry towel with SSS and held it to the spots for 2 - 3 minutes before rubbing. Most of the vinyl is gone, but as someone said above, the paint is dulled. But at least it doesn't have the ugly black on it. The only place I didn't work on is by the decal on the top -- I wasn't sure if the heat would damage it. But that is only about 1/8th inch spot.

I can still see the damage, but I doubt anyone else would notice. I can get a can of the paint the refurbisher used, but I'm not sure touching up those spots would really conceal them as there is a texture change and repainting won't change that.

Ah well, lesson learned. I won't be doing that again!

mom-6

She is a beauty! So glad you were able to get the vinyl off.

Sewnoma

I wonder if automotive buffing compound would help? Do you know if your paint job has a clear topcoat? (I imagine it probably does, that looks like a pretty professional job) You might be able to gently buff the dull areas and get the shine back. I second the recommendation of contacting the seller to see if they have any advice. If they didn't paint it, maybe they can get you in touch with whoever did.

She's a beautiful machine, and she's painted in my favorite color! I hope you can get her back in tip-top shape but I bet she's still beautiful even with a blemish or two.

Personally I don't trust vinyl - I had a thick sort of rubbery vinyl scrap jumbled in a drawer with some crafting supplies years ago and it MELTED into a plastic jar I had!! Both pieces turned into goo. No paint involved, just something about the chemicals in both pieces touching each other created a disgusting and sort of scary mess. Other plastic stuff it was touching (including that jar's lid) were fine, so it was something about that particular jar too.

Personally, I wouldn't put your 301 back into a vinyl bag at this point, even if your paint is fully cured. I just wouldn't trust it! Or wrap it in fabric first so they don't actually touch.

She's lovely though. I'm a little jealous. I really do love that color.

ArchaicArcane

I'm going to guess that your machine is a base coat and a clear coat (or properly done - several coats of clear coat) - that's what most of the repainters are using.

A can of touch up paint won't match. Here's why - the base coat in its "flat" state looks different than a base with several coats of clear. It's sometimes a few shades different.

Also, that looks like a metallic paint. The only thing worse than touching up a metallic is touching up a metallic with a pearl in it. It never matches. The metal flake pattern is different even if the same person or machine sprays it, nevermind going from a professional spray gun to a touch up can or brush.

My recommendation (based on not seeing it of course) is to take it to a detailing shop or a body shop and ask them if they can "polish that out". It should be a few minute job for them and should cost you a minimal amount if anything. They know the proper chemicals to use and not to use. Not knowing (yes, I could look up the MSDS sheets) what's in SSS or WD-40, I wouldn't use them anymore. They could damage the clear coat on the machine and make things worse than the dull spot you have already.

Belfrybat

You guys are the best. The refurbisher is on E-Bay and has sold several dozen of these machines. I sent him a message yesterday and am waiting for a response about the top coat. Great idea about taking it to an auto body shop to see if the dull area can be fixed. But if not, I'm OK with the way it is. If I'm looking directly at it, I don't notice the dull areas -- it's just when the light hits it at an angle. And, let's face it, the paint will get nicks and scratches from normal use.

And yes, I learned my lesson about putting it in a vinyl lined bag without protection. I'm going to sew a cover for it this week and will make sure the cover is on it when its in the bag. I just didn't think about it since my Featherweight lives in the same kind of duffle without a problem. Then again, the paint on it is 66 years old!

Sewnoma

Well but don't FW's have a shellac topcoat? That might be why the FW hasn't had any problems.

But I'm not positive about that, at all.

Belfrybat

Yes, they do, but I'm guessing the coating is well cured after 66 years and 6 month old coating on the 301a wasn't. Either that, or they used a different top coat product "way back then". But, as I said, lesson learned and the spots aren't all that noticeable.

ArchaicArcane

Shellac is the clear coat (or top coat) It's actually an organic material, where as the clearcoat on your car or your 301 is a chemical make up that resembles nothing in nature. It can be mixed to harden fast or slowly and sometimes takes a long time to completely harden.

melmerr1

oh she is just beautiful!! I am so glad you have most of the problem fixed. I can see why you fell in love!