Remove Laminate and Save Artwork?

jeffsgames

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Donor 2011, 2015
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I have a Centipede cabinet that is pretty beat, and will soon be getting a much nicer cabinet in better shape. The only problem with the new cabinet is that they glued laminate to the sides. I was thinking that I would like to peel some back to see if the side art is still intact. I may be well preserved under the laminate. Do you think the sideart would hold up during the laminate removal? I was planning to use a heat gun and take my time, but I didn't know if the sideart would handle it. Also, I've noticed that some colors in sideart hold up better than others and I was wondering if there is anything in the Centipede art I need to take it easy with.

Any advice would be great!
 
I wouldn't expect the sideart to survive laminate glue, let alone removing the laminate at a later time. But - the laminate might be on there for a reason. Are you sure the "good" cabinet is really good underneath? You might be disappointed once you get the laminate off. I'm not sure there's much to say except give it a try.
 
One of the steps for a good laminate bond is to slightly rough up the surface of the substrate. It's entirely possible the old artwork was lightly sanded before adhesive was applied.

Messing with it is definitely a gamble: don't be surprised if you're disappointed by what you find underneath.
 
I figure I'll try to pull up a little without breaking it. If it doesn't come up easily then just reglue it back. The laminate is white, so I could probably get away with applying new art right to it.
 
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