How to remove backing paper from custom vid card backplate?

[FlynHawn]

Hoping some of you knowledgable people here can answer this question.

 

[qubit]

I don't get the question. What backing paper?

 

[FlynHawn]

The backplate has a custom design on it in blue and white and there is brown backing paper covering it. The paper is attached somehow, maybe glued on I don't know; but I'm hesitant to start peeeling it off with a knife or something..

 

[Vario]

wet it?

 

[FlynHawn]

Ok, I can try that I guess.. here's a picture of it:

 

[jsfitz54]

wet it?

I was thinking, soak it off, but the OP might not get the humor.

I've never seen brown craft paper backing an a new card. Most come with a plastic film to prevent scratching.

Try peeling the edge free with a plastic credit card.

Lightly blow some warm air on it with a blow dryer to soften the adhesive.

EDIT: that looks like plexiglass so be careful with heat.

 

[robot zombie]

Alcohol maybe? Soak it and let it sit on there for a little bit to loosen it up.

Plastic scrapers are good to have for stuff like this. They're just like those little single-edged scraper blades, only made of pretty soft plastic, so they don't mar things. If you use too much force, the blade will give before the material does, unless you drag the corner of the "blade" accidentally. Ace hardware for sure has them. Other hardware stores and craft stores should have them too. Hell, walmart probably has them.


In a pinch maybe credit card + alcohol.

 

[FlynHawn]

Ok, thanks everyone. The alcohol/plastic scraper method sounds good. I tried to get ahold of the company that made it, but their 'contact us' links on their website don't go anywhere and their emails are from no-reply@. Company is V1 Tech.

 

[jsfitz54]

Solvents and Paints don't mix sometimes.

Be warned, Alcohol may not be the way to go.

 

[Final_Fighter]

just use a finger nail and get a little bit to peel off and the rest will come up without any issues. ive done this tons of times on 3d printer hardware that had that same stuff on it.

 

[INSTG8R]

This is standard with plastics.Just pick at an edge it will just peel off(might give you some trouble in places)

 

[robot zombie]

Solvents and Paints don't mix sometimes.

Be warned, Alcohol may not be the way to go.

I hadn't considered that it might be painted. Some clear finishes are just as bad (ever put alcohol on a soft-cure varnish? I have ) Alcohol seems generally safe on plastics, but yeah if there's any kind of finish on it it's definitely dodgy. I guess I just kind of assume an aftermarket, manufactured cover isn't gonna be blasted with weak paint or finishes. Ideally the plastic itself has the color/texture you want. Much more durable/repeatable. Better yields and so on.

My usual technique with this stuff is careful working of a plastic scraper. The trick is to first get a corner loose and then follow the angle of the peel in a straight line with short pushes of the scraper and a little pulling on the loose end of the sticker/cover/whatever. Just push up a mm or two running up and down the line. The key is to keep that line straight, at its original angle. Deviate too much and it'll rip or leave behind bits of the backing that are a lot harder to get off without using too much force. But often if you're patient, it'll come up clean. Somebody mentioned heat. I can say that it works, but with plastics and finishes you have to be VERY conservative. No more heat than it could see attached to the card.

Even if it does have a finish, I'd still use a weak concentration of alcohol (50% at most) to remove leftover residue. I'm talking little bits here and there. Probably not direct either... ...lightly soaked microfiber or shop towel. But it's probably best to try and mechanically remove as much as possible before resorting to solvents, water included.

Good catch jsfitz. Definitely got me thinking twice about my advice.

 

[FlynHawn]

Ok, so the fingernails are actually working.. sorta.. Do I remove the paper of the back of it too? I mean I would think so. How do you attach it to the vid card? It doesn't just lay on top of it, does it?

 

[Solaris17]

does it have mount holes? how do you not know how to mount it? You didnt comission this to be made without actually checking to see if this can be put on your card did you? The paper (which should just peel off) will do one of 2 things generally.

1: protect the finish of the surface underneath.
2: provide access to the adhesive because it is meant to stick to something.

 

[FlynHawn]

When I ordered it from the V1 Tech, their site had me first choose which vid card I had to ensure whichever one I ordered would fit. It didn't come with any instructions and is the 1st time I've had a custom anything for a PC. There are no mounting holes. Maybe the back will be adhesive..

 

[robot zombie]

I'd say it would have to be adhesive in that case.

 

[RealNeil]

There are no mounting holes. Maybe the back will be adhesive..

From their website:
"Clean, custom made one of a kind backplates with innovative magnetic attaching solution. No interference, 100% safe, and without removing screws our backplates do not void your warranty! "

Try setting it on top of the existing backplate and see if it sticks with a slight magnetic force,.......

Look Here

 

[HUSKIE]

Blow with hair dryer...

 

[MrGenius]

From their website:
"Clean, custom made one of a kind backplates with innovative magnetic attaching solution. No interference, 100% safe, and without removing screws our backplates do not void your warranty! "

Try setting it on top of the existing backplate and see if it sticks with a slight magnetic force,.......

Somehow I don't see that working very well. For one thing the backplate isn't very likely to be magnetic(almost certainly going to be made of aluminum, or should be if it isn't) . For another, the mounting screws would be magnetic, but their size isn't going to be big enough for a magnet to grab onto with sufficient holding power(probably good enough for a horizontally mounted card in a case that isn't being moved/transported though). That's assuming it even has a stock backplate and mounting screws for it.

 

[RealNeil]

I just checked the backplates on my two Gigabyte GTX-1070s and also my two Gigabyte GTX-1070Ti cards.
All of them are magnetic.

His Gigabyte RX-580 has a backplate.

 

[R00kie]

try peeling with a bit of tape, stick it to the paper on the edge and peel it that way. That stuff is always on acrylic sheets ti prevent if from scratching and melting while laser cutting.

 

[robot zombie]

This is starting to feel like "How many TPU members does it take to install a GPU backplate?"

 

[jboydgolfer]

What company makes a backplate & leaves it like that? Please post the maker

 

[INSTG8R]

What company makes a backplate & leaves it like that? Please post the maker

It’s acrylic it always comes like that. As a former CNC machinist this is perfectly normal it’s to protect the surface.

 

[MrGenius]

His Gigabyte RX-580 has a backplate.

Well...he screwed up then. Because he bought plastic heat trapper/decorative backplate add-on for it that says it's an RX 480.

Anyhow...I don't presume to know which Gigabyte RX 480 he has. But I do know one thing for sure. If it's a reference model, it has a non-magnetic aluminum backplate.