Removing fake woodgrain

Greetings,

I have a Rock-Ola CCC5 I picked up for free a month or so ago.  It's my first machine.  After I plugged it in and saw that the compressor ran and chilled, I decided I'd paint it up and put it in the basement.  

It had fake wood paneling applied on the sides and front panel.  Since that's not the look I'm hoping for I started removing it.  It came off the sides real easy and it was painted underneath.  However, on the front panel, it was clearly applied at the factory before the metal was bent/cut.  This is proving much more difficult to remove, especially around the bends and edges.  

Any ideas for removing this stuff?

[dr galaga]

Have you tried applying heat to it?

[bubba]

yep... try some heat from either a hair dryer or even better is a heat gun.

[johnieG]

Since your going to paint anyway, I'd use a spray on paintstripper such as "aircraft" stripper, most  auto supply houses carry it in the paint section, as do the big box stores such as home depot, lowes, etc.

remove the door & lay it flat, decal side up on any good surface covered with newspapers (several layers) with open air exposure ( garage door open)  wearing gloves & a long sleeve shirt & goggles, spray the paint stripper lightly over the surface of the decals front/face & wait about 10 minutes it will turn into a very soft plastic matieral that will pull-off with no effort,    ( remember, don't  get it on you skin, you won't notice it at first, but in about 15 minutes it will burn your skin like lye)

it's the easist way I've found to remove large sections of the woodgrain vinyl ( so long as you are going to paint anyway)

[Marvin]

I have never used it, but I have seen "woodgrain remover" at the automotive paint supply stores.

Marvin

(Marvin @ Oct. 14 2006,11:20)

QUOTE

I have never used it, but I have seen "woodgrain remover" at the automotive paint supply stores.

Marvin

Thanks guys, I was hoping for a chemical solution.  I'll try the "aircraft" stripper first.  I tried heating it with a hair dryer and it didn't seem to help much--when I got it loose it left a gummy residue still.