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buckeye1289

Member
Joined
Aug 26, 2020
Messages
5
I just de-badged my leaf because I think it looks so much cleaner, and I'm stuck with the existing blue nissan badges on the front and back of the vehicle. My original plan was to buy silver badges from ebay that are chrome, but I really would rather incorporate the new nissan logo because it looks a lot better.

For kicks I modeled this in Rhino, and I've started a 3d print on our in-house printer. Unfortunately our FDM printer really doesn't have the quality I need, so I thought I'd post here in case somebody works at a place that has access to a better quality print (or even better direct metal sintering). I'm fine sharing the 3d files in 3dm, STL or whatever format you might need.

Regardless I can upload my progress if any of you are interested. I put in a 0.4mm nozzle and I'm hoping for the best print I can muster. Then I can hand finish with a little sandpaper, polish/buffing. I'd love to chrome this, but don't know anybody that can metallize a plastic print.

https://i.imgur.com/4WTRYYT.png
https://i.imgur.com/6IOqRQC.png
 
Wouldn't it be easier to just buy a Nissan emblem on Amazon or eBay?

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=nissan+emblem&ref=nb_sb_noss
 
Here is an update on my progress. I was able to get our SLA printer working, so was able to make a nice quality print. Had a few cracks, and needed to make some adjustments, so I have a new version printing tonight.

Un6YkqI

https://i.imgur.com/Un6YkqI.jpg
 
When de-badging the sticker from the black plastic of the hatchback (at least on a 2018-2022 Leaf), did you use a rubber eraser wheel, a chemical like De-Solve-It, or both? Did either leave a mark on the black plastic that couldn't be easily removed without a trace? Did you have to use a polisher and then seal or wax it afterwards? Thanks!
 
Both these 3D printing companies have a variety of materials available:
https://www.shapeways.com/
https://www.sculpteo.com/en/
 
AlexDarcy said:
When de-badging the sticker from the black plastic of the hatchback (at least on a 2018-2022 Leaf), did you use a rubber eraser wheel, a chemical like De-Solve-It, or both? Did either leave a mark on the black plastic that couldn't be easily removed without a trace? Did you have to use a polisher and then seal or wax it afterwards? Thanks!

If anyone is thinking of doing the same, I successfully removed the sticker badges from the back of my 2022 Leaf. I used dental floss to saw off each sticker, used my fingers to pull up 99% of the foam glue, applied a small amount of De-Solv-It spray for 20 seconds, wiped clean with a microfiber cloth, then washed with water. There is no trace of the foam glue, not even a slight discoloration.

It was 65 F outside and I think the cool temperature made pulling off the foam glue easier. I did not use a heat gun or blow dryer on the stickers first, like you might with computer stickers, it wasn't necessary.

I also bought a rubber eraser wheel that can be attached to a drill, but I didn't use it. When I tested the wheel by hand by rubbing it on the plastic underneath the overhang by the license plate (not visible without crouching down or lifting the hatchaback) it left a very faint residue that did not easily wipe off. The black plastic of the hatchback is soft. Using the wheel with a drill would probably require polishing afterwards. (This spot is also where I tested the De-Solv-It chemical, if you want to test it too. I used De-Solv-It because it's supposedly a bit less harsh than Goo Gone.) If you wear garden gloves to protect your hands from the dental floss, don't let the gloves rub the plastic. The "SL Plus" sticker on the body paint came off even easier than the lettering from the plastic.

I like to remove the stickers, badges and other advertising cruft from my computers, so I did the same for my Leaf. I like the minimal aesthetic. Some of the lettering was also not applied perfectly level at the factory, which kind of irked me. Stickers makes it a bit more difficult to seal or wax the car there too. (I also live in a very red part of a red state, so frankly I didn't want some Cult-of-Trump a**hole keying my shiny new car just because it's electric.) I might next replace the front Nissan emblem with a blue glowing one, if I can find one that is not too expensive. :)
 
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