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Removing enamel from plastic kits.


xvtonker

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Years ago I successfully used spray oven cleaner to remove enamel paint on some kits I wanted to rejuvenate.

The other week I tried the same method on a couple of old kits, but it didn't touch the paint. I suspect that the new oven spray cleaners are now 'more user friendly'.

Does anyone have any thought or ideas on how to remove old enamel paint from plastic kits???

XVTonker

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Try using Mr Color thinner 400.

I have used it on two kits in recent weeks and it works fine. It very slightly attacks surface which makes a very good key for future paint.

Only down side is that it is rather expensive.

http://www.modeldesignconstruction.co.uk/mall/departmentpage.cfm/ModelDesignConstruction/_486492/1/Thinner

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I read in this month's SAMI that Revell's new paint remover will do the job very effectively without damaging the plastic. It apparently even works on clear parts without fogging or other damage. I will be getting some to try it.

Hope this helps,

Tom.

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Hi VXTonker,

In a large plastic container you can put boiling water, add Caustic Soda, Let it cool down to under 40 degrees Celsius.

Leave the model in it overnight and the paint will be all gone the next morning, doesn`t matter what type of paint it is.

Decals will be gone but clear parts remain intact.

Mix ratio I`ve used is 500 grams of Caustic Soda per litre of boiling water. (I have been told that is to much... all I know it works)

Caustic Soda is a dangerous chemical, you must wear plastic gloves and safety goggles when you work with it.

Caustic Soda mix with boiling water generates toxic fumes so it has be done outside. No matter where you do it, don`t breath it.

Hope that helps.

Adrian

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Caustic Soda is a dangerous chemical, you must wear plastic gloves and safety goggles when you work with it.

Caustic Soda mix with boiling water generates toxic fumes so it has be done outside. No matter where you do it, don`t breath it.

Hope that helps.

Adrian

Not sure if this the most effective method, but it certainly sounds the most fun!

Cliff

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Don't use break fluid it can cause the plastic to weep it's oils and become brittle as biscuits

I always use Mr muscle oven cleaner that got off 4 thick coats of 20 plus year old Humbrol enamel.

No damage to the plastic and the model has now been rebuilt for 5 years with no problems.

Tesco cheapest all purpose cleaner works too but not as much as the oven cleaner.

Cheers Rob

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You can always buy dedicated tubs of the stuff from your local model shop (or internet supplier). This is much more expensive for the amount you get than brake fluid or caustic soda, but not everyone has either of those readily to hand, so it may well end up cheaper for just this job. Oven cleaner might be cheaper.

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Don't use break fluid it can cause the plastic to weep it's oils and become brittle as biscuits

I always use Mr muscle oven cleaner that got off 4 thick coats of 20 plus year old Humbrol enamel.

No damage to the plastic and the model has now been rebuilt for 5 years with no problems.

Tesco cheapest all purpose cleaner works too but not as much as the oven cleaner.

Cheers Rob

Yeah Rob, that's what I used to use, but the one I used recently didn't even cause the paint to blister. Mind you, it wasn't Mr Muscle so there may be a difference. I'll give Mr M another go.

I also read the review of the new Revell paint stripper, but haven't been able to find anywhere that sells it yet.

XVTonker :pilot:

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Yeah Rob, that's what I used to use, but the one I used recently didn't even cause the paint to blister. Mind you, it wasn't Mr Muscle so there may be a difference. I'll give Mr M another go.

I also read the review of the new Revell paint stripper, but haven't been able to find anywhere that sells it yet.

XVTonker :pilot:

There used to be a product called "model strip" Good just stuff but very expensive.

Ah shame about the Oven cleaner not working, I noticed some stuff I used to use seemed a bit slow recently, Tesco General Purpose Cleaner cheapest luminous yellow stuff , Perhaps there has been a new regulation past again...

General Melchett Recommends Fairy Power Spray but I have not seen any in the shops yet to try.

Cheers Rob :)

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There used to be a product called "model strip" Good just stuff but very expensive.

Ah shame about the Oven cleaner not working, I noticed some stuff I used to use seemed a bit slow recently, Tesco General Purpose Cleaner cheapest luminous yellow stuff , Perhaps there has been a new regulation past again...

General Melchett Recommends Fairy Power Spray but I have not seen any in the shops yet to try.

Cheers Rob :)

General Melchett always provides good information so I might try that as an alternative.

Just found the Revell paint remover online, but at £6.50 for 100ml it's pretty expensive, especially as I want to strip the paint off an old Frog 1/96 DC-7.........

XVTonker :pilot:

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General Melchett always provides good information so I might try that as an alternative.

Just found the Revell paint remover online, but at £6.50 for 100ml it's pretty expensive, especially as I want to strip the paint off an old Frog 1/96 DC-7.........

XVTonker :pilot:

He certainly does. Man of great taste.

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There used to be a product called "model strip" Good just stuff but very expensive.

Ah shame about the Oven cleaner not working, I noticed some stuff I used to use seemed a bit slow recently, Tesco General Purpose Cleaner cheapest luminous yellow stuff , Perhaps there has been a new regulation past again...

General Melchett Recommends Fairy Power Spray but I have not seen any in the shops yet to try.

Cheers Rob :)

I've used Fairy Power Spray as well. Usually for sale in Sainsbury's and Savers. Works as an oven cleaner as well.

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i have recently stripped back a newly painted Hawk (first build in many years) as i wasn't happy with the finish. i used humbrol spray can primer then brush painted using humbrol enamel - black paint shows up so many imperfections. :(

i used mr muscle oven cleaner to remove the enamel (sprayed and bagged overnight) then agitated with a brush and water in the morning. i found it wouldnt touch the primer coat and since it was mostly a bad primer coat (lots of overspray and i put it on too thick) i wanted to get rid of i resorted to using after some research here some fully synthetic brake fluid i had in the garage.

just read here that it's not a good way to go about it :( it doesnt looked to have damaged to model but as per posts here it will have stripped oils from the plastic. ah well its a learning curve.

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Don't use break fluid it can cause the plastic to weep it's oils and become brittle as biscuits

I always use Mr muscle oven cleaner that got off 4 thick coats of 20 plus year old Humbrol enamel.

No damage to the plastic and the model has now been rebuilt for 5 years with no problems.

Tesco cheapest all purpose cleaner works too but not as much as the oven cleaner.

Cheers Rob

I must agree with Rob about Mr Muscle oven cleaner - very powerful stuff, so be careful with it. And it cleans ovens rather well too.

anthony

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i have recently stripped back a newly painted Hawk (first build in many years) as i wasn't happy with the finish. i used humbrol spray can primer then brush painted using humbrol enamel - black paint shows up so many imperfections. :(

i used mr muscle oven cleaner to remove the enamel (sprayed and bagged overnight) then agitated with a brush and water in the morning. i found it wouldnt touch the primer coat and since it was mostly a bad primer coat (lots of overspray and i put it on too thick) i wanted to get rid of i resorted to using after some research here some fully synthetic brake fluid i had in the garage.

just read here that it's not a good way to go about it :( it doesnt looked to have damaged to model but as per posts here it will have stripped oils from the plastic. ah well its a learning curve.

You might be lucky I have used it in the past but sometimes it weeps, tell tale signs are the plastic seeming dryer and kinda rough. Also I looks like it's faded at the extremities loosing pigmentation, if you scrape a fingernail over the plastic and it leaves a mark and is slightly gumy it's worring. What I did was wash it well if washing up liquid and the. It became very dry but the weep seemed to stop. Though I don't know as I then repainted it.

I remember it was how I first discovered stripping in the 90s as I had previously thought it not possible to strip a model of plastic.

Now I know different.

It's all learning and that never stops on Britmodeller I swear I learn something everyday on here. I owe a lot to many folk on here.

Cheers Rob :)

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  • 3 weeks later...

I've just noticed this thread.

I recently tried this stuff http://www.biostrip.co.uk/paint-stripping.html and found it very effective. I used it on an old Airfix Boeing 737 painted with Xtracolor enamel over Halfords white primer. It shifted everything including the primer. It didn't affect the plastic although it did loosen some of the filler (Milliput) but that was easily replaced.

I notice the mention of Modelstrip earlier in the thread. About fifteen years ago I was scrubbing Modelstrip off a partially stripped model. I'm still not sure how it happened but despite wearing glasses I managed to get a splash of diluted Modelstrip in my right eye. I washed it out with copious amounts of water and thought everything was OK. However a few days later I got excruciating pain in my eye and scary visual disturbances. I needed an emergency referral to an eye specialist and was extremely lucky to get off with "only" a scarred cornea. The two morals of this are (i) that ordinary glasses are NOT sufficient eye protection when you're doing ANYTHING with a caustic substance and (ii) complacency is downright dangerous.

Edited by Skodadriver
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  • 3 weeks later...

I have successfully stripped enamel with acetone, very quick but has to be done very gently and quickly with something like cotton buds as it will start to dissolve the styrene, but if you don't mark the surface of the plastic the acetone will evaporate and the styrene will harden back up again. It is handy if you just want to sort out a small area with little detail.

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  • 4 years later...

Interested in this as I just stuffed up a 1/48 lightning :(. I foolishly used gloss black Plastikote as a base for Allclad Chrome, didn't go well. I presently have the kit soaking in Mr Muscle Oven Cleaner, wrapped up in a bag, it's been on for 4 hours but doesn't seem to be working. Any thoughts? Would Dettol work on this or does that only work on Acrylic?

Thanks for your advice 

 

Simon 

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The oven cleaner is very corrosive stuff.  It can even remove your fingerprints.  Much of all of this depends on the type of plastic on your subject.  Suggest trying it on a small part first.  I remember using it on a Heller CL-215 many years ago and it turned the plastic into a semi-rubber.

PM

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I suspect this will be good, but not got around to testing it on plastic.

https://www.screwfix.com/p/no-nonsense-paint-varnish-stripper-500ml/17091

17091_P&$prodImageMedium$

there is a COOSH  data sheet which may give an idea if it will affect plastic,  it didn't do anytghing to the old toothbrushes  I used to apply and scrub with though.

 

A look through the Q&A sections

 

Quote

Q - Can this strip paint from plastic without damage?

 

A- Hello,

This should be fine to use on plastics without damage, we would recommend an inconspicuous patch test however to be sure.

 

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