I prefer those with no leak lids that seal in moisture.Kitchen Gloves (if you don't want to get dirty). If there are still some paint left in the plastic item, proceed to method number two. How to Strip Paint From Plastic Miniatures. I will be getting some to try it. Don't worry, what seems like a failed model now will soon be ready for a new primer coat and the whole problem a distant memory! However a few days later I got excruciating pain in my eye and scary visual disturbances. The exotic stuff mentioned above won't attack the plastic, plus, most of it is enviromentally friendly. About fifteen years ago I was scrubbing Modelstrip off a partially stripped model. Mind you, it wasn't Mr Muscle so there may be a difference. In a large plastic container you can put boiling water, add Caustic Soda, Let it cool down to under 40 degrees Celsius. 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. Plastic Container to hold miniatures. Any thoughts? Does anyone have any thought or ideas on how to remove old enamel paint from plastic kits??? Yeah Rob, that's what I used to use, but the one I used recently didn't even cause the paint to blister. Caustic Soda mix with boiling water generates toxic fumes so it has be done outside. Scrub Off Old Paint. Rub it over the painted area until you notice the paint starting... 3. Step-By-Step To Get Paint Off Plastic 1. I have not tried it … Alternatives to Simple Green exist, such as L.A. For this, a plastic putty knife or a razor blade would be suitable. After soaking for about 24 hours, you'll find that most paint ready to remove. I owe a lot to many folk on here. I read in this month's SAMI that Revell's new paint remover will do the job very effectively without damaging the plastic. Using a scraper may remove the paint from a plastic product but not all the time. What can be used to remove enamel besides thinner? Tool set of bristle brushes for stripping (you can find a cheap set in the paint department of Home Depot)- one plastic, one copper, one stainless steel. Be especially careful when using a razor blade; it is recommended to use it only as a last resort or when dealing with thick, dried-up paint. What I did was wash it well if washing up liquid and the. I want to repaint them. This should be fine to use on plastics without damage, we would recommend an inconspicuous patch test however to be sure. Dried Paint Solvents Model Master Dried Paint Solvent 50495 1-3/4 oz. I've found that soaking in Simple Green is good for removing paint from metal models, but unfortunately, in my experience, the same doesn't quite hold true for resin. For oven cleaner, spray the model and seal it in a plastic container to keep the fumes inside, the help dissolve the paint. General Melchett always provides good information so I might try that as an alternative. Place a small amount of vegetable oil in your rag. Soak them as needed. Simply replace the Simply Green with a like product. Pick at the Model. I used it on an old Airfix Boeing 737 painted with Xtracolor enamel over Halfords white primer. Gastrol Super Clean (Purple Power) works better. Given the type of paint used, the particular plastic, and the time on the model, its possible there is just no good way to get the paint completely off without doing harm to the plastic. Soak the model in a tub, and it takes it back to plastic. And it cleans ovens rather well too. Model Master Acrylic Cleaner 50497A 4 oz. It didn't affect the plastic although it did loosen some of the filler (Milliput) but that was easily replaced. Use the vegetable-derived stuff, not the mineral oil - not sure why the distinction, but it definitely worked on twenty-year-old white enamel slopped on carelessly. I messed up on painting a model car and I don't want to use paint thinner and if I sanded it off it would ruin the plastic... for a styrene model the best thing to use is car brake fluid, but to be safe always wear safety glasses or a shield as some people are more sensitive to chemicals,it is safer than paint stripper and will not hurt the plastic, use q-tips to get in the small cracks and just rinse off in water also google (model hints and tips ). Apply the remover and leave it on the affected area until the paint starts to wrinkle. Sign up for a new account in our community. Suggest trying it on a small part first. If you want to remove all of the paint then use the nail polish remover and cotton swabs to remove model paint from the crevices and small areas. If it is a styrene kit, then brake fluid will potentially damage the plastic. Place the model in a suitable container that will allow you to submerge the model in the liquid. How about a lovely solvent... Oh, not that either I use it for stripping paint off EFE diecasts - and have also used it for stripping gloss paint from indoor surfaces around the house! I've tried oven cleaner on Enamel and it doesn't work. No damage to the plastic and the model has now been rebuilt for 5 years with no problems. I used brake fluid (old type) on some old kits painted with enamel paints, left overnight in the garage and a quick scrub with hot soapy water. 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. The paint will soften and you can wipe off with a paper towel. 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. To remove dried acrylic film, you may use PollyScale Easy Lift Off Remover No. I has not harmed the plastic parts of the EFE models - … Enamel paints are great for painting a lot of different materials. No matter where you do it, don`t breath it. 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 also read the review of the new Revell paint stripper, but haven't been able to find anywhere that sells it yet. If you used acrylic paints, WIndex will remove the paint, again follow the suggestion above. Try soaking the parts in Brake Fluid overnight and then scrub the paint off with sandpaper. I needed an emergency referral to an eye specialist and was extremely lucky to get off with "only" a scarred cornea. F542143. 16 replies. Tesco cheapest all purpose cleaner works too but not as much as the oven cleaner. You might want to try Bio Strip. Previously, the two “better” ways of stripping models I’ve encountered were using Dettol, for plastic figures, and a product called Nitromors for metal models. It is handy if you just want to sort out a small area with little detail. Years ago I successfully used spray oven cleaner to remove enamel paint on some kits I wanted to rejuvenate. Works as an oven cleaner as well. Regular scrub brush from kitc… Though I don't know as I then repainted it. It shifted everything including the primer. The other week I tried the same method on a couple of old kits, but it didn't touch the paint. Won't craze the plastic like thinner can and gets the paint off. Don't use break fluid it can cause the plastic to weep it's oils and become brittle as biscuits. Enamel All enamel thinners are usable with other enamel paints. Brake fluid is commonly used in the wargaming and modeling community by modelers looking to remove an old paint job in preparation for a new one. I suspect this will be good, but not got around to testing it on plastic. Usually for sale in Sainsbury's and Savers. It very slightly attacks surface which makes a very good key for future paint. The paint I was removing was a Humbrol paint in matt black and Expo started to loosen this paint and it started to peel off like rubber so using a blunt knife I was able to get under the paint easily and lift it off. It attacks the paint, making it soft so you can scrub it off. Use enough to fully submerge the miniature. Much of all of this depends on the type of plastic on your subject. Just scrape at the model with a toothpick until it gets … Caustic Soda is a dangerous chemical, you must wear plastic gloves and safety goggles when you work with it. I have many interests including model making, Trackdays, Skiing, Walking, Competitive Esports, Computers, Greenhouse gardening and more recently Modelling. I have used it on two kits in recent weeks and it works fine. Decals will be gone but clear parts remain intact. You can use household chemicals such as Castrol SuperClean, BleachWhite, Simple Green or even Easy Off oven cleaner. Rubbing alcohol helps remove paint without melting the plastic, unlike harsh paint thinners. Acrylic Thinners & Cleaners Model Master Acrylic 50496A 4 oz. Any reasonably sized container would do. Decals will be gone but clear parts remain intact. Testors Model Master High Gloss Clear Gloss 1/2 oz Hobby and Model Enamel Paint #2780. Military aircraft - anything without 'strings', 1/48 post war ADF aircraft & RAF/FAA aircraft, http://www.biostrip.co.uk/paint-stripping.html. I was going to suggest a fine grit sandpaper, but thats ruled out... 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. It's easy! Interested in this as I just stuffed up a 1/48 lightning :(. Vinegar can remove dried paint from paintbrushes, according to Reader's Digest. Vinegar works best on latex paint. By Removing paint from plastic figures Ive used this technique with old models and figures, even those that have been covered in two or three coats of thick enamel paint. There used to be a product called "model strip" Good just stuff but very expensive. Leaves the plastic smelling pine fresh too! Purple cleaners are probably the most cost-effective, known-safe way to remove paint from plastic models. The forums are retiring in 2021 and are now closed for new topics and comments. I recently tried this stuff http://www.biostrip.co.uk/paint-stripping.html and found it very effective. https://www.screwfix.com/p/no-nonsense-paint-varnish-stripper-500ml/17091. I've used Fairy Power Spray as well. The first thing you should do is to get your plastic putty knife and try getting the paint from the plastic surface. Your best bet is to use the antiseptic solution or oven cleaner, and just let the … It became very dry but the weep seemed to stop. 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. 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. 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. I fill a Sterilite Container (You can use RubberMaid,Tupperware,Gladware, etc..) (Mine's about the size of a shoebox) that has a lid about 1/2 full with CSC, then I just place the parts in it and let them soak. With either scraper, however, make sure not to apply too much pressure or you run the risk of scratching up the surface while trying to get rid of the paint. Strip the paint from a model before applying a new paintjob with brake fluid. http://www.modeldesignconstruction.co.uk/mall/departmentpage.cfm/ModelDesignConstruction/_486492/1/Thinner. With Clean Slate rmvr 2.0 you will be able to easily remove paint off of your model with absolutely zero damage to polystyrene. Acrylic Paint Removal. Oven cleaner might be cheaper. 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. It apparently even works on clear parts without fogging or other damage. I don't know if it can be done! I'll give Mr M another go. Mix ratio I`ve used is 500 grams of Caustic Soda per litre of boiling water. If you don’t cover the entire miniature, it will be difficult to clean, and you’ll probably have to soak it again. You can always buy dedicated tubs of the stuff from your local model shop (or internet supplier). However, its effectiveness for removing paint from plastic varies depending on several factors, such as how long the paint has set and the type of paint. (I have been told that is to much... all I know it works). Normally I let them soak overnight, but depending on the type of paint and how long the paint has had to cure, sometimes it … The parts need a good wash after, as the dettol leaves a greasy film on the surface. Boil it in a mixture of water with a few scoops of Tide in it. Fill a container large enough with paint stripper and soak the model for up … You'll want to work in a well-ventilated area. Dettol was the first effective paint stripper I found for getting acrylic paints from plastic models, but it took an AGE to work. i used humbrol spray can primer then brush painted using humbrol enamel - black paint shows up so many imperfections. Testors Model Master enamel spray questions, plus paint removal questions 8271 views. Place the model in a suitable container that will allow you to submerge the model in the liquid. November 17, 2014 in Paint. Nonetheless, be sure to wear a face mask to guard … This stuff is great for removing paint mistakes, or even paint that wasn't a mistake but you want it gone! Generally about 15 minutes to 30 minutes for … A- Hello, Only down side is that it is rather expensive. I remember using it on a Heller CL-215 many years ago and it turned the plastic into a semi-rubber. Not sure if this the most effective method, but it certainly sounds the most fun! Enamel thinner will attack the plastic after a few minutes of the plastic soaking in it. It works equally as well with hard and soft plastic plus its a technique that's not just limited to smallscale modelling. 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. At this point in your project, I would wash the model with warm water and … Dried paint does not come off as quickly or easily as fresh or wet paint. Boiling water and detergent. The oven cleaner is very corrosive stuff. If the model you want to strip is made of metal, there’s one very cheap, simple way to remove paint from it. Some areas may need a bit of persuasion with a gentle scrub using a toothbrush. 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. Civil aircraft in 1/144 scale .... and cats. Using petroleum based solvent will not only remove the paint but also destroy the model. This part can take a while. I suspect that the new oven spray cleaners are now 'more user friendly'. i have recently stripped back a newly painted Hawk (first build in many years) as i wasn't happy with the finish. I've had great success with degreaser. Last time I got some from Faversham Model Shop. Be sure to rinse well after you have the paint removed...which might require a little persuasion from an old tooth brush after soaking for a while. Brake fluid can serve as an acceptable alternative to paint stripper for removing paint from small metal or plastic objects. I always use Mr muscle oven cleaner that got off 4 thick coats of 20 plus year old Humbrol enamel. i use either oven cleaner or brake fluid for paint removal for anything except water based- use windex for that. Totally Awesome (which is cheaper). I notice the mention of Modelstrip earlier in the thread. But most Enamel Paints are a little to thick to be used with … Thinning Enamel Paint: With a List of Thinners That Work. Britmodeller.com 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. In some cases, a razor blade can be an appropriate tool for dried and thick acrylic paint. ah well its a learning curve. Many modelers have found that this is an effective way of removing the acrylic paint without harming the polystyrene. Scrape off the paint gently and avoid putting too much pressure on it. In a large plastic container you can put boiling water, add Caustic Soda, Let it cool down to under 40 degrees Celsius. You need to be a member in order to leave a comment. Enamel paints have a very smooth, professional finish once they are dry and they are most often used with an airbrush. I use dettol to good effect, just soak overnight, and the paint slides right off. I'm looking for a substance in which I can leave the parts submerged overnight. 1. Pine-Sol strips them all. Method Two: Use a paint scraper or a putty knife to remove the existing paint from the plastic item. Would Dettol work on this or does that only work on Acrylic? 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. 2. Modelling in general, aircrafts in particular. 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. You can use household chemicals such as Castrol SuperClean, BleachWhite, Simple Green or even Easy Off oven cleaner. Sometimes things go wrong, and your model receives an imperfect paint job. Do not immerse. The cab side walls are too delicate to withstand the amount of pressure needed to remove the paint. Another vote for brake fluid here. If you used enamel paints then you need to look at either sanding or scrapping to remove the paint. It is often used for painting miniatures and plastic models. I foolishly used gloss black Plastikote as a base for Allclad Chrome, didn't go well. It can even remove your fingerprints. I used enamel paints (Testors) to paint a couple of model kits. Simple Green. Gather the ingredients and equipment that you will need for the process. https://modelrailwayengineer.com/how-to-paint-stripping-plastic-models If Acrylic paint dries on or in your airbrush, use one of the cleaners to remove the dried paint. I must agree with Rob about Mr Muscle oven cleaner - very powerful stuff, so be careful with it. Powered by Invision Community, WW2 aircraft, British WW2 AFV's, Motorbikes. Heat distilled white vinegar on high in the microwave for about 60 seconds. 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. Q - Can this strip paint from plastic without damage? Remove paint from plastic by soaking My favorite method to remove paint from small plastic items is to soak it in a purple cleaner like Super Clean. If you used enamel paints then you need to look at either sanding or scrapping to remove the paint. I washed it out with copious amounts of water and thought everything was OK. It's all learning and that never stops on Britmodeller I swear I learn something everyday on here. xvtonker, It doesn't matter if you need to remove acrylic, oil paint, enamel, or primer. 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