I have a few models that I’d like to strip of their paint and completely re-do. They were painted with Model Master enamel and Tamiya acrylic. The Tamiya acrylic has been on the model close to three years, the Model Master enamel maybe three-and-a-half years. What, other than oven cleaner (I am not going that route again!), would work best for removing multiple types of paint–Simple Green, Super Clean, Windex, or something else? If it can be used for household cleaning, all the better.
Some people use DOT-3 brake fluid or 91% isopropyl alcohol.
That is the reason why I like to use Gunze Acrylic paint. Just some ethanol will do the stripping job without damage the plastic kit.
You need two types of cleaner, as you are using two types of paint.
Windex or Isopropyl Alcohol will remove the Tamiya, you’ll need oven cleaner or brake fluid to remove the enamel.
I use Tamiya Acrylics for the same reason Harshman II likes Gunze. Easy to clean with some alcohol.
I’ve heard that sufficient exposure to Super Clean will strip enamels, but I’ve never tried it since I rarely use enamels any more.
If you can leave it outside, or leave it in a running spray booth, soaking in odorless mineral spirits will remove the enamel, though it may take a day or two if the enamel is well cured.
If the enamel is all underlain by acrylic, Windex and time will do the job.
Goo-Gone will also strip enamel and acrylic efficiently. It must be used with good ventilation.
I haven’t tried them, but I believe Mr Color (Gunze) thinner and Tamiya Lacquer thinners can remove both acrylics and enamels without damaging styrene. I would suggest testing on scrap first though, and make sure you use these in a well ventilated area.
Both thinner will destroy the styrene if you let if stagnant on the surface for too long. If you apply on it and wipe it off quickly together with the paint, yes. It will not destroy the styrene. If you want to do the thinner way, make sure you do not apply too much on it. They are strong solvent and will eat into plastic quickly.
I would like to thank everyone for the replies, and add some more info.
91% isopropyl alcohol works well for stripping chrome off model car parts, and also removing some acrylic paints. It stripped off House of Kolor enamel (the kind sold in hobby shops a few years ago), but it wouldn’t put a dent in Model Master enamel. I will try it on some Tamiya acrylic soon and see how that goes.
Please correct me if I’m wrong, but I believe that Tamiya and Gunze acrylics use similar, if not identical, formulas.
There is a tutorial about stripping paint with Simple Green. I’m pretty sure the paint being stripped was enamel.
Finally, if I have to go the brake fluid route, what type of container should I put it in? Would a Glad-Ware container do, or should I use something a little more robust?
If I am working working with enamel paint I will use a mineral spirits to strip off paint. When I use acrylics I’ve always used water based “Goof Off” to remove acrylic paint.
Hope this helps.
Gunze Sangyo Mr. Color Thinner will strip acylics, enamels and lacquers. I’ve personally used it on all 3. It will also do it within minutes - no hanging around and waiting. Pour some MCT in a tupperware bowl (one you don’t mid throwing away afterwards) and throw in the parts you want stripped of paint. Wait a few minutes and lightly scrub the parts with an old toothbrush. The paint will start to peel off in sheets, leaving the plastic in perfect condition. Rinse it under running water and let dry. You’ll be able to start painting the next day, no problems.
-Fred
Fred, that stuff sounds deadly. Any idea what’s in it?
I did indeed throw a part–the seat from a Tamiya Zakspeed Capri–into some 91% isopropyl alcohol. After about eight hours, the alcohol was orange and the seat was almost completely black again! I picked up some Simple Green after school today, and will be dunking some enamel-painted parts in it shortly.
i dont know about enamels but most acrylics can be removed using simple green or detol. although simple green doesnt dull details like detol does. Warhammer guys swear by simple green because of all the fine detail on the games workshop and citidel miniatures. i stripped a space marine with detol once and the detail went soft on me.
I’ll toss my F4F’s firewall in a Simple Green bath shortly, and give a report on its progress after sufficient time has passed. Meanwhile, I’m not certain what Detol is; maybe I know it by a different name?
I rarely use enamels, as I prefer acrylics.
Tamiya, Gunze Aqueous and Vallejo acrylics will all come off in minutes, if not seconds, using denatured alcohol (or methylated spirits here in Australia) It doesn’t much matter if the paint was applied an hour ago or twenty years ago, it will come off almost instantly without harming the styrene.
possibly. its a brown liquid antiseptic. turns water cloudy white.
!(http://shop.idmsports.com.au/images/First Aid - Dettol - Liquid (250ml).jpg)
FYI, I had sprayed Krylon indoor-outdoor gray primer on styrene which I was scratch building. Several months later I decided I needed to remove it.
I have used break fluid successfully on enamels, but I wanted to experiment on this primer. First I tried Goo-Gone. It took overnight to cut the well cured primer. It also compromised the styrene, makeing it too soft for my purpose (pin rail on a Cutty Sark). It also melted the surface, giving it a rough texture.
I then tried another piece in charcoal lighter fluid for an overnight soak. It also softened the styrene, but it did not damage the surface.
For one thing the Krylon indoor/outdoor primer bites the styrene really well. Krylon customer serviced advised against using it on styrene because it is so aggresive; but I have not experienced any problem on hard (hull) styrene. Alcohol will remove Tamiya acrylics without effecting this primer.
Shipwreck, thanks for the heads-up. I haven’t painted a kit with Krylon for quite some time, but now I’ll make 150% sure I won’t want to re-paint anything before taking Krylon to it.
As for Dettol, it’s probably sold in a different name here in the States, but exactly what name escapes me.
Simple Green does a nice job of removing Model Master enamel. After a one-hour soak, the paint on my F4F’s firewall had softened enough that it could be gently scraped away. Still haven’t tried it on Tamiya acrylic, but now I’m armed with everything needed to strip unwanted paint off my models.
The jury is in on Simple Green: it does a great job of removing Model Master enamel! Some parts, such as the radiator from my M151A2, require a longer soak time to remove all the paint from their fine details, so some patience is needed. I also tried Simple Green on some Testors rattle-can enamel that had been painted about 15 years ago, and after about 12 hours, the paint that was exposed to Simple Green was just about coming off in sheets.
Lessons learned:
- 91% isopropyl alcohol absolutely annihilates Tamiya acrylic.
- Simple Green works great for enamel, but might require a somewhat long soak time.
- Caustic and malodorous chemicals are pretty much unnecessary.
- I need not worry about anyone’s health: mine, my girlfriend’s, the dog’s, or the cat’s.
Modeling has just become more enjoyable!
Thanks for the summary statement, Dan. Simple Green makes a whole host of products. Which one are you referring to?