removing paint

Tools, Techniques, and Reference Materials Painting and airbrushing
1

I brush painted the tail of my P-51 mustang red a few years ago, but it didn’t turn out well. I have an airbrush now and I’d like to redo it. What is the best way to remove the paint? I can’t remember if it was enamel or acrylic(shame on me) I don’t like the idea of sanding it because…well…who likes to sand? [xx(] Any techniques would be appreciated. Thanks

2

Castrol Super Clean or Easy Off oven cleaner. Both will work, neither will work instantly and trouble free. You’d have to soak and scrub with an old toothbrush with both. If you’re just wanting to get the tail stripped, you’ll want to figure out a way to keep the stuff on just the tail, so it doesn’t ruin your cockpit and whatnot.

3

Thanks, does it matter if its acrylic or enamel?

4

Not really. They’ll take just about anything off.

5

testors has a painy remover that i used for figures and it worked pretty fast and easy hope that helps

6

Thanks, I appreciate your help guys!

7

I got the easy off oven cleaner. It’s in an aerosol can, do I spray it in a container, soak the area and then scrub with an old toothbrush? Also, I’ll be using a TV tray with a garbage bag pulled over it outside. Will the cleaner affect the garbage bag? I’d rather not ruin the table. Thanks everyone.

8

The cleaner shouldn’t effect the garbage bag but it might well take any paint off the tv tray if it happens to get on that. I have sprayed the areas I wanted stripped, then set the model in a plastic container like you can get a Wal Mart for a couple of dollars. They’ve got a lid that snaps down tight and doesn’t let any smell out, sort of like a giant tupperware container. You’ll want to let the model sit for several hours, or overnight even, then scrub with an old toohtbrush. I always did that over the sink, with running water. Be sure to wear rubber gloves, as that oven cleaner will really irritate your hands.

9

Thanks madda, your info really helps me out. In no time I’ll have my plane stripped so I can repaint it.

10

be careful for any clear pieces, Castrol can haze them… I imagine easy off as well… if it does haze you could always pop it off and order a vac-formed canopy from www.squadron.com…

11

I had no problems with removing the paint. It was just the tail so I was able to soak it and scrub it. Now I can get a much better finish on it. Thanks everyone for your input. If I have anymore noobie questions I’ll be sure to ask [:D]

12

For acrylic paint I have found ordinary Windex works a treat - also works great for soaking aztek nozzles to perfectly clean up.

13

Thanks Toot, I use acrylics exclusivly now, I’ll have to get a bottle for myself. And welcome to the forum! Make sure to introduce yourself in that thread. See you around.

14

I have been trying to hunt for Castrol Super Clean Degreaser. But just cannot find it in Singapore where I live. A few days ago I bought some cleaner/degreaser called “Little Red Thunder” by a company called Malco. It contains Sodium Silicate, Sodium Polyphosphate etc.

It seems to work GREAT. I soaked my old TIGER I with more than 4 layers of Humbrol matt Enamal paint from 25 years ago for about a day or two. Seems to have no damaging effect on the plastic and friendly to my skin (I started off scrubbing wearing a gloove; but it got too inconvenient and I later tried it bare hand). For matt paint fair amount of scrubbing with old toothbrush is needed to get the “softened” paint off. For gloss paint it simply worked wonder … the paint just disappeared; I retrieved a clean piece of plastic from the solution; it is that simple!

It is not cheap. S$10 (about US$7) for 32 fl oz. It will take quite a few round to get my TIGER I soaked and cleaned … It is a 1:25 scale model.

Regards,
pnclim

15

I looked at the super clean at walmart, but i could only get it in the gallon jug, I didnt need that much so I opted for the oven cleaner. Thats how I sold it to the Mrs. However, I’m now forced to actually clean the oven now[V]