How to remove unknown type of paint from plastic?

[Felix C]

How do I.

White paint on brown plastic. Type of paint unknown.

[MareNostrum]

I'm not sure if the type of paint really matters. Some techniques include using oven cleaner, Green Stuff cleaner, and immersing overnight in bleach. Needless to say, test on small areas first.

Also, an Internet search revealed this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iN8DWoew6GM

[Harpy]

Badger use to make a mini sand blaster. It was like an airbrush.

http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/webapp ... 22980899-p

I have one and it works well.

[grimmace]

I'm not sure how large your parts are but Superclean works pretty well. I usually just let a part sit in it overnight and then it comes right off, NOT affecting the plastic part at all. Do a search of "superclean removes paint" on youtube and you will see. Hope this helps.

[cwobeaman]

I second Grimmace....... Superclean or answer call in in the model car world "The Purple Pond"

Won't eat the plastic and dissolves/separates the paint from the styrene.

May take a while depending on the paint type and how long it's been on. Works best for acrylic, enamel, and even baked enamel; I've had relatively good success with laquer, but as laquer etches/becomes one with styrene... It's not a pretty pristine removal. Fortunately laquer is usually in very thin layers so it maintains detail and one removed responds well with a 400/600/800/1200/2400 work up. I work all large surfaces down to micron level work ups because I believe that any finish (especially) laquer is only as good as its prep. I've got a 1960 El Camino Lonstar that my father built; I'm rebuilding it and have had it in the pond for over a month as he built it in '64 and has two massive cracks in the roof and RF 1/4 panel. (There's no mold available for the '60 in styrene or resin).

There is the oven cleaner and brake fluid ideas, but for the safest least troublesome method, superclean is the way to go; especially acrylic and enamel.

*Super Clean* find it at your local auto supply store in a gallon size, use a bucket like they give you at the hospital to throw up in and let it sit.... It's also reusable, so you can pour it back into the bottle when done and use it again and again. Rinse the parts really well afterward with a toothbrush and cold water to remove all the superclean and you're in business.

[normanh]

Brake fluid works well and its not corrosive to skin, I recently used it to strip my Arizona Turrets and left over night its very effective and washes off with soapy water.

Norman

[Ken Stenzenko]

I use Tamiya lacquer thinner to remove most types of paint including enamels from plastic and resin. The Tamiya lacquer thinner is a synthetic lacquer thinner and will not harm or melt plastic. I often will lightly prime an area that I have worked on to see that all is complete and then remove the paint with tamiya lacquer thinner so my final paint application is all one thickness. I use it to wipe over most parts before I spray to remove any oils etc.

[cwobeaman]

I use Tamiya lacquer thinner to remove most types of paint including enamels from plastic and resin. The Tamiya lacquer thinner is a synthetic lacquer thinner and will not harm or melt plastic. I often will lightly prime an area that I have worked on to see that all is complete and then remove the paint with tamiya lacquer thinner so my final paint application is all one thickness. I use it to wipe over most parts before I spray to remove any oils etc.

Ken, I have not tried that before, but had wondered. I'm so used to purple pounding car bodies I'm displeased with but for smaller work, I'm looking to try you recommendation out this week.

[reptile]

A product I've used in the past is called strip a kit its a paste you apply put the part in a plastic bag,leave and then wash off.
so far no melted plastic,on resin kits have also tried eucalyptus oil bought from a chemist

[Neptune48]

Brake fluid works well and its not corrosive to skin, I recently used it to strip my Arizona Turrets and left over night its very effective and washes off with soapy water.

Norman

Be very careful with brake fluid. It will not harm most styrene plastics, but it will soften some. Model railroaders learned years ago that the styrene used by Rivarossi would soften in brake fluid and ruin the model. If you don't have some scrap piece to test, it might be wise to use one of the other materials, even though they are more caustic.

[normanh]

I tested the brake fluid on a painted sprue first - I would always advocate that as a first move!


Norman

[MM2CVS9]

I use Scalecoat II by Wash Away. This paint remover works on acrylics, enamels, laquers, removes decals, will soften white glue or gator glue for removal, but does not affect the "hot" glues like Pro weld or Tenax. I have never had it destroy or warp plastic. I'm not a good painter and frequently have to wash off a faulty paint job, so I've used this stuff a lot. Made by Scalecoat Model Paint, division of Weaver Models inc. Northumberland PA, 17857. Get mine from the LHS.

EJ

[raggs]

I'll second what EJ posted above, Scalecoat does a good job of stripping the paint. However I submerged a 1/700 DE I had wanted to
strip in a tupperware container, it took the paint off and also the Testors glue!

I also found that once the model was stripped, I could run the Scalecoat thru a coffee filter to take out the chunks & peels
and back into the bottle with no ill effects the next time i used it.

-Paul

[garyrunnalls]

Brake Fluid is the Best for styrene and any kind of paint, clear plastic -no problem, I love the stuff. Now on resin pieces, well don't soak for too long as they turn rubbery.

[Harquebus]

Have to give my vote for Super Clean degreaser in the purple jug. I have returned two styrene kits I've purchased to "back to new" status, the most recent being a bargain-priced Tamiya Missouri 78008 that had had its hull and deck painted with several coats of paint brushed on in heavy layers; what appeared to be successive attempts by two different people heading in two different directions altogether in regard to paint scheme/camouflage measures. The first kit done was a tugboat covered in one or more coats of gray primer--this was allowed to soak for an hour or two and then the paint was "raked" off with a soft toothbrush. With the Missouri hull I initially sought out a trough that would allow the hull to sit in a Super Clean 'bath' at least up to its waterline (I use it as sparingly as possible) but finding the trough (a wallpaper soaking trough) not quite long enough (.5" too short), I placed the hull in the trough and kept it wet by sponging it. When paint began coming off immediately, I continued using the sponge to wipe the paint off. I was done in 30 minutes, give or take. I won't be soaking parts any longer... unless I'm feeling lazy.

I wouldn't use something like brake fluid which is intended for something else and is surely a more toxic substance come disposal time especially when there's diluted paint swimming around in it. Not to mention the cost of brake fluid in little 12 oz. bottles. The purple degreaser is a concentrate and can be used full strength or mixed with water to extend its use and then the water clean-up is optimal. Nothing else needed and the parts come out squeaky clean.

[biggles2]

Start with Windex. It's the least harmful to both yourself and to the plastic. Windex will remove, or at least soften, Tamiya paint and most other acrylics. If it doesn't work, go on to more drastic measures.

[Harquebus]

That's if you know what paint you're dealing with. Which formula did you use; was it Windex with ammonia? If the paint is unknown, then Super Clean seems to work very, very well. I was surprised and the stuff has a very low to non-existent odor, unless of course one sticks their face in it.

The Mo' hull was painted with two layers (Navy blue and an approximation of haze grey) of pigments. Below the waterline, two kinds as well. The outer coat was by all indications a heavy coat of Tamiya Hull Red (a very dark brownish-red) and the inner a more natural "hull red", correct for this class of vessel. The boot topping was its own layer. In all, it was rather entertaining seeing the layers of paint getting washed away--lots of "shaking my head" moments...