Paint Removal

Sometimes the soaking time makes a big difference with longer soak periods removing the hardest paints, but be very careful with brake fluid and plastic models as sometimes the fluid makes the plastic brittle. 

 

See answers below on the other thread for removing paint for other suggestions.

 

Butch

 

 

Have you tried the "search" function?

Somebody tell me why it is essential to strip a plastic model before repaint?  The factory paint is not that thick, and serves as an excellent primer for whatever you are going to spray on there.  And once you soak something in pine sol or brake fluid, what is the guarantee that you got all that horrible stuff off before creating fishneyes in the new paint?

Bob2,

I strip to remove the lettering which can and does show through the new paint.  Otherwise, a good washing with dish detergent and water is all that is needed if the paint is in good condition.

 

Dick,

If you feather the edges of where the paint refuses to be removed, you should be OK.  600 grit sand paper should do it.

Regards,

Ed

Try a soak in 91% isopropyl alcohol

Ed - I remove lettering and other ridges with 600 wet.  Once you do that, what then is the reason for going the rest of the way?  Masochism?

Bob2,

I usually start with trying to remove all the paint not just feathering the edges of the lettering.  Sometimes the lettering comes through if it isn't removed completely.  You have to be flexible in what you try first and what methods you will try if that doesn't work.

Regards,

Ed

Factory lettering/stripes will show through in your new paint job if not completely removed. For some folks its not an issue, for others it is.

I've got models from Weaver, MTH, Lionel, Atlas, K-Line, and Williams and have removed paint from all but Atlas.

 

The paint on these models is pretty thick, I was surprised at some of the detail on some of the brands.  Additional paint (if you don't remove the original paint) will only make it more difficult to see some of this detail.

 

I've used brake fluid a number of times and I think it does make the plastic a bit more brittle, but so far I've seen no actual evidence of that other than the plastic "feels" a bit different than before.  I did notice brake fluid did loosen some glued-on parts, but did not damage the parts.

 

The last few times I've used Easy-Off oven cleaner with great success.  I recall doing a Williams E7 and a couple of Weaver and MTH PS1 boxcars.

 

Let the model soak for several hours, then use an old toothbrush to start removing the old paint.  Spray again and repeat the process as necessary until you get off as much paint as you desire.  An old dental pick will help get paint out of corners.

 

When done, clean thoroughly with soap and water.

I am still at it. Scale Coat paint remover, brake fluid, and 91%. and 600 grit. If I could buy a couple undec bodies, I just might.

 

Dick

*Banging head on wall*

 

How many forumites have to destroy shells soaking them in stuff before we learn!??!?

 

Use ~600 grit sandpaper to knock the edge off any existing lettering and stripes, prime, and repaint. Soaking is a recipe for disaster.  

*Banging head on wall*

 

How many forumites have to destroy shells soaking them in stuff before we learn!??!?

 

 

Bang away Wowak

 

All I can say "soaking" has worked for me (read previous post) as well as others (read other previous posts).

 

Anything you do, including 600 grit, to remove paint/decals may cause results you don't want.  I have yet to paint over decals with even fair results, removing them is a must as far as I'm concerned.

If you can't remove decals without soaking the shell, you're, not really trying to remove it.  With 600grit you may accidentally remove a rivet or two, but that's much easier to deal with than finding a shell partially melted!

"I've done it in the past without anything going wrong" is the favorite excuse of habitual drunk drivers,  too.

I haven't melted anything,  but at least 2 forum members in the last year have, most recently an MTH F40PH she'll.

Brian - you and I just have a different philosophy from the others.  It takes all kinds to make a happy world.  In another forum I am having the same discussion about aircraft engines.  One of the posters had an oil leak, so he sent his engine out for overhaul.  Ten grand to cure an oil leak?

 

Here it is just a question of how much effort you want to expend for incremental results. With engines on small aircraft, it is how much discretionary money you have.  The effort here is categorized as " hobby", and classed as enjoyment.  If you want to strip a boxcar, I say "go for it".  Not me - I am going flying.

You misunderstand me.  It's not about economy of effort, it's about risk mitigation.  You have to be almost willfully negligent to ruin a shell with 600 grit. Dumping a shell in a vat of paint stripper, or isopropyl, or brake fluid and just walking away is flirting with disaster every time.

I recently experimented with an MTH wood chip hopper. i wanted to save all but the SOUTHERN lettering on the sides and the SOU reporting marks on the sides and ends. I used 00 steel wool and gently erased all the lettering. I then washed it good. The slight lightening in paint where the letters used to be match the prototype where they painted over it, so it is realistic. I then applied new reporting marks only and it was done. If i wanted a total repaint this would also work for all lettering then a primer and new paint. 

 

Vince

I agree 100%.... I've never been satisfied painting over decals. Never comes out good enough to not see whats under the new paint.

I've never met a decal you had to soak the entire shell to remove.

I agree - you have to remove anything that will leave lines, and that includes decal film. All I am saying is that after that, stripping the whole thing is a lot of effort for not much improvement in the finished product.

 

There are exceptions - I have a couple of tank cars that will get stripped, bead blasted, and repainted next year.  But they are metal, and will not be affected by the stripper.

 

 

 

Soak a metal shell in anything you want for as long as you want and I'm ok with it!

The 91% iso Alcohol is working.

 

Dick

Hi,

There is a warning on page 15 of O Scale Trains #69 regarding soaking MTH plastic bodies in brake fluid.  Look at the right column, near the bottom.

Regards,

Ed

STOP THE PRESSES!!!

 

After using just about everything known to man to remove paint, I FINALLY stopped at the local CVS Pharmacy and picked up a quart of 91% isopropyl alcohol for $4.

 

I pour it into a small aluminum pan used for baking bread and put the 1st piece of a Lionel Legacy GP9, that was painted in Wabash colors, in the bath.

 

Within a couple of minutes I could see the paint almost washing off the carbody.  After 15 minutes, using a semi-stiff paintbrush, 99% of the paint and pad lettering were GONE!  I washed off the carbody with dish detergent and water in the kitchen sink and all that's left is some paint in the separation lines of doors, etc.  I see no harm done to the plastic or metal parts.

 

I've got the front end and the cab parts in the bath now soaking, but they've also started to come clean.

 

Fellas, listen to the guys that have been using this, it works better than anything I've tried and for $4 it can't be beat.

Dave,

 

Never was a question about your truthfulness.  You know how we are, everybody thinks their way is #1.  I'm just glad I took the time to try your way out

 

I put one piece in the bath and immediately I could see the white paint starting to dissolve.  I'm not sure if this is typical, my unit was an engineering test bed from Jon Z. and may or may not have gotten a protective clear coat, no way of telling on my end.

 

Oh, if you have any cuts on your hands you may want to use gloves, unless you like that stinging sensation when alcohol hits a wound (good thing is it seems to be healing faster now)

You might add to the heavy end.  There are fillers and primers that are sand-able available from either Automotive or standard paint stores.  You may loose some detail.  I've had good result, at least IMO, using Sherwin Williams, Problock  primer in spray cans. Much heavier than some of the modeling primers, but it is sand-able.  600 grit is a good start, you may want to up that count a bit in some cases.  Using 1000 grit can remove scratches with little or no re-paint required. 

What do I know???  Electrician by trade.  Mike CT     

Some "safe" degreasers will also remove paint from some plastics, and steel, but carry warnings against use on alum, mag, zinc, or alloys. Castrol purple degreaser would be one example.  

Interesting thread.  I'll try some of these ideas myself someday.

 

The one product I've used...on HO cars, but not on anything O or especially engines...is Testor's Easy Off.  I've also used Scalecoat's Wash Away, come to think about it. 

 

In both cases they worked well...both taking some time since they were somewhat slow-acting....a good thing for taking just lettering off, leaving the base paint beneath.

 

HOWEVER....  One thing I found helps accelerate the process...and makes the spouse's nose a lot happier...is to seal the pan with the soaking part and paint remover into a Ziploc bag.  I don't know this to be a fact, but I surmise it helps keep the active, albeit volatile, ingredients working longer....i.e., it doesn't lose its pizazz as readily.

 

But Bob's right....over time we all find our favorite niche and techniques.  I'll readily admit that mine are not perfect.  I like new ideas.  Thanks for some in this thread.

 

Have a blessed Sunday!

 

KD

Having read all of the comments about paint solvents, I need to stop using Isopropyl Alcohol to clean fingerprints off of my trains.

Hey Bobby, good idea   I could feel my fingers sticking to the dissolving paint when I handled the carbody.  Didn't see any print damage to the plastic so I'm not concerned.

 

I did see that the paint on metal handrails takes longer to come off than the paint on the plastic body.

 

The GP9 walkway is a separate casting than the upper body parts and is therefore longer and wouldn't entirely fit in the aluminum bread pan.  I got about 40% of it submerged, let it soak, then brushed it and put the other end in.  That left the middle part untouched so I brushed the alcohol up onto it, but with it not soaking in the bath it's taking longer.  Right now I have a paper towel soaked in alcohol laying on the area to see if it'll speed up the process.

Great tip guys and just in time, I have some that need to be stripped.

What is the ambient temperature where you are stripping?  The colder it is the longer it takes.  Something that takes a few hours at 70 might take a few days at 50.

 

I don't even like using primer if I can get away from it because it hides/obfuscates too many details once the colors and clears are added.

I'm doing it in the house and it's about 72-73 degrees inside today with the heater on (they talking about snow here in Va. maybe one day next week!!!).

I just stripped an MTH box car and a K line caboose body.  I used the 91 percent alcohol from the pharmacy per this thread and it worked really well. Took all the paint off.  Most of the paint was coming off in a couple of hours.  Thanks guys.

 

Phil Randall

 

I just finished getting the first coats of paint in my E8s. I used ScaleCoat II thinned with mineral spirits. First 2 coats went on easily with no evidence of the original coats.

 

Dick

I use a version of this:  www.micromark.com/paasche-air-eraser-mini-sandblast-gun-set,9114

It works for removal of paint & varnishes from the furniture of 18th century flintlocks without marring the intricate engraving from the brass/copper an pewter.  It also works to remove hardened lacquers from inlay work on instruments without damaging the various inlay materials (Mother of Pearl, turquoise, abalone etc.)

 

Granted, you must be careful and pay attention to you placement, but the learning curve is shallow and with the numerous tip sizes and abrasives going from stripper down to  "silkening" powders, I imagine this would do the trick.

 

I am abstaining from the "to solvent or not solvent" debate, as I am new to serious model railroading, actually starting from absolute scratch. 

 

I have simply used airbrush sand blasters for other hobbies and have been very pleased with their performance.

 

NOTE: I am sure you planned on this, but just in case, practice a few different tip and abrasive combinations on something sacrificial first.  It is easy to get a feel for this but not so much that you want to learn on your prize piece.

 

Good Luck

 

db