studioman3 Posted February 4, 2008 Share Posted February 4, 2008 Hi, My name is Tim, I am new to the forum and just getting back into modeling after a 30 year break. I always loved the big rigs, and as a kid, built several kits (mostly ERTL, they were the bomb back then). I never did much customizing, so I feel like a total newb. I am Curently working on an Alaskin Hauler Pete, I have the paint scheme picked out ,but am having trouble removing the chrome from the tanks. Any tips would be helpful, as I already have made a mess out of one of them trying to use a roto tool. (seems plastic melts pretty quick) Thanks in advance Tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrObsessive Posted February 4, 2008 Share Posted February 4, 2008 Hi Tim and welcome! Mostly what I use to get rid of chrome effectively is Easy Off Oven Cleaner. It's as near as your local grocery store. Make sure you get the kind in the yellow can and NOT the "Fume Free" stuff! That ###### is pure junk and won't take off the chrome. Some others may mention using ammonia or CSC Super Clean which will work also, but it won't take off the lacquer coating underneath the chrome which will definitely show when you began to paint. This is particularly true of the ammonia...............while the CSC will do so, but it can take a loooooong time to take off the lacquer undercoat. The oven cleaner had the chrome stripped in a matter of minutes.......while the lacquer base was off within the hour. As always when using oven cleaners, be sure to wear rubber gloves as this can be some nasty stuff on bare hands! Hope this helps! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cornpatch Posted February 4, 2008 Share Posted February 4, 2008 Hi Tim : To remove the chome on my stuff I use something called DCT Oven cleaner, my wife gets it from where she works. Its made by a company called Diversified Chemical Technolgies. You might have to order it thru a cleaning products wholesaler but it also works very quickly, about a minute and a half. It also leaves a lacguer coating but I take a little fine steel wool to it and it removes it with out much effort. The only drawback to this product is that it is super caustic, you have to put it in a plastic dish, as it will take the paint off of aluminum pans. All those products Bill talked about work great also, but as I am a very impatient person I go for the stronger faster working stuff. Just to add to Bills warning about rubber gloves, it is also good to have some kind of safety glasses as with anything liquid it can splash. Jeff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cornpatch Posted February 4, 2008 Share Posted February 4, 2008 Hi Tim You said in your post that you ruined one of your fuel tanks with your moto tool, trying to remove the chrome. I dont remember if those Alaskan Haulers had round or square tanks. But I have a couple of round tanks in 1/25 th scale from a General Astro 95. If you need them send me a message off board with your address and I will get them off to you. There painted silver but if you can use them let me know. Jeff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ABC Auto Industry Posted February 4, 2008 Share Posted February 4, 2008 Personally, I use a file to remove chrome. But it doesn't do as well on anything other than a flat surface. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
studioman3 Posted February 4, 2008 Author Share Posted February 4, 2008 Thanks for the welcome, and the fast replies. Looks like I'm off to the store to get some oven cleaner (I can hear the "honey-do" list gettin bigger already) Jeff, thanks for the offer, I have been sanding my but off and almost have it back in shape, I will use oven cleaner on the other one and see if there is a noticable differance between the two (shape wise) and let you know. I don't have a spray gun yet and am using spray paint from Lowe's, I have aready learned that the VALSPAR yellow is ######! With two coats of primer and two coats of the Valspar yellow, it looks awful. Today I picked up some Rustoleum Yellow, and one coat put a smile back on my face Hopefully this won't melt the plastic. What do you guys use for a sprayer? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cornpatch Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 Hi Tim: For paint sprayers I use a lot of different things, it all depends on what I am painting and what i want the final out come to look like. I have 4 different airbrushes, all are set up for doing something different. All I use in them is paint made especially for air brushes. I am a lazy modeler I don't take time to mix or thin paint. Especially not when Createx Colors makes so many different kinds of and colors of airbrush paint. I also use a lot of rattle cans. Mostly use Krylon, for the fast trying time. Also use a lot of Dupli- Color Paints, because of there color selections, can get just about any color from any car manufacture. If you use Dupli- Color you have to use a primer, as they are hot paints and can screw up your plastic. Use either Dupli-Color sandable white or sandable gray primer. Gray for dark and white for light colors. I also purchased a spray gun or sometimes called a can gun. they fit over the top of a spray can and work like a trigger, gives you a lot better control of a can as you spray, a lot better control. There available thru the Micro -Mark Company for about $5.00 or the cost of a can of paint. WWW.MICROMARK.COM is there web-site. Great company. The one other thing I try never to do is mix paint brands, not always possible but I try. If you use Krylon-use-Krylon primer ect ect ect. Tim, Hope this helps you with your paint problems Jeff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EaglePassNative Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 Hi, My name is Tim, I am new to the forum and just getting back into modeling after a 30 year break. I always loved the big rigs, and as a kid, built several kits (mostly ERTL, they were the bomb back then). I never did much customizing, so I feel like a total newb. I am Curently working on an Alaskin Hauler Pete, I have the paint scheme picked out ,but am having trouble removing the chrome from the tanks. Any tips would be helpful, as I already have made a mess out of one of them trying to use a roto tool. (seems plastic melts pretty quick) Thanks in advance Tim Castrol Super Clean (big purple jug) located in automotive dept. of any Walmart or Westleys Bleach White Work good also. They don't have the high caustic content as oven cleaner but they will defat your skin (dry it out) if you don't use rubber gloves. I just happen to be dechroming a bunch of parts from an original Pete 359 California Hauler when I opened up this forum. I just used the purple stuff and it worked in about ten minutes, just rinse parts off in water and your good to go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smart-Resins Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 Hello. There are a few simple ways to remove chrome.They take varying times to do. Fresh windex, but it takes awhile. 90% alcohal from the drug store will remove it as well. My favorite is purple power found in the automotive section.hat is great for removing paint as well. Just if you have sensative skin, wear gloves. Theres also scale coat found in the train section.Some swear by it as well and that you can re-use that over and over, but I have not tried that yet. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
george 53 Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 There's a product called Simple Green that's non-caustic,doesn't smell and you don't need gloves or resperators,yet will strip paint or chrome like there's no tomorrow. Ive been using it for years and haven't found a paint yet it won't strip. Chrome, if left for 24/48 hours will be stripped down to BARE plastic(laquer and all!) you can get it just about anywhere,K-mart,ACO,wallyworld,Tru-value,you get the idea,and, above all, its SAFE.I don't believe it'll hurt you unless you drink it.you really should try it,you'll like it.George53 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
studioman3 Posted February 6, 2008 Author Share Posted February 6, 2008 Wow!, Guys, thanks for all of the replies, I am pretty impatient, so, the oven cleaner sounds like the right one for me, however, i just happen to have a bottle of simple green (which will get me out of cleaning the oven ) so I will give that a shot. Jeff, thanks for the info on the sprayers, I already have one of the triggers for the rattle cans, sure saves on the finger pain. (I'm gonna need it) I'm learning on the mixing paint thang, I used some Valspar white primer, followed by a Valspar yellow, but it didnt coat very well and was almost transparent in spots even after 2 coats, I then sprayed Rust-oleum yellow over it, and it covered nicely in one coat. Once this was dry, I taped up for the line around the bottom of the cab and sleeper, and also the roof of the cab (the sleeper roof is detatched so I don't have to tape it off) I then sprayed my black enamel only to realize that I had the sleeper upside down and now my yellow stripe is black O well I guess I didn't the yellow stripe on the sleeper anyway. Then I found a few things that I had forgotten to trim on the frame (yellow), and trimmed them then applied one more quick coat to cover the trim spots . I went back to the paint booth an hour later and the paint had wrinkled up like a 90 year old stuck in a hot tub! I may stick this whole model in some Simple Green and start over! Starting to doubt my Idea to rekindle this love of model trucks LOL Tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cornpatch Posted February 6, 2008 Share Posted February 6, 2008 Hey Tim, HANG IN THERE BUDDY!!!!!!!!!!! Don't let your simple mistakes discourage you. As a guy I used to watch on tv would say we don't make mistakes, there just happy errors. "Bob Ross" We have all had these kind of screw ups, I know I have had a lot more than my share. As my wife tells me, SLOW DOWN you are trying to get to much done to fast. I know shes right but I just don't listen and thats when the screw up raises its ugly head. Modeling is suppose to be fun fun fun and relaxing, kinda hard to have fun and relax when you just screwed up your fun and relax project. I know all about this. Ok Tim just a suggestion..... Throw your truck in the Simple Green or what ever your going to use to remove the paint. THAN walk away for a couple of days and just let it sit, DON"T DO ANYTHING with the build. After a couple of days your truck will have the paint taken off and ready for you and it to have a fresh start. This is what my wife makes me do now, ever since I got really p.o.ed at a truck and put it airborn hard into the wall. It really ticked off the warden (wife) cause I had paid a little over a $100.00 for that truck on evil-bay. Modeling class 101 DON"T LET THIS HAPPEN TO YOU. It is costly as there wasn't much to salvage. Tim sounds like you have a nice project going, don't let a few blurbs discourge you. Sit back and relax, have a couple of adult beverages, than you won't see those mistakes as plainly as you do now. Jeff P.S. Would like to see some pictures of your build. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
studioman3 Posted February 7, 2008 Author Share Posted February 7, 2008 Jeff, Bob Ross was a gift, what a talented man, he makes it seem so easy Thanks for the advice, I'll keep on truckin'....so to speak Tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
locoengr Posted February 8, 2008 Share Posted February 8, 2008 Don't quit!! These are lessons that you are learning. You are learning more from the other members input as well. Heck, if I got anything right the first time I don't know what I would do..... You have found your way back to modeling now please do your self a favor and stay at it!!! Just remember rule # 1 Have fun! Bruce in Fargo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evilone Posted February 9, 2008 Share Posted February 9, 2008 yo ive used easy off to remove chrome just let it sit 4 an hour or 2 and then you can take it off with a tooth brush Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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