mnwildpunk Posted October 27, 2014 Share Posted October 27, 2014 I have been working on a RoG beetle and was not happy with the Daytona yellow I sprayed on it. Off in my dunk tank of brake fluid it went. I let sit from Saturday night to today Monday night. I pulled it out and started cleaning off the paint when CRACK. I thought I might of been a little rough cause it was in a thinner spot. Then continuing to clean it off it CRACKED AGAIN along the back panel not a place I'd thinking it would break. I have used brake fluid for years and year and never had a problem. Has anybody else had this happen? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 28, 2014 Share Posted October 28, 2014 I've heard that brake fluid and oven cleaner could make styrene brittle. That's why I've never used it. Could it be a different DOT than you normally used? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gothicz House Of Kustomz Posted October 28, 2014 Share Posted October 28, 2014 Never had an issue, could been the type of paint, type of plastic, I kno I got a '65 Rivie once, went to scrub it for painting, and had the issue of cracking plastic, so it went to the parts closet. to be cut up at a later time, but never had an issue, and I do whole hell of allot of rebuilders. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mnwildpunk Posted October 28, 2014 Author Share Posted October 28, 2014 Like I said I've cleaned bodies in brake fluid for 15-20 yrs and this is the first time I had this hapoen if I've done it once I've done it 100 times n.p. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace-Garageguy Posted October 28, 2014 Share Posted October 28, 2014 Only one I've ever had get brittle in brake fluid was an old AMT '63 Watson Indy roadster I bought as a gluebomb. It survived some pretty rough handling during disassembly, but after a couple of days in DOT 3 brake fluid, it simply disintegrated into little pieces almost every time I touched it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
espo Posted October 28, 2014 Share Posted October 28, 2014 I know a lot of builders like brake fluid and have never had a problem, but you might want to try Purple Power next time. The container says to use gloves, and you will want to do that, but I've never lost anything and it and it works with paint or "chrome" . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
my80malibu Posted October 28, 2014 Share Posted October 28, 2014 I don't like getting it on my skin.does that count? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace-Garageguy Posted October 28, 2014 Share Posted October 28, 2014 I don't like getting it on my skin.does that count? Do you get brittle and crack? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrherald420 Posted October 28, 2014 Share Posted October 28, 2014 I havent had this problem before and i only use DOT 3. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gothicz House Of Kustomz Posted October 28, 2014 Share Posted October 28, 2014 Wow, coulda been the plastic, I mean ya done this to how many cars, over how long, I would say the plastic, something just wasnt mixed right at the factory, all I can come up with, or was shot thin in the mold, sorry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mole53 Posted October 28, 2014 Share Posted October 28, 2014 Dave I feel for you buddy. A long time ago I tried to strip a model RR engine, key word try, with brake fluid and it stripped the paint fine. It also stripped the bonding agent from the plastic leaving it in the shape of an engine but a rubbery, crumbly mess. That being said, I'd say your problem is the plastic. I now use brake fluid exclusively with no problems. Besides its cheap, a buck at the dollor store, and I can't find purple power around here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
my80malibu Posted October 28, 2014 Share Posted October 28, 2014 Yeah just a little Do you get brittle and crack? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zenrat Posted October 29, 2014 Share Posted October 29, 2014 Brake fluid leaches the plasticisers out of the styrene. This is what causes embrittlement. How brittle seems to depend on the kit rather than the brake fluid but I haven't made an in depth study of the subject. If you put resin parts into brake fluid they will turn into jelly. If you put vinyl tyres into brake fluid they will to hard and shrink. Solid ones will split. This shrinking can be useful if you need smaller tyres but it's a slow process (weeks) and you have to keep taking them out to check if they are small enough yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lunajammer Posted October 29, 2014 Share Posted October 29, 2014 I used brake fluid just once. It made all the parts too brittle and crumbly to work with. A fingernail would scrape a mar into the plastic. Damaged an otherwise nice Johan 60 Adventurer and ruined the small detail parts. Never used brake fluid again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Chernecki Posted October 29, 2014 Share Posted October 29, 2014 I had similar issues with brake fluid. I had more issues with the surface turning waxy and you are able to scrape off the top detail layer. Once the plastic dried it became brittle. I have switched to Purple Power or 99% isopropyl alcohol (this stuff removed the paint on the amt pre-painted pro shop kits), keep a tub of both and neither has an effect on plastic or resin. Purple Power can be found almost everywhere, I get mine at Walmart. Wear rubber gloves as stated above when using Purple Power, it will have an effect on your skin (try it and find out what happens, its not permanent). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mnwildpunk Posted October 31, 2014 Author Share Posted October 31, 2014 Purple power I can't stand the stuff we use it at work Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Geiger Posted November 1, 2014 Share Posted November 1, 2014 Dave, that's a ROG kit that they're having molded in Poland. Probably a different blend of plastic than we are used to using. I'm working on a Trabant right now and it's accepted my Duplicolor gray primer and I haven't had any issues with it. And fortunately I haven't had to strip anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FASTBACK340 Posted November 2, 2014 Share Posted November 2, 2014 I've been using Super Clean (purple power) for years now. I had 2 similar incidents where nice models got ruined in brake fluid. Found out about super clean & never went back. And as for wearing gloves, I keep a box of the cheap, disposable one-use gloves handy. Wear them when ever I spray or mix epoxy. Double-up for the purple stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mnwildpunk Posted November 6, 2014 Author Share Posted November 6, 2014 It the smell that gets to me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MsDano85gt Posted November 6, 2014 Share Posted November 6, 2014 I use both without issues, yes, dot 3 will turn resin to jelly!! trying to remeber if i have had dot 3 make anything brittle, not to my knowledge tho Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MsDano85gt Posted November 6, 2014 Share Posted November 6, 2014 I use both without issues, yes, dot 3 will turn resin to jelly!! trying to remeber if i have had dot 3 make anything brittle, not to my knowledge tho Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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