Lacquer Attack!

[David G.]

Somewhere I got the idea that lacquer thinner was safe to use with styrene. Yesterday I soaked a few de-chromed small parts in some lacquer thinner to remove the yellow translucent "chrome primer" that sometimes remains. After about twenty minutes all I had were several small mishapen lumps in the bottom of the jar. I had suitable replacements in the parts box, but it's still a bit of a bummer.

Is my information incorrect? Did I get the wrong type or brand of thinner?

Thanks,

David G.

[Foxer]

Yes, lacquer thinner will eat styrene.

To remove that yellow clear coat under chrome try some Dawn Power Dissolver.

[David G.]

Yes, lacquer thinner will eat styrene.

To remove that yellow clear coat under chrome try some Dawn Power Dissolver.

Thanks, I should have tested it first. Ah, well, it was just a couple of little bits.

I was using Purple Power, I just should have been more patient and left them in there longer. Is the Dawn stuff much better at removing that glaze than Purple Power?

[Foxer]

i'm a big one on the use of the Dawn Power Dissolver for removing the undercoat. some have had luck with it working within a few hours, but in my experience it's always at least 2 days.

Dave

As Dave says, it still takes time. It does work better than Purple Power for getting that lacquer coat off. After a day or so it comes off in chunks for me, but different model kits will vary in how this comes off.

[David G.]

As Dave says, it still takes time. It does work better than Purple Power for getting that lacquer coat off. After a day or so it comes off in chunks for me, but different model kits will vary in how this comes off.

I've never used the Dawn product, but these were soaking in Purple Power for only two or three hours and there was just a little bit of the glaze left in the pits and cracks. I'll try to remember to pick up some of the Dawn stuff and and see how it does.

[bigmikevee]

Hey David,

You can also try E-Z Off oven cleaner, get a sealable container, spray parts outside, seal, and just wait. Sometimes overnight works best, soak as long as you need, will not hurt the parts. Get an old toothbrush for scrubbing out the cracks and hard-to-reach areas. Works on chrome, acrylic and enamel paints too, don't know about lacquer. Solvents are way too harsh for the plastic, especially lacquer thinner.

Once part is soaked, you might see a little bit of color from the chrome "base", sometimes it is just stain, dip the toothbrush in the reside E-Z Off and scrub, then hit it with some #600 or #800 sandpaper very, very lightly. Make sure you wash the parts off, I use Dawn dishwashing liquid, then should be ready to paint once parts airdry. All of the above techniques have worked for me, and I sure hope these tips help you. Good luck and have fun!!

Mike

[Brett Barrow]

You can soak parts in Tamiya Lacquer Thinner or Gunze Mr Color Thinner, but not regular lacquer thinners.

[David G.]

You can soak parts in Tamiya Lacquer Thinner or Gunze Mr Color Thinner, but not regular lacquer thinners.

That must be where I got the idea that it was safe! I must have read that at one point and forgot some of the critical details.

[Foxer]

I've never used the Dawn product, but these were soaking in Purple Power for only two or three hours and there was just a little bit of the glaze left in the pits and cracks. I'll try to remember to pick up some of the Dawn stuff and and see how it does.

Sounds like Purple Power is working on that particular kit's chrome lacquer, so Dawn probably won't be required. All the suggested products here work to varying degrees on different manufacture's kits and different paint removal chores. I have most all of them in my arsenal ready for any paint/chrome/etc removal that comes up.

[MikeMc]

I rarely remove the glaze, unless it is unusually thick, as I am repainting with a lacquer so it acts as primer

[Zoom Zoom]

I just shot my chrome-plated Viper ACR wheels in old-school Easy Off.

A minute or two later I was rinsing off the residue.

The chrome is gone in seconds, nearly in front of your eyes.

Can't breathe the stuff, but water neutralizes it.

The clear carrier is still in place, it's smooth and glossy and it's a good primer coat for the gloss black paint that will be applied. There will be a lot of gloss black on the model, so the wheels will be painted in the same batch as all the body parts.

My motto is "why wait?".

[charlie8575]

I've had great luck with bleach in a small closed jar. I've had small parts ready in as little as ten minutes, if I have a lot pieces, it might take an hour or so for it to work, but it's effective. I leave the clear lacquer on as a primer, but the bleach removes it sometimes, or gets softened enough so it'll come off with a toothbrush when I do the final scrub.

Charlie Larkin

[Brett Barrow]

I've been using CSC/purple stuff in my ultrasonic cleaner, it'll take the plating off right before your eyes, or I can run it for about 15-20 mins and it'll take the undercoat off as well. I just wish my machine was big enough for a body or whole parts trees. When this one clonks out the next one will be.