Purple Pond question

[iamsuperdan]

I have a question!

Does Castrol Super Clean "go dead" after a while?

I've always used this for stripping kit chrome or stripping paint, and it's always been great. 

However, I have a kit that I'm stripping chrome from now. It's been in the purple pond for a couple of days, and it hasn't touched it. Chrome intact, even after attacking it with the toothbrush I normally use.

The CSC was a brand new jug in mid-AUgust and has been used a couple of times since. 

I've never had this problem before.

 

Kit is just an AMT Canepa Kenworth.

 

I know that CA glue loses its effectiveness once opened, does the Super Clean do the same?

 

Thoughts? 

[rust-n-dust]

Never had it go dead, but, I also learned the hard way NEVER put it in an aluminum pan as it will dissolve the pan leaving a MAJOR mess

 

[Snake45]

16 minutes ago, rust-n-dust said:

Never had it go dead, but, I also learned the hard way NEVER put it in an aluminum pan as it will dissolve the pan leaving a MAJOR mess

 

And a STINKY one, too! Lye+Aluminum=Rotten Eggs! 

[Jim N]

The Castrol Super Clean I am using has got to be about 10 years old and it still strips paint.  Perhaps not as quickly as it used to, but it still works to my liking.

[yh70]

i do not use it for that reason..my buddy had gave me some to test and it does wk on paint and some chrome if u got time...but on some chrome it will now..get u some Easy Off Oven Cleaner (yellow can) and throw that junk away...i been using this stuff for 35 years with no problems..always use rubber gloves and in a vented room ...

[StevenGuthmiller]

It will lose it's effectiveness after many uses, but with yours only being used a couple of times since august, it should still be fine.

I have heard that there have been issues with stripping certain kit chrome, namely Trumpeter, so it might be something with the chrome itself.

Try dropping in some chrome parts from another kit that you plan on stripping and see what happens.

You should have your answer in very short order.

If the chrome has not disappeared by the end of the day, your Super Clean is defunct.

 

 

Steve

[StevenGuthmiller]

1 minute ago, yh70 said:

i do not use it for that reason..my buddy had gave me some to test and it does wk on paint and some chrome if u got time...but on some chrome it will now..get u some Easy Off Oven Cleaner (yellow can) and throw that junk away...i been using this stuff for 35 years with no problems..always use rubber gloves and in a vented room ...

Easy Off works in the same way, with the same ingredients as Super Clean.

I used Easy Off for many years before discovering Super Clean.

Easy Off will work for most applications, but it's has just as many limitations and problems as Super Clean and a few that Super Clean does not.

 

 

 

Steve

[Jhedir6]

I tend to use Super Clean for about a year then replace it. It will very on how well it works the older it gets. Also if you strain it now and again you'll get more life out of it cause it will keep reacting with the left over paint in the bath. 

I find Super Clean doesnt strip chrome off certain types as well either. For me I find it doesnt work well on Aoshima wheels. I use IPA on that. I have one bath of IPA and one of Super Clean and will swap between them if I find one isnt working on a particular brand of paint. I'd avoid IPA on resin as it can soften certain brands (HRM for one is a no no in IPA) others might be ok but once I discovered that I just stick with Super Clean as I've not had it affect resin or plastic yet. Just keep the baths in a tupperware type container with a lid on it for safety and of course it will evapourate over time. Wear gloves too as both will pull the oils out of your hands and dry the skin out which will then flake off, found that one out the old fashion way. 

Temperature also matters with Super Clean. If its in your garage on the floor its gonna work slower than if it was in your basement at room temp. Some people will warm it up. I just have it in my hobby room beside my paint booth. When I need to strip something I just set the tub inside the booth and leave it over night, generally long enough. With chrome I find it will work almost immediately on most chromes if its relatively new, again age will slow it down. Most chromes with fresh Super Clean will be clean in minutes. Tho I generally throw stuff in before bed and when I get up, pull it out and wash it off and its stripped completely. With older paint jobs it may take a few days and a few scrubs sessions with an old toothbrush to loosen off the affected paint and expose the under lying paint to the bath but Super Clean will get most jobs done.

[RichCostello]

LA's Totally Awesome cleaner/degreaser strips chrome like crazy. Drop part in, let it sit over night, chrome is gone, no scrubbing. I get it at dollar tree $1.00 for a 64 oz. bottle.

[peteski]

On 12/6/2018 at 1:45 PM, StevenGuthmiller said:

I have heard that there have been issues with stripping certain kit chrome, namely Trumpeter, so it might be something with the chrome itself.

Steve

Yes, some (or maybe all) of Trumpeter automotive kits use different type of chrome.

"Chrome" in most kits is not actually chromium, but simple a very thin layer of aluminum vacuum-deposited over a clear glossy lacquer. Sometimes there is a top coat of glossy clear over the metalization.  But in either case, clear coatings and few-atoms-thick aluminum are easily stripped with any strong Lye-based solution.

Trumpeter electroplates their kit parts using a much thicker layer of some metal (not sure if it is chromium) but it is some shiny silver metal.  You can see the difference in thickness when you try to scrape the "chrome" off.   It will not come off unless you really dig into the metal.  That is why it's very difficult (if not impossible) to chemically strip the Trumpeter "chrome" using household chemicals..

Edited December 11, 2018 by peteski

[Oldmopars]

I have had this issue with brand new CSC and an AMT Corvette. The chrome just would not come off. I put in chrome from another kit, it came right off. Some AMT kits have a chrome coating that is just super stubborn. I left it in for 2 weeks and still had to scrub and scrap to get it as good as I did, and all the chrome did not come off.