Cleaning Fine Details Plastic parts from shapeways

[camaro69]

Hey guys,

I know that there are so much of you who bought parts from my shop. Thank you all for that and for your patience in waiting for other parts that are on my workbench yet.

 

You also may know that I use the parts for myself too. I tried many different ways to clean the parts but nothing really works yet.

 

Today I tried a new thing. I rubbed the parts only a little bit with a cotton swap and nail polish remover. I could see the wax floating away.

After that I was holding the parts under floating water to wash away the nail polish remover. Now the parts are nearly as clear resin. Even the headlight lenses from my ´68 GTX grille are now possible to use.

Here´s a pic of how the parts look now.

 

Hope this helps, Rico

[peteski]

For cleaning the wax residue from Shapeways FUD and FXD (or whatever they call those nowadays), I use either Bestine (it is a rubber glue solvent containing Heptane), or Naphtha (either VM&P Naphtha from a hardware store, or Ronsonol Lighter Fluid).  Assuming that the fingernail polish remover is Acetone, the above chemicals are less aggressive than Acetone.  I had bad experience with Acetone actually making some small parts soft and brittle.

Edited April 1, 2019 by peteski

[1930fordpickup]

Peter what about the fingernail polish remover that does not have Acetone in it? 

[peteski]

Never tried it.  Maybe the one Rico recommended is non-acetone kind?  He didn't say.  I'm old school - as soon as I hear fingernail polish remover I think: acetone.

Edited April 1, 2019 by peteski

[camaro69]

My nail polish remover is with Acetone. But I think I´ve used the wrong words. "Rubbed" may be not correct.

Maybe I had to say I dipped the remover with the cotton swap onto the parts and immediately washed it off under floating water.

Have taken a look on the parts about 3 minutes ago and they are still clean and not more brittle then before.

[FredRPG]

I use one of those ultrasonic jewelry/pen cleaners with soapy water. It buzzes the residue right off.