Stripping paint -- no luck with brake fluid. Help ?

[gman]

1 hour ago, Elmer Fudd said:

By quoting me and including a trigger word like 'extreme' you endeavored to provoke a response. So i'll give you one.

Are you going to tell ANY of the companies running heated lye parts cleaners that their business model is extreme? Or are they smarter than you?

The concept of heated lye sort of explains why some of my paint stripping sessions using Easy Off went better than others. I had a grille shell that was dunked and left outside in a Rubbermaid container several times to strip during the winter months. It took a long time to soften Duplicolor lacquer/Plasticote primer, where the same paint combination practically fell right off in a shorter dunk (a few hours) earlier in the year. 

BTW, I like the work in your Corvette Factory thread.

[StevenGuthmiller]

3 hours ago, Elmer Fudd said:

By quoting me and including a trigger word like 'extreme' you endeavored to provoke a response. So i'll give you one.

Are you going to tell ANY of the companies running heated lye parts cleaners that their business model is extreme? Or are they smarter than you?

That's a pretty "extreme" response to a pretty benign statement, don't you think Dale?

All that I was saying is that I don't take the time to actually physically warm the solution.

I didn't say that it was not a completely viable concept or that it was not a good idea, I just personally don't go to that level.

That's what I meant by not going to a certain extreme.

It's a pretty common phrase.

 

You might want to relax a bit.

 

 

 

 

 

Steve

 

Edited August 23, 2020 by StevenGuthmiller

[peteski]

Yes, heat increases potency of all the stripping solutions.  We are talking about 90-110 deg. F (not much hotter than that).  In the summer months I don't have to do anything, but in the winter, when my house is at 64 degrees, I warm up the stripping solution.

[Goodwrench3]

Well, I'm trying straight bleach now.

This is some bullet-proof paint !

 

[Pete J.]

13 hours ago, gman said:

Your comment takes me back to chemistry class...

Sodium Hydroxide will etch glass, and will weaken certain types of plastics.

https://classicbells.com/soap/lyeStorage.asp

Interesting article.  Worth reading.  If I am reading it right, the main knock against glass is breaking if dropped.  As to etching, I don't think Super Klean is a high enough concentration to do that.  I have used the same container for 10 years actually storing it in one and never seen any fogging or other ill effects.  As I said I may be reading it wrong.  I also noticed that there is very few plastics that is resistant to lye.  I do know that metal is definitely the wrong thing for storing it, even though Super Klean is a engine degreaser.   I guess you don't leave it on engines long enough to damage it.  As a amateur machinist, aluminum really has a bad reaction to it.  Thanks for the info.  I guess I will look at the code on the plastic jug that it comes in and see what works best. 

[Oldtmr]

FWIW - I recently stripped several parts that had both enamel and lacquer paints on them. I used Clean Slate rmvr 2.0. Soaked the parts overnight and brushed the paint off with a soft tooth brush. Needed a second soaking for some stubborn areas but the parts came out fine. Not saying it works for all finishes.

[SfanGoch]

Oy gevalt! I don't understand why you guys prefer to do it the hard way as opposed to simple. Just get Testors ELO. Unlike brake fluid or Purple Shmurple, it's specifically formulated to remove paint. And, unlike products containing lye, it won't dissolve your skin.  It'll strip the paint off in twenty minutes or so. Like Dale pointed out, there's no need to submerge the parts in a vat of stuff for hours or days. I've stripped hot lacquer sprayed directly on unprimed styrene with it.

Edited August 28, 2020 by SfanGoch

[showrods]

Goodwrench3 and any one else out there trying to strip paint off of old model kits:

From my experience using some of the stuff recommended in this thread - DON"T.  They're not meant to strip paint off of models.  I tried brake fluid years ago - it didn't work and it's apparently not working for you.  Some of the other stuff - who knows what it's going to do to the plastic!

From my years of experience stripping kits, a product called Scalecoat will strip just about any model paint off of a kit WITHOUT damaging the plastic.  Why? Because it's made SPECIFICALLY for stripping model paint.  It works.  No - it's not $1.98 at Walmart.  Scalecoat is not cheap but it works!  It's all I use. 

You get what you pay for.  If you do things on the cheap chances are that you'll get an inferior result. If you use products that are not made specifically for stripping model paint expect that the plastic is going to get damaged.

Edited September 7, 2020 by showrods

[Ramfins59]

3 minutes ago, showrods said:

Goodwrench3 and any one else out there trying to strip paint off of old model kits:

From my experience using some of the stuff recommended in this thread - DON"T.  They're not meant to strip paint off of models.  I tried brake fluid years ago - it didn't work and it's apparently not working for you.  Some of the other stuff - who knows what it's going to do to the plastic!

From my years of experience stripping kits, a product called Scalecoat will strip just about any model paint off of a kit WITHOUT damaging the plastic.  Why? Because it's made SPECIFICALLY for stripping model paint.  It works.  No - it's not $1.98 at Walmart.  Scalecoat is not cheap but it works!  It's all I use. 

You get what you pay for.  If you do things on the cheap chances are that you'll get an inferior result. If you use products that are not made specifically for stripping model paint expect that the plastic is going to get damaged.

I wholeheartedly agree.  Scalecoat takes just about any paint off of plastic, whether it is model kit parts or promos.  Just don't use it on resin as it will melt and/or deform it.

[peteski]

There is a very lengthy thread about stripping paint here. Some good ides in there, and some not so good.

In the several decades of stripping paint, I have found that there is no universally good paint stripper for plastics. It is the paint that makes a difference.

Yes, I use Scalecoat Wash Away paint remover, but I also use Floquil (Testors now) ELO (or Easy Lift-Off) stripper.  ELO one uses a chemical similar to the old DOT3 brake fluid (a type of a glycol). Yes, those two were specifically made for stripping plastic. But if you read the label, it always warns the user to check for compatibility. I also use Lye-based strippers, and alcohol based strippers. I also make my own "brew" using among other things non-acetone nail-polish removed.    There used to be other plastic-safe paint strippers, (like Chameleon paint stripper), but they are no longer available.

While I'm not a chemist, I think that understanding a bit a bit about the paint stripper (and other hobby chemicals) chemistries makes me a better modeler.  I use whatever works best for a given task.

Edited September 8, 2020 by peteski

[showrods]

3 hours ago, Ramfins59 said:

I wholeheartedly agree.  Scalecoat takes just about any paint off of plastic, whether it is model kit parts or promos.  Just don't use it on resin as it will melt and/or deform it.

I've never used it on resin.  Thanks for bringing it up.

[StevenGuthmiller]

4 hours ago, showrods said:

 Some of the other stuff - who knows what it's going to do to the plastic.

Well, I can tell you exactly what Super Clean will do to the plastic.........nothing.

I've used it for many years and have soaked parts in it for weeks at a time.

Won't hurt the plastic at all.......guaranteed.

 

 

 

 

 

Steve

[showrods]

1 hour ago, StevenGuthmiller said:

Well, I can tell you exactly what Super Clean will do to the plastic.........nothing.

I've used it for many years and have soaked parts in it for weeks at a time.

Won't hurt the plastic at all.......guaranteed.

 

 

 

 

 

Steve

Doesn't sound as if it's an effective paint stripper if you have to soak parts in it "for weeks at a time.".

[StevenGuthmiller]

2 hours ago, showrods said:

Doesn't sound as if it's an effective paint stripper if you have to soak parts in it "for weeks at a time.".

Works just fine for most paints.

It can take anywhere from a half an hour to a few days, depending on the paint and how much there is.

In the cases where I've soaked them longer than that, it was usually because I forgot about them.

 

I'll let you be the judge on how effective it is.

 

Enamel paint over night.

 

 

 

Multiple coats of automotive lacquer and clear, maybe a couple of days.

I'm in no bigger hurry than that.

 

 

 

 

 

8 hours ago, showrods said:

Goodwrench3 and any one else out there trying to strip paint off of old model kits:

From my experience using some of the stuff recommended in this thread - DON"T.

I have no issue with any product that people choose to use for whatever purpose that they see fit, but I don't particularly care for it when people claim that their technique or the products that they use are the "only" way, that's all.

 

 

 

 

 

Steve

 

[Bucky]

I've used many different products thru the years for stripping paint from styrene. The two that I found works best for me is brake fluid and Super Clean. I left an old gluebomb JoHan Dodge body in brake fluid for around two weeks due to the fact that it had a coat of paint thicker than the plastic itself! The paint finally turned loose, and the plastic didn't suffer any.

I once tried oven cleaner on a TESTORS paint job, and it didn't work for me. So that one went into the brake fluid, too.

Nowadays, I use Super Clean, as I find it a bit less messy to clean up than brake fluid.

[stinkybritches]

I've only ever tried Super Clean. It's worked like a champ on everything I've used it on. 

[showrods]

16 hours ago, peteski said:

There is a very lengthy thread about stripping paint here. Some good ides in there, and some not so good.

In the several decades of stripping paint, I have found that there is no universally good paint stripper for plastics. It is the paint that makes a difference.

Yes, I use Scalecoat Wash Away paint remover, but I also use Floquil (Testors now) ELO (or Easy Lift-Off) stripper.  ELO one uses a chemical similar to the old DOT3 brake fluid (a type of a glycol). Yes, those two were specifically made for stripping plastic. But if you read the label, it always warns the user to check for compatibility. I also use Lye-based strippers, and alcohol based strippers. I also make my own "brew" using among other things non-acetone nail-polish removed.    There used to be other plastic-safe paint strippers, (like Chameleon paint stripper), but they are no longer available.

While I'm not a chemist, I think that understanding a bit a bit about the paint stripper (and other hobby chemicals) chemistries makes me a better modeler.  I use whatever works best for a given task.

There are some hobby paint brands that can take a little while longer to strip off than others, that's true.  You sometimes have to get in there with an old tooth brush to help things along.  I've also found that, believe it or not, some pigments are more stubborn than others while still others will begin to blister and peel almost immediately.  

 

Edited September 8, 2020 by showrods

[BlackSheep214]

On 8/23/2020 at 6:39 PM, Goodwrench3 said:

Well, I'm trying straight bleach now.

This is some bullet-proof paint !

 

Good luck with that. Bleach doesn’t work in stripping paint. I tried that as well and I can tell you bleach is useless. However,  it does work in stripping chrome off.  Easy Off oven cleaner (yellow can) always worked for me.

[Straightliner59]

On 8/23/2020 at 10:10 AM, Pete J. said:

One thing I learned the hard way is to be careful with plastic containers!  I got what I thought was a nice one.  It was a spaghetti container.  I though it would be better for bodies because of the shape.  To make a long story short.  I filled it, dropped in a body and walked away.  Next day I came back and there was Super Klean all over the bench.  The plastic had several cracks in it and I had a quart of the stuff all over the bench.  Lesson learned.  Sodium hydroxide doesn't always play well with plastic containers.   I use glass only after that. 

I bought a Pyrex casserole with a plastic lid. Works great! I also keep a jar, with a little  bit of it on the workbench, for small parts.

[StevenGuthmiller]

2 hours ago, Straightliner59 said:

 I also keep a jar, with a little  bit of it on the workbench, for small parts.

I have the same system.

A large plastic storage container for bodies, a medium sized salsa jar for medium parts like bumpers, and a small plastic container, not much larger than a silver dollar in circumference, for the little stuff.

Makes things a lot easier to fish out.

 

 

 

 

Steve

[peteski]

11 hours ago, showrods said:

There are some hobby paint brands that can take a little while longer to strip off than others, that's true.  You sometimes have to get in there with an old tooth brush to help things along.  I've also found that, believe it or not, some pigments are more stubborn than others while still others will begin to blister and peel almost immediately.  

 

Warming up the stripping solution also increases its potency and decreases the time it needs to work.  But not to hot!  When I strip paint in the winter (when my workshop is only around 64 deg. F, the stripping solution works very slowly. But if I warm it up to a summer room temparatuer (around 80 deg. F) it works much better. Of course, in the summer I dont' need to do that since the ambient temperature is warm enough.

[martinfan5]

24 minutes ago, StevenGuthmiller said:

I have the same system.

A large plastic storage container for bodies, a medium sized salsa jar for medium parts like bumpers, and a small plastic container, not much larger than a silver dollar in circumference, for the little stuff.

Makes things a lot easier to fish out.

 

 

 

 

Steve

No kidding Steve, nothing is more fun then trying to fish out a very small out of a large container of the Purple stuff?,  I do the same, use smaller containers for those small parts( purple and alcohol)

[StevenGuthmiller]

1 hour ago, martinfan5 said:

No kidding Steve, nothing is more fun then trying to fish out a very small out of a large container of the Purple stuff?,  I do the same, use smaller containers for those small parts( purple and alcohol)

I've seen that some will use a tea strainer to put their small parts in for stripping.

I can surely accept that would be a very good idea, but I'm not that sophisticated. 

 

 

 

 

Steve

[StevenGuthmiller]

2 hours ago, peteski said:

Warming up the stripping solution also increases its potency and decreases the time it needs to work.  But not to hot!  When I strip paint in the winter (when my workshop is only around 64 deg. F, the stripping solution works very slowly. But if I warm it up to a summer room temparatuer (around 80 deg. F) it works much better. Of course, in the summer I dont' need to do that since the ambient temperature is warm enough.

I'm very lucky in this respect.

My basement has in floor heat, so in the winter, all that I have to do is set my tub of Super Clean on my shop floor and its warm whenever I need it.

 

 

 

 

 

Steve

[martinfan5]

14 minutes ago, StevenGuthmiller said:

I've seen that some will use a tea strainer to put their small parts in for stripping.

I can surely accept that would be a very good idea, but I'm not that sophisticated. 

 

 

 

 

Steve

Ive used small strainers in the past to get the small parts out , only took doing that a ............handful of times for me to start using smaller containers ?