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Paint Strippers - What to Use?


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Fujimi Lover- What kind of paint you used on your project. If the paint is a Lacquer paint try using 91% Isopropyl Alcohol talk about works great and 20 minutes later you have yourself a new model again it also works on stripping those AMT pre-painted kits not only that its a lot safer than oven cleaner. I use Purple Power for stripping Enamel paints & 91% Isopropyl for Pre-Painted kits & Dupli-Color paints.

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Fujimi Lover- What kind of paint you used on your project. If the paint is a Lacquer paint try using 91% Isopropyl Alcohol talk about works great and 20 minutes later you have yourself a new model again it also works on stripping those AMT pre-painted kits not only that its a lot safer than oven cleaner. I use Purple Power for stripping Enamel paints & 91% Isopropyl for Pre-Painted kits & Dupli-Color paints.

I got myselfe a back-up kit just in case the paint-stripping turns out horrible. Only stuff I could find was the 91% alchohol stuff and I'm soaking it in there right now. It look's like it's working, but I dont' think it's 20 minutes like what you said. We'll see though.

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The alchohol didn't work, it just roughened up the paint. I was expecting a clean strip with little effort.

DOT3 bro it should come right off.They come in like 1/4 pint and a full pint.It took the paint right off both 64 johan caddies in a day i swear by this stuff.

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This is the can of Easy Off that I currently have.

DSC09099.jpg

I don't know how much I have left in the can, nor do I know if I have anything to put the body in for soaking. Do I want to mix it with some water? Is their a ratio between this and water?

No, you don't want to mix it in water.............spray it directly on the body just like you would your oven. No need to soak the body in water, just the body completely covered with the Easy Off and let it sit. You'll definitely want to hold your breath though as those fumes are POWERFUL! :rolleyes:

When handling it to clean it up, it's a good idea to wear rubber gloves if you have 'em.

An old toothbrush would come in handy for getting in between the crevices and creases. It should take it down to bare plastic-------you can always reapply it to get it squeaky clean if needed.

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The alchohol didn't work, it just roughened up the paint. I was expecting a clean strip with little effort.

91% Isopropyl Alcohol only works on Lacquer, Acrylic & Pre-Painted Kits. If the paint is an enamel or oil based paint use Purple Power or Castrol Super Clean. I wish i would of have mentioned this sooner. If the alcohol roughed up the paint use the CSC or PP. If that doesnt work use Brake Fluid.

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The blue paint is Laqure, and it took over three hours. All I could see is small flakes in the liquid, but nothing really coming clean off the body.

Try letting the body soak in 91% alcohol overnight if that doesnt work let it sit for a few days if the alcohol isnt working like it should soak it in brake fluid for a few days.

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  • 2 weeks later...
Try letting the body soak in 91% alcohol overnight if that doesnt work let it sit for a few days if the alcohol isnt working like it should soak it in brake fluid for a few days.

Not even bro let it sit over night i have used the one shot paint by testors(will never use it again)on both 64 johan caddies i have and i put it in the dot3 over night looked at it in the morning nothing changed so i shook it up and the paint came of like dead skin no need to use a brush.An i am still using that batch today a little over a month old now.

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I didn't pick it up, but while at local hobby store I came across some stuff in a reasonably sized metal can that said it will strip paint/decals off plastic safely. Specifically designed for plastic and work's slowly. I'll try and get the name next time I'm down there. Cost about 10-20 bucks.

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  • 2 weeks later...
If the paint is a Lacquer paint try using 91% Isopropyl Alcohol talk about works great and 20 minutes later you have yourself a new model again it also works on stripping those AMT pre-painted kits not only that its a lot safer than oven cleaner. I use Purple Power for stripping Enamel paints & 91% Isopropyl for Pre-Painted kits & Dupli-Color paints.

I mix them together. Just about anything except 2-part automotive urethane can be stripped with CSC + a dollop of 91% alcohol. Stripping time will vary depending on the type of paint and how long it's cured. For some reason, metallic synthetic lacquers - like Tamiya TS series - seem to take longer than non-metallics.

This hobby is supposed to be fun. I personally do not enjoy working with highly toxic stuff like brake fluid and oven cleaner.

Ddms

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I got myselfe a back-up kit just in case the paint-stripping turns out horrible. Only stuff I could find was the 91% alchohol stuff and I'm soaking it in there right now. It look's like it's working, but I dont' think it's 20 minutes like what you said. We'll see though.

I have been trying to strip a body that was done with Tamiya spray, & nothing has worked yet, I was told about the 91 percent alcohol, but can't find it.. I was told by a pharmacist to try denatured alcohol, has any one tried this, I know it will take off just about anything, but haven't tried it on plastic, I kinda would like to still have a body left after getting the paint of ya know. LOL Thanks for the replies, Del.

What I need to know is where do you find this stuff?

Edited by horsepower
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I don't think denatured alch is strong enough, and I don't think a pharmasist would know unless he's built models before. I often wonder if Coca Cola would work. Might get sticky after a while, but I wonder if the acid could strip the paint? It's been said before that coca cola can eat a penny over a period of time. Of coarse, when I tried it the penny was still there!

Still, I wonder if Soda can peal off paint?

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I think you're thinking about the old Coca Cola - like over 50 years ago when supposedly Coca Cola really had coke in the formula. That's long gone. Back in the day, Coca Cola was great for removing rust from chrome.

I use Purple Power for stripping paint.

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I've been trying to remove some paint off a model car with "Purple Power" as many people have suggested in this thread. After soaking for many hours (sometimes up to 72 hours at a time) repeatedly over the past 2 weeks, most of the paint came off with some scrubbing using a scouring pad after the soak. However, there is still a thin layer of the paint, it almost looks like a stain, which doesn't seem to want to come off with gentle scrubbing of the scouring pad. I have to use my fingernail and dig into it a bit before this thin layer comes off. The plastic thank goodness isn't damaged, but I'd hate to have to use my fingernail, or something similar, to remove this final thin layer of paint.

From what I understand, after soaking in Purple Power, the paint should come off very easily... and it did for the most part except for the last thin layer. So I'm wondering why I'm having such a hard time? It is the type of paint that was used? http://www.testors.com/category/136961/ I'm not sure what kind of plastic it is, but the model was made in 1990, but perhaps the type of plastic might make a difference?

Another thought I had was that the Purple Power I used has lost its potency over the 2 weeks, but from what I understand, that stuff doesn't lose potency very easily.

Any ideas to help me completely strip the paint of the model would be appreciated!

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I just stripped a 1966 Impala body . I had to use CSC, oven cleaner and brake fluid. The CSC took off some of the paint the brake fluid was next and finally the oven cleaner for the finish. The body was clean at the end. It took two weeks total time. Sometimes you just have to be patient.

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I think you're thinking about the old Coca Cola - like over 50 years ago when supposedly Coca Cola really had coke in the formula. That's long gone. Back in the day, Coca Cola was great for removing rust from chrome.

I use Purple Power for stripping paint.

Nope, wasn't thinking of the old Cola at all. Just soda with the Phosphoric Acid in general.

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Have you tried the ELO product for Testors? I've used it off and on over the years. It was first marketed under the Polly-s label then under Floquil now testors. I don't now how much they may have changed the formula over the years but under the Polly-s label this stuff would wash paint off. It's not cheap by any stretch of the imagination at $11.33 for 8oz.

Take a look:

http://www.testors.com/product/137350/F542...ecal_Remove_8oz.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Here's my 2 cents guys, For testors enamal and some acrilic's I have used Pine-sol, don't laugh it actually works, and it leaves it pine fresh :) I had to get a laugh in. I also have used bleach on stubern paint jobs, like my dad game me an original first issue AMT 1957 chevy Belair that he did when he was seven ( he's 60 now) and everytime he got a drip he would sand it and put another coat, atleast that what he told me, and bleach stripped it right off like nothing, gave it a couple days , the paint actually just fell off.

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Here's my 2 cents guys, For testors enamal and some acrilic's I have used Pine-sol, don't laugh it actually works, and it leaves it pine fresh B)

hehe.. yes, I have a bottle of Pine Sol ... next to the Purple Pond, Lestoil, Clorox and brake fluid. All work :)

Edited by Foxer
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  • 2 weeks later...
:)

I'll try it whenever I see it on the shelf, but Easy-Off works for me right now, especially the fume-free lemon scented kind; sometimes you have to use it more than once if the paint is too stubborn, and it's also good to have a bucket of hot water to kind of help the paint peel off.

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