Testors Lacquer removal

[Bryan Brogan]

I have a model that has metallic green lacquer on the interior panels and the body.  I have no idea how long ago it was painted and I have not had any luck removing it and what i have tried crazed the trunk  and hood pretty good.  Any help you be greatly appreciated.

[aurfalien]

Hi,

Try ELO as I love the stuff.  Follow the directions though;

Brush on

Remove as you start to see the paint wrinkle

 

 

[Ace-Garageguy]

BUT...if you have significant crazing, the solvents in the paint have eaten into the plastic just like liquid cement. Sometimes, the paint in this case is so firmly attached (literally melted into the surface) that strippers won't take it off.

[Snake45]

Common household rubbing alcohol will take off most if not all colors of Testor Lacquers. But as Ace said, if your previous stripper ate into the body, that color might be in there for good now. Only cure would be sanding.

[aurfalien]

Hi,

Welp, I'd suggest 99% alcohol.

Lest we forget, I am the strip master ya know.  A title I hope to one day be relieved of.

[Bryan Brogan]

the crazing is from using automotive grade thinner might have to try alcohol as full strength degreaser isn't touching it either.  Would denatured alcohol work?

[Ace-Garageguy]

the crazing is from using automotive grade thinner might have to try alcohol as full strength degreaser isn't touching it either.  Would denatured alcohol work?

Regarding denatured alcohol, this is from one of the model railroad forums. Many railroad items come painted with lacquer, and stripping them to custom-finish is very common.

Quoting from Model Railroader http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/88/t/259148.aspx    "

"Denatured alcohol, appliance fuel/marine stove fuel, it is not only undrinkable, It is Poison. I use it exclusively on stripping paint from all plastic's...but I do not soak them in it. I pour some in a pie tin and brush it on the whole surface, within seconds, it bubbles the paint and then I use a stiffer smaller brush to brush it off with and add more if need be. Have not harmed any plastic models yet."

[Bryan Brogan]

ok thanks for that advise might try that

 

[Longbox55]

 

"Denatured alcohol, appliance fuel/marine stove fuel, it is not only undrinkable, It is Poison. I use it exclusively on stripping paint from all plastic's...but I do not soak them in it. I pour some in a pie tin and brush it on the whole surface, within seconds, it bubbles the paint and then I use a stiffer smaller brush to brush it off with and add more if need be. Have not harmed any plastic models yet."

I can speak from experience that you do NOT want to soak styrene in denatured alcohol, as it will soften the plastic, or at least it did for me. The method that Ace quoted from the railroad guys should work fine, though. I would suggest testing first before you proceed to doing the whole body just to be sure.

[StevenGuthmiller]

Where would I find 99% IPA?

No.....not India Pale Ale, Isopropyl Alcohol.

 

Steve

[aurfalien]

Where would I find 99% IPA?

No.....not India Pale Ale, Isopropyl Alcohol.

 

Steve

Hi,

Of all places, I found it at a grocery store and a pharmacy.

[StevenGuthmiller]

Hi,

Of all places, I found it at a grocery store and a pharmacy.

And it's ok to soak parts in?

I use Super Clean to remove lacquer paint from bodies with fairly good success, but I find that it does not work well for removing primer.

I thought a good soak in IPA might do the trick for that job.

 

Steve

[Snake45]

And it's ok to soak parts in?

I use Super Clean to remove lacquer paint from bodies with fairly good success, but I find that it does not work well for removing primer.

I thought a good soak in IPA might do the trick for that job.

 

Steve

I've soaked primed, Testor lacquer-painted bodies in rubbing alcohol and the lacquer came right off leaving the primer absolutely pristine underneath. If I'd wanted to take that off too, I'd have tried Easy-Off but I didn't. IIRC this was the delightful cheap Walmart primer in gray.

[Ace-Garageguy]

And it's ok to soak parts in?

Though you don't want to soak parts in denatured alcohol, I've never had a problem soaking in 91% isopropyl.

Of course, that was model railroad rolling stock with factory paint, and it came off in a few hours.

Edited November 10, 2017 by Ace-Garageguy

[aurfalien]

And it's ok to soak parts in?

I use Super Clean to remove lacquer paint from bodies with fairly good success, but I find that it does not work well for removing primer.

I thought a good soak in IPA might do the trick for that job.

 

Steve

Hi,

Well, I personally think SuperClean is the best but the 99% IPA works very well as does Testors ELO.  I've a full on stripping arsenal due to my rather lame model building skills.

And I've soaked bodies for days in 99% IPA w/o issue.

Edited November 10, 2017 by aurfalien

[StevenGuthmiller]

Thanks guys.

I don't have much problem removing the MCW & Duplicolor lacquers that I use with Super Clean.

But the Testors & Duplicolor primers are very stubborn.

I've tried Easy Off oven cleaner with about the same results as Super Clean.

The task at hand is finding something to remove the primer after the paint is gone.

I thought that if anyone had experience with IPA for that specific task, I could try it.

Or does anyone think that possibly brake fluid would work better for removing the primer?

 

 

Steve

[Ace-Garageguy]

 

...Or does anyone think that possibly brake fluid would work better for removing the primer?

I've successfully had brake fluid cut some automotive urethane clears and primers that none of the alcohols or lye-based products would touch.

However...I have no idea what exactly the primers were.

And a note of caution: (you probably already know this) Prolonged soaking in brake fluid can leach the plasticizers out of styrene and leave it brittle...very brittle.

 

[Tim H]

I have used pine sol cleaner to take off most any type of paint. I have a tub I pour the PineSol in. close the lid let it sit at least over night, but usually a couple days. The paint just rinses off.

 

Tim

[Bucky]

I know of a car model builder elsewhere who uses Krud Kutter to remove paint and chrome plating with success. not sure about the primer, tho.

[StevenGuthmiller]

And a note of caution: (you probably already know this) Prolonged soaking in brake fluid can leach the plasticizers out of styrene and leave it brittle...very brittle.

 

Yes I do.

Which is one of several reasons why I don't use brake fluid.

But I'm considering trying whatever options are available to tackle my primer problem.

I have more than one kit sitting around that has been completely stripped of many layers of automotive paint & clear, but that dang primer just hangs on!

 

Steve

[Snake45]

I just remembered, not long ago I stripped a body I'd primed with (IIRC) Rustoleum red primer and painted with Duplicolor. Easy-Off took it ALL off. It took five or six "treatments" but but it DID eventually all come off with no damage to the plastic. 

[peteski]

The ingredients in ELO are related to what DOT 3 brake fluid contains.

If oven cleaner (the lye-based one) doesn't strip certain paint then Castrol Super Clean (or the generic versions) most likely wont either, since those are also lye-based.