Effective Paint/Decal Stripper

[69NovaYenko]

II have been used Testors ELO paint & decal remover. It does a great job. However, I fell asleep one night and left a body in my stripper tub overnight.  To my horror when I retrieved it from the ELO bath the next day I discovered it had not only removed the old layers of paint/decals it had started dissolving the leading edges of the fenders and rocker panels. Additionally, the plastic body seemed a bit brittle afterwards. It was like I had acid dipped a 1:1 car body and left it in the soup to long. So I am seeking recommendations for an "EFFECTIVE" paint/decal stripper that wont have an adverse chemically reaction with my plastic bodies or parts. I`ve had suggestions ranging from Simple Green, Super Clean and Purple Power to using cheap brake fluid as a good plastic paint/decal stripper. Also, do all the above work well stripping lacquer as well as enamel paints without damaging plastic. Any and all input is welcome.

Thanks one and all in advance for your feedback.

Edited June 19, 2019 by 69NovaYenko

[SfanGoch]

Testors ELO is the best decal/paint stripper made for its intended use. What you described is self-inflicted damage, Greg. It specifically states under "TO REMOVE COATINGS":

3. Repeat as necessary - DO NOT IMMERSE.

That says it all. Read the instructions if you're not sure.

[69NovaYenko]

Got you..always learning.

As I said I fell asleep..so it on me for sure.

Edited June 19, 2019 by 69NovaYenko

[Classicgas]

I use Easy Off oven cleaner in the yellow can. I've let stuff soak for a couple days with no adverse effects. It strips chrome quickly too

[StevenGuthmiller]

You can put your body in Super Clean on New Years day, and retrieve it the following New Years eve and it won't damage the plastic in any way, shape or form.

If you're looking for a safe, effective, no muss, no fuss paint remover, there is nothing out there that will beat it!

It might not work on everything, but if you have any kind of coherent painting regime whatsoever, it will become apparent rather quickly whether or not it meets your needs.

I use almost exclusively automotive paints and primers, (ie, Duplicolor, MCW, Scale Finishes) and while it might take a few days, I never have problems stripping these paints.

I also never have to worry about any damage to the plastic whatsoever!

Super Clean will also strip chrome in a matter of minutes and most enamels just as fast.

What gets lost in a lot of these discussions is the importance of the substrate, (primer) that you use.

I hear a lot of complaints about difficulties with stripping Tamiya lacquers, but I guarantee you that if you use a primer like Duplicolor, the paint over the top of it matters very little when it comes to stripping it.

 

 

 

Steve

 

[SfanGoch]

Chlorine bleach will also strip chrome as quickly as a pack of hyenas stripping a zebra carcass.

[ewetwo]

34 minutes ago, StevenGuthmiller said:

You can put your body in Super Clean on New Years day, and retrieve it the following New Years eve and it won't damage the plastic in any way, shape or form.

If you're looking for a safe, effective, no muss, no fuss paint remover, there is nothing out there that will beat it!

It might not work on everything, but if you have any kind of coherent painting regime whatsoever, it will become apparent rather quickly whether or not it meets your needs.

I use almost exclusively automotive paints and primers, (ie, Duplicolor, MCW, Scale Finishes) and while it might take a few days, I never have problems stripping these paints.

I also never have to worry about any damage to the plastic whatsoever!

Super Clean will also strip chrome in a matter of minutes and most enamels just as fast.

What gets lost in a lot of these discussions is the importance of the substrate, (primer) that you use.

I hear a lot of complaints about difficulties with stripping Tamiya lacquers, but I guarantee you that if you use a primer like Duplicolor, the paint over the top of it matters very little when it comes to stripping it.

 

 

 

Steve

 

I just switched over to Super Clean. I always had good luck with Purple Power but it wasn’t working well on the ones I have in there now. Paint from the 70’s I guess. Do you strain it? Or just leave it be. 

[StevenGuthmiller]

39 minutes ago, ewetwo said:

I just switched over to Super Clean. I always had good luck with Purple Power but it wasn’t working well on the ones I have in there now. Paint from the 70’s I guess. Do you strain it? Or just leave it be. 

It depends a lot on what you're stripping.

If you strip a lot of enamel paint, there's not much to strain.

The solution basically totally dissolves the paint.

On the other hand, if you strip a lot of lacquers, the paint will usually come off in large pieces.

I suppose that it would be beneficial to strain out these larger particles, but in general, I just leave it alone.

But then again, I don't strip a lot of paint.

Possibly 4 or 5 models per year.

 

 

Steve

[StevenGuthmiller]

47 minutes ago, SfanGoch said:

Chlorine bleach will also strip chrome as quickly as a pack of hyenas stripping a zebra carcass.

Chrome is actually pretty easy to strip with nearly anything.

 

Steve

[ewetwo]

57 minutes ago, StevenGuthmiller said:

It depends a lot on what you're stripping.

If you strip a lot of enamel paint, there's not much to strain.

The solution basically totally dissolves the paint.

On the other hand, if you strip a lot of lacquers, the paint will usually come off in large pieces.

I suppose that it would be beneficial to strain out these larger particles, but in general, I just leave it alone.

But then again, I don't strip a lot of paint.

Possibly 4 or 5 models per year.

 

 

Steve

I do more than that per year. Sometimes per model. Lol. The bunch in there now the paint dissolved and came off in large pieces. Guess I better strain it. 

Edited June 20, 2019 by ewetwo

[Snake45]

1 hour ago, SfanGoch said:

Chlorine bleach will also strip chrome as quickly as a pack of hyenas stripping a zebra carcass.

Agree. You can almost watch it come off. Ammonia will do it, too, on many platings. 

[StevenGuthmiller]

1 hour ago, Snake45 said:

Agree. You can almost watch it come off. Ammonia will do it, too, on many platings. 

I observe the same thing with Super Clean.

I recently dropped a bunch of chrome parts in a mason jar full of it on my bench and then proceeded to do some other work for a short time.

Within 15 minutes, I had the parts in the sink rinsing them off.

Clean as a whistle.

 

 

Steve

[peteski]

Funny, there is a lengthy thread on various paint strippers, yet it seems that about once a month we start a new thread on this old subject.  In my 40+ years of model building experience I can tell you that one thing is for sure: there is no single perfect (and safe) stripper for stripping paint from Polystyrene and/or resin model kits.  Different brands and types of paints are affected differently by various stripping solution. By the other token, some supposedly safe stripping solution can and will attack plastic or resin.  Paint stripping is not an exact science - it is more like alchemy.   So if you want a universal paint stripping solution for all paints, and safe for all plastics and resin, you better find another hobby.

Edited June 24, 2019 by peteski

[Bainford]

On ‎19‎/‎06‎/‎2019 at 9:29 PM, SfanGoch said:

Chlorine bleach will also strip chrome as quickly as a pack of hyenas stripping a zebra carcass.

The shiny stuff comes off quickly, but it will barely touch the clear lacquer under coat. It's the same with most 'recommended' chrome strippers. There is little point in stripping the shiney stuff if you can't remove the detail hiding clear under coat.

[SfanGoch]

That's why I follow up with Testo....er, Rustoleum ELO. No soak, just brush on. Clean as the proverbial whistle.

[StevenGuthmiller]

6 hours ago, Bainford said:

The shiny stuff comes off quickly, but it will barely touch the clear lacquer under coat. It's the same with most 'recommended' chrome strippers. There is little point in stripping the shiney stuff if you can't remove the detail hiding clear under coat.

I've never had an issue removing the under coat with Super Clean.

 

 

Steve

[martinfan5]

Snip

Edited June 24, 2019 by martinfan5

[martinfan5]

4 minutes ago, StevenGuthmiller said:

I've never had an issue removing the under coat with Super Clean.

 

 

Steve

I for most don't have issues either.

[martinfan5]

On 6/19/2019 at 4:56 PM, StevenGuthmiller said:

I hear a lot of complaints about difficulties with stripping Tamiya lacquers, but I guarantee you that if you use a primer like Duplicolor, the paint over the top of it matters very little when it comes to stripping it.

 

 

 

Steve

 

Super Clean removes Tamiya primer.

[StevenGuthmiller]

5 hours ago, martinfan5 said:

Super Clean removes Tamiya primer.

Then I'm not sure why I have heard some people say that Super Clean won't touch Tamiya paint.

If the solution will dissolve the primer like it does Duplicolor, all that's needed is for the Super Clean to be able to get to the primer and the paint will peel off.

 

 

Steve

[Casey]

 

[Bucky]

I got this one from eBay:

It had this thick yellow paint, complete with a "bubble" finish:

It spent two weeks in a brake fluid bath, and then started to peel off:

It came out like this:

These two pics are before I did the final clean up on the body and hood.

I now use Super Clean, but in years past I used brake fluid and never had a problem with the plastic taking primer and paint afterwards.

Edited June 25, 2019 by Bucky