Stripping the clear coat under chrome?

[Street Rod]

Stripped the chrome parts on the model I’m working on this afternoon, I didn’t know if it would have the clear or not but it does. What’s the recommendation for stripping the clear? 
 

I think I remember seeing A4 Garage or Kenji’s Plastic Models using Mr Hobby thinner.

[peteski]

You didn't mention what you used to strip the metallic layer, but if you used any of the many lye-based paint stripping solution, that would have removed both,the metallic layer and the clear coat. We recently discussed this subject on the forum.

 

To clarify, I'm talking about Easy-Off oven cleaner (original formula), "Purple Stuff". LA Totally Awesome concentrated cleaner, and similar.

Edited February 6 by peteski

[ColonelKrypton]

Mr hobby thinner might work BUT Mr Hobby levelling thinner contains an ingredient that will attack the poly styrene plastic.

I have also tried AK Interactive Real Color High Compatibility thinner and it too also contains an ingredient that will attack the poly styrene plastic.

I have been using Tamiya Paint remover product number 87183 in the 250ml bottle or Tamiya Lacquer thinner product number 87077 in the 250ml bottle with the yellow cap. I have not yet tried the Tamiya Lacquer Thinner retarder type product number 87194 with the orange cap. Neither of these products will attack the poly styrene plastic. I have left parts soaking in these products for many days with no ill effects. 

In fact, both the Tamiya Paint Remover and Tamiya Lacquer Thinner ( 87077 yellow cap ) work about equally as well as the other but I found that a 50:50 mix of both seemed to work a bit better.

Unlike the cleanser products which contain (typically) lye ( sodium hydroxide ) which reacts with the "chrome" plating effectively dissolving the "chrome", the Tamiya Paint Remover and/or Lacquer thinner do not dissolve the "chrome" rather they will soften then dissolve the underlying enamel/lacquer resulting in the "chrome" being removed in small flakes.  

Keep in mind that even though these products are a bit more expensive than the usual Easy Off, Purple Power, ( etc); these products and be reused many times.  I have a jar with my 50:50 mix that I have been using and reusing for over a year. 

Lacquer thinner is a generic term. Different brands of lacquer thinners will vary in their chemical make up. Some contain acetone and other will contain MEK and others toluene and others still a wide variety of various solvents.

I have never been able to get Easy Off or Purple Power, or similar to remove both the "chrome" and the underlying coating but others seem to have success with this method.

cheers, Graham

[ColonelKrypton]

4 minutes ago, peteski said:

if you used any of the many lye-based paint stripping solution, that would have removed both,the metallic layer and the clear coat.

Not always.

I have tried many different products ( i.e. Easy Off, Zep Grill Cleaner, Zep Industrial cleaner, Purple Power, and a couple of others whose names don't come to mind ) and in all cases I was never able to remove both the "chrome" and the underlying enamel/lacquer coating. They all removed the "chrome" but didn't to much of anything to the underlying enamel/lacquer.

There are caustic soda ( i.e. lye also known as sodium hydroxide ) paint strippers but they are typically much stronger than common household cleaners. 

cheers, Graham 

[peteski]

Yes, Lye is another name for Soduim-hydroxide.  I have successfully used the Castrol Super Clean, Easy-Off original formula oven cleaner, my own mix of lye granules and water, and few other lye-based paint removers (which are no longer made), and they all stripped the aluminum layer and clear coating from model parts. So my experience is different than yours.  Important thing for me is to keep the stripping solution warm. Also would not recommend anything called "lacquer thinner" to strip paint or "chrome" from polystyrene model  parts. I seem to recall similar discussion about this on another thread. Again, out experiences differ.

[Can-Con]

2 hours ago, peteski said:

Yes, Lye is another name for Soduim-hydroxide.  I have successfully used the Castrol Super Clean, Easy-Off original formula oven cleaner, my own mix of lye granules and water, and few other lye-based paint removers (which are no longer made), and they all stripped the aluminum layer and clear coating from model parts. So my experience is different than yours.  Important thing for me is to keep the stripping solution warm. Also would not recommend anything called "lacquer thinner" to strip paint or "chrome" from polystyrene model  parts. I seem to recall similar discussion about this on another thread. Again, out experiences differ.

Peter, have you ever tried this?

It's thicker then in the spray can, more of a jell than a foam so it sticks to the parts better and stays on plus since it's not an aerosol there's not as much fumes from it as the spray can. [but there are still fumes, of corse]

[Rodent]

Steve, I have never seen this on the shelf in the USA (California). If I did, I would probably buy it since I occasionally clean the oven as well 😁

[Street Rod]

4 hours ago, ColonelKrypton said:

Mr hobby thinner might work BUT Mr Hobby levelling thinner contains an ingredient that will attack the poly styrene plastic.

I have also tried AK Interactive Real Color High Compatibility thinner and it too also contains an ingredient that will attack the poly styrene plastic.

I have been using Tamiya Paint remover product number 87183 in the 250ml bottle or Tamiya Lacquer thinner product number 87077 in the 250ml bottle with the yellow cap. I have not yet tried the Tamiya Lacquer Thinner retarder type product number 87194 with the orange cap. Neither of these products will attack the poly styrene plastic. I have left parts soaking in these products for many days with no ill effects. 

In fact, both the Tamiya Paint Remover and Tamiya Lacquer Thinner ( 87077 yellow cap ) work about equally as well as the other but I found that a 50:50 mix of both seemed to work a bit better.

Unlike the cleanser products which contain (typically) lye ( sodium hydroxide ) which reacts with the "chrome" plating effectively dissolving the "chrome", the Tamiya Paint Remover and/or Lacquer thinner do not dissolve the "chrome" rather they will soften then dissolve the underlying enamel/lacquer resulting in the "chrome" being removed in small flakes.  

Keep in mind that even though these products are a bit more expensive than the usual Easy Off, Purple Power, ( etc); these products and be reused many times.  I have a jar with my 50:50 mix that I have been using and reusing for over a year. 

Lacquer thinner is a generic term. Different brands of lacquer thinners will vary in their chemical make up. Some contain acetone and other will contain MEK and others toluene and others still a wide variety of various solvents.

I have never been able to get Easy Off or Purple Power, or similar to remove both the "chrome" and the underlying coating but others seem to have success with this method.

cheers, Graham

Thanks for the replies, fellas. I didn’t think to say that I used bleach to strip the chrome from the parts in the OP. I had seen Mr Color leveling thinner used as stated on a You-Tube video with the instruction not to leave the parts in too long as it would melt the plastic.
 

Graham, I will definitely try the Tamiya products you suggested, I like the idea of being able to reuse the product over and over, but will get some easy off tomorrow to use so I can continue working on my truck. 

[peteski]

1 hour ago, Can-Con said:

Peter, have you ever tried this?

It's thicker then in the spray can, more of a jell than a foam so it sticks to the parts better and stays on plus since it's not an aerosol there's not as much fumes from it as the spray can. [but there are still fumes, of corse]

Like Steve, I have not seen this product on sale around where I live in USA.  If it is similar to Easy-Off original formula aerosol, and being a gel, it would be less messy way to strip paint and "chrome"  from plastic.

[Dpate]

I use a combination of two products when I'm dealing with chrome, and the process works every single time.  I use 100% lye that you can buy from Ace hardware, walmart, lowes etc that is what removes the fake chrome that is what is in a lot of these products like "Easy off" 5% lye.  The 2nd product i use is something i stubbled on when hunting for a paint remover product, but to my surprise it removes the chrome underlayer varnish with ease. 5-10 mins depending on how thick the varnish is.  Sadly it's hard to find, but there is another alternative as well, and a little cheaper as well.  It's called Odenkan SC-02 paint remover $10 for 500mL. The picture is of the 2nd product i was talking about. 

Edited February 7 by Dpate

[mr moto]

I've had great luck using regular Clorox bleach but not all coatings are the same.