Resin noob questions.

[Chris 422]

I finally found some cast resin bodies I really wanted and want to know how to properly prep them for painting. I've read that they need a good soak in Purple Power to clean them of mold release. Full strength? One body maker recommended bleach. Should I go by the recommendation from each maker or will PP be okay for all of them? Thanks in advance for your advice.

Edited June 21, 2024 by Chris 422

[yh70]

2 hours ago, Chris 422 said:

I finally found some cast resin bodies I really wanted and want to know how to properly prep them for painting. I've read that they need a good soak in Purple Power to clean them of mold release. Full strength? One body maker recommended bleach. Should I go by the recommendation from each maker or will PP be okay for all of them? Thanks in advance for your advice.

i have used resin parts and body's for many years. all i ever use is Ajax or Comet cleaner..just wet the body or part and with a old tooth bush give it a good scrubbing till the water stops beading off. (you may have to do this a few times) once that happens you know you have got all the mold release off..now not all resin casters use a mold release.

[MeatMan]

I would not recommend full strength PP. I had a part destroyed by it, though I soaked it for a day.

I've had a few resins as well, but all I've ever used was Dawn dish detergent with a brush and never had any issues.
All you're trying to do is remove the mold release agent, which anything that cuts grease will do. Never used powdered cleanser but I'm sure it does the job, too.

[espo]

I use Dawn Dish soap to clean resin bodies as well as the plastic ones. Had a really bad experience and lost a resin body while trying to strip a paint job using Purple Power. The thing is there are a couple of chemical makeups I guise with resin bodies. Not all will react the same. Mine sort of turned into a soft bar of soap in the general shape of what it was supposed to be. That is why I don't think Purple Power is the absolute answer. 

[Exotics_Builder]

1 hour ago, espo said:

I use Dawn Dish soap to clean resin bodies as well as the plastic ones. Had a really bad experience and lost a resin body while trying to strip a paint job using Purple Power. The thing is there are a couple of chemical makeups I guise with resin bodies. Not all will react the same. Mine sort of turned into a soft bar of soap in the general shape of what it was supposed to be. That is why I don't think Purple Power is the absolute answer. 

Ditto that. I've had a friend experience the same with Purple Power.  I use Dawn Dish Soap as well.  Have yet to experience any problems.  Also, be sure to repeat after you've done any mods or scribed lines to be sure any newly exposed resin is also treated.

 

[maxwell48098]

Don Holthaus of Modelhaus resins recommended soaking 4-6 hours in either a product called Marine Clean or Wesley's Bleche Wite, followed by a warm soap and water scrub down.  I used the Westley's on at least 70 resin bodies from 8 or more vendors without a hitch.

 

A.J.

 

[Mark]

Important: do the cleaning before doing ANY sanding or grinding on the body.  Otherwise, you're embedding mold release into the resin.