stripping diecast..

[jeffb]

i know this has been asked before but i cant find it..i need to strip a diecast. ive heard superclean will damage the metal. what is ya'lls favorite method?

[Zoom Zoom]

I used a can of "Auto Strip" aircraft paint remover that I bought at Wallyworld, and it was amazing how fast it worked. It's really caustic/dangerous stuff-use utmost care and caution to do the job (stripping gloves, eye protection, old clothes, old toothbrush to scrub, work outdoors), but it works in seconds-the paint immediately starts to lift/bubble up before your eyes. I had a diecast model stripped clean and ready to repaint in the period of 20 minutes, which included cleaning up the rubbermaid container I stripped the body in. Make sure there is nothing but the diecast body present; plastic parts won't survive!

[jeffb]

thanks bob. i'll hafta pick up a can at work tomorrow.

[Lownslow]

i stopped doing it cause it reveals a lot of flaws so i sand the clear off and lay my base then paint

[mademan]

I build custom hot wheels as well as models adn I have found Circa 1850 furniture stripper to work the best, takes everything off and doesnt dammage the metal.

[BIGTRUCK]

I used the same ''Air-craft'' stipper Bob used, it is quick and hides in every little nook and cranny . It comes in a gel or the liquid , wear safety glasses and dont get any on your skin...this stuff means business..

[Jairus]

Those other strippers will eat up your hands if you don't use gloves. Try 90% Rubbing alcohol works great too according to Gregg. Plus, it won’t hurt plastic or your hands.

[Zoom Zoom]

  Jairus said:

Those other strippers will eat up your hands if you don't use gloves. Try 90% Rubbing alcohol works great too according to Gregg. Plus, it won’t hurt plastic or your hands.

That's what I use if possible for prepainted plastic models, but for diecast w/o any plastic the heavy-duty stuff is incredible. And I like to wear gloves even w/the strong alcohol. The alcohol is also flammable. I have a stripping tub of 99% alcohol that I bought in a gallon jug from the grocery store.

I found my pics of the Auto Strip process in my Fotki:

This is what a diecast body looked like after a few minutes with Auto Strip:

This is what it looked like 20 mins. after I started:

Has anyone tried dunking a diecast in the alcohol bath? Does it really take that paint off as nicely as a prepainted plastic kit sheds it's paint?? I always assumed the diecast models were painted in a much stronger paint. Maybe this will be a good experiment from my graveyard of $6 Maisto models who sacrificed wheels/tires and LHD dashboards for their plastic brethren :wink:

[FUSIONBOY]

I have used with different results e-z off oven cleaner or it's cheap dollar store cousin. not as fast as the industrial stripper, but it won't make ya sterile either. i had 1 bad reaction on a stock car body but I think it was from spayng it and needing to do something else and forgetting about it for a few days. it attacked the metal body and required lots of scubbing and sanding to get ready for paint.

[Guest zebm1]

Rubbing alcohol has sum water in it. I don't know if that could be a problem with metal bodies. Denatured alcohol has NO water in it, might be better. :wink:

Zeb