I need help please

[RodBurNeR]

I have stripped many times, different types and ages of paints.

This time around I have no luck.

I don't know what the paint is, but I can't get it to budge with Castrol Super Clean, 91% Alcohol or Easy Off with the fumes!

Let's say the build is from 1963ish.... what types of paints were common? Formulas changed over the years.

I get the feeling this stuff is OIL based....but I am not sure.

Anyone have similar aged paint that went through this? What did you use to remove it?

Thanks for any help or suggestions!

[highway]

I never have tried to strip paint that old, but have you tried brake fluid yet? It may take a while in Lake Brake, but might work.

[charlzrocks]

There used to be a brush paint for models sold a looooong time ago, my dad had some bottles called (and I am not kidding here) DOPE. I am not sure what type of base it was but that was the name. Seemed like a powerful oil base or even marine type application paint. Good luck if the stuff is epoxy based!

Edited May 15, 2010 by charlzrocks

[RodBurNeR]

Thanks for the replies.....Charles.....DOPE is still made and I never thought that might be it? Thanks, I will do some research on that one.

On a side note...two sessions with Easy Off and some scrubbing, I got the seat and bed cover cleaned up! I might have to work at it more than I am used to.....but it's still good to learn.

[Howard Cohen]

DOPE is not the name of the paint, it is the type of paint and it is used on R/C cars, planes, etc., mostly to go over a wooden surface. I tried it years ago and it went on very streaky and would not cover the plastic.

There is a special stripper for plastic called, I think, Poly Strip and it should be available at your hobby shop. I stopped using brake fluid when I had a few cars go soft as the brake fluid can damage some plastics. If the Super Clean isn't working, try a fresh bottle just in case yours has grown old and weak.

[weasel]

i'm a firm believer in 'Lake Brake' [that's good, i like that!!] never had a paint it would take off...

i'm just sayin...

[Junkman]

Try Thick Bleach.

[RodBurNeR]

I forgot I have some ELO (Easy Lift Off). I might give that a shot. It's working with the oven cleaner, just taking longer than I am used to with the purple lake. I know DOPE isn't the brand of paint, I know it's still available because I ordered it for Hobby Lobby when I worked there. Usually old paint will come right off in 30mins or so in the purple lake. This stuff is taking several hours and force with a tough toothbrush and Easy Off.

[highway]

Bob, I don't know for sure if it was the Easy Lift Off you mentioned or the Poly Strip Howard mentioned, but a friend of mine tried one of the "hobby grade" strippers like that. It destroyed the body!!

[pack rat]

I've stripped a few kits from that era painted with (I think) AMT lacquers. A good soak in brake fluid was the only thing that worked for me.

[Tom T]

I had an impossible time stripping this one old built kit I bought on-line. Whoever built the kit painted over the origional paint job and then later primered OVER that for whatever reason. After going through my entire arsenal of strippers without luck, I finally found a way to do it although it's very time consuming and messy.

-I would soak the body in brake fluid for several hours.

-Take it out, clean it with dish soap, let it dry.

-The paint would then crack and chip and I would take a wet toothbrush to it getting as much of the loose paint that I could.

-Then, I would repeat the process several times until there was enough gone to spot-sand the rest off.

Never thought the body would survive such an onslaught but even though this particular project is stalled at the moment, it's finally ready to be built right.

[RodBurNeR]

Thanks for your input guys. I have defeated the old paint!

I ended up attacking it with Alcohol, which didn't seem to do anything. Then I attacked it with Easy Off twice and it loosened up pretty good...then finally stuck it back into the purple lake like I did in the beginning. After the last removal from the lake, it scrubbed off like it should! It was a battle, but now I can start working on the model finally.