Paint Strippers - What to Use?

[scalenut]

like many of their products ... the candys are an enamel.

"alclad II Lacquers" is the name of the company brand

[ChrisBcritter]

Is there any consensus on what will strip old ('60s) flat black enamel effectively? I have a '62 Continental that needs its chassis and underside of the hood cleaned. So far I've soaked the hood in the purple stuff (Zep brand from Home Depot) and DOT3 brake fluid and it lightened up with some toothbrush scrubbing, but that was it; I haven't used Easy-Off yet but don't recall it working well on flat black either. The rest of the paint, lime gold metalflake and gloss brown enamel, came off with purple stuff and brake fluid (purple stuff wouldn't budge the brown but brake fluid did).

[Casey]

Is there any consensus on what will strip old ('60s) flat black enamel effectively?

That seems to be the most difficult paint to remove, so I don't think I've heard of any best stripper for removing it.

[MAGNUM4342]

To James Herald- Lightly scuff the surface with 180 grit to break the paint, then shoot with Easy Off oven cleaner (full strength, and remember to use gloves and ventilation!) This should remove the acrylic paint in a matter of hours.

STU- It sounds to me as if you allowed the airbrush to sit between coats without cleaning. Strip the paint (as you are doing) Then start over. After each coat run an appropriate cleaner through the airbrush to keep the paint inside it from drying and creating clogs. Without knowing what type of paint you are using, I'm going to guess enamel. If that is the case, keep the pressure at 18 psi, until the wet coat. Then up it to 22/24 psi and spray from about one foot away. Again, the key is keeping the airbrush clean between coats.

Christopher- Easy off is what I have found to be the best at stripping any black paint if you use a couple tricks. As mentioned above, break the surface (especially on gloss blacks) with a rough sandpaper, 180 grit works for me. Soak with easy off and allow it to work for about 24 hours. When you come back to it the Easy Off will be nearly dried. Not to worry because the water will re-activate it. Use luke warm water and an old toothbrush. Cold water will work against you by retarding the chemical reaction. Hot water could potentially warp parts. Good luck to all.

[jrherald420]

Thanks but i posted that 6 months ago. I gave it a bath in DOT 3 and the paint came right off after a over night soak.

[Danger]

Thanks all. Two bottles of 'fresh' brake fluid in an air tight container took almost 2 weeks to remove 95% of the paint.

I will say the Alclad candy laid down and looked great before I had to strip it off.

Danger

[Joker]

Bringing this tip page back up to the present.

Reason being ...it works.

Got a built up '63 Ford Galaxie , and the black paint came off , then the blue paint.

The other kit ..a '59 El Camino , also a build up , had tan-gold-green layers of paint

and the Awesome degreaser did what it could but thanks to Nicks how-to I was able

to see vintage styrene again..the El Camino is a light blue and the Galaxie is a cream

color styrene.

Thanks to Bills' (Ace) search method too.

[KJ790]

I need some suggestions on the best way to strip rustoleum enamel from a plastic model? I didn't like the color of my current project after painting it and I want to start over. I have read on here that Purple Power works well, but I have soaked it for 2 days in that and it has not touched the paint at all. I have read that brake fluid works, but I have also read that it can damage the plastic. Is this true? How do you get rid of the brake fluid when you are done using it to strip paint? Thanks!

[ap40rocktruck]

Brake fluid is NOT recommended as it will have negative effects to the chemistry of the styrene.

The very best is EZ-off in the yellow can. works on kit styrene & resin just the same.

Ap40

[Ace-Garageguy]

I agree with Richard about the Easy Off being the best stripper. It WILL burn your hands...wear rubber or latex gloves... and don't get it in your eyes. It works best if you keep it wet by putting the car body in a sealed plastic bag after you spray it. Let it soak a couple of hours and then wash it off with warm water, scrubbing as you go with a toothbrush and a mild abrasive cleaner like Comet. The scrub removes stripper and paint residue from cracks and crevices. You MAY have to apply the stripper a couple of times to get it all.

IF you used a hot enamel like Krylon Fusion, which has more aggressive solvents in it to etch into the plastic, you're screwed. I haven't found a stripper that will take it off, and it produces a crazed surface on the plastic anyway.

A lot of guys swear by brake-fluid for stripping. I've tried it a couple of times and to me, it does seem to leave the plastic a little more brittle afterwards. The formulation of kit styrene has varied a lot over the years, so that may be a factor. But I haven't had any adverse effects stripping any plastic kits, even very old ones, with EasyOff.

[tbill]

KJ, give it a few more days. I just did a body I painted about 10 years ago [one coat, no primer], took 2 weeks in the pond, but it's paint free now. I found if you can 'scratch' the paint some, it'll let the degreaser 'under' the paint and speed the process some.

[thatz4u]

who has used LA Awesome to strip paint? What kind of results?

[Bobdude]

I have,it's not as fast as some other methods,but it works.Remember to sand down to the primer in a few spots on the body to give the stripper a head start to do it's job.I have found out it doesn't remove black lacquer primer.

[Guest]

If you get the concentrate in the half gallon jug, you can't beat it. It will also strip the clear coat under chrome parts until it's been used for a while. I just put a built model in the tub about an hour ago and most of the paint is already gone. I won't use anything else. Like Bob said, it won't work on black lacquer. Lacquer paint takes longer than enamel.

[Mike Kucaba]

I had so so results, really not much better that super clean. I also use Dawn power dissolver oven cleaner. I want to try ZEP degreaser next as I can get it in a five gallon jug.

[Guest]

All of these parts with the exception of the engine, manifolds and exhaust were painted black. I've never got parts painted black or any other color this clean.

[Guest]

I got this model today in the mail. Put it in LA's around 1pm. Here's a before and after.

This is what it looks like now. I put the entire model in, tires, glass and all.

[Mike Kucaba]

Yes ! I'm sure it works, but I didn't feel it worked any better than super clean. One thing I've been suggesting for years is that warming, (not hot )works wonders on making either stuff work faster, also there should be a law, well at least a rule that you must prime stuff so when we get glue and paint bombs the plastic doesn't get stained

[Longbox55]

who has used LA Awesome to strip paint? What kind of results?

I tried it, was not impressed. It didn't even budge the paint. It does work great for stripping chrome, though.

I had so so results, really not much better that super clean. I also use Dawn power dissolver oven cleaner. I want to try ZEP degreaser next as I can get it in a five gallon jug.

You'll like Zep, very aggressive. I've switched over to it from Super Clean.

On a side note, I gave the acetone/water mix a try. It did remove the paint very quickly, but it also partially dissolved the plastic. I would not recommend it on styrene.

[charlie8575]

All of these parts with the exception of the engine, manifolds and exhaust were painted black. I've never got parts painted black or any other color this clean.

Roger, was that in LA's Totally Awesome or something else?

Charlie Larkin

[Casey]

If you get the concentrate in the half gallon jug

That must be the concentrated version, as I bought the Dollar Store spray bottle quart size bottle and it did absolutely nothing on chrome plating and paint. It wasn't even a very good cleaner, either.

[Guest]

Roger, was that in LA's Totally Awesome or something else?

Charlie Larkin

Yes. It's all I use anymore. But, you have to get the concentrate in the half gallon jug. The spray bottle is dilluted with water 50%.

That must be the concentrated version, as I bought the Dollar Store spray bottle quart size bottle and it did absolutely nothing on chrome plating and paint. It wasn't even a very good cleaner, either.

If you get the concentrate in the jug, I guarantee you'll like it. It's only $4 for a half gallon. Another plus is that after a few days, it will go back to a clear yellow and you can see the parts through it again. That sold me on it. I hate fishing for parts!

[Rdkingjay]

While I'm adding the finishing touches to my big scale GL, I have started prep work for my next project. It is a resto of a Johan 60 Plymouth police wagon that is butt ugly! Glue bomb with a dirty gold and mauve paint job and police decals!! You read that right. Anyway, I need to strip the body and I have frequently heard of the purple bath. What is it? My usual process would have been a days long dip in simple green. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Jay

[bill_rules]

It's called Purple Power, an industrial de-greaser. You can get it at Wally world, dollar general, etc....

[Rdkingjay]

Just empty the bottle in a bin and drop the model in? How long on average does it take?