anybody else have this problem (brake fluid)

[mnwildpunk]

I have been working on a RoG beetle and was not happy with the Daytona yellow I sprayed on it. Off in my dunk tank of brake fluid it went. I let sit from Saturday night to today Monday night. I pulled it out and started cleaning off the paint when CRACK. I thought I might of been a little rough cause it was in a thinner spot. Then continuing to clean it off it CRACKED AGAIN along the back panel not a place I'd thinking it would break. I have used brake fluid for years and year and never had a problem. Has anybody else had this happen?

[Guest]

I've heard that brake fluid and oven cleaner could make styrene brittle. That's why I've never used it. Could it be a different DOT than you normally used?

[Gothicz House Of Kustomz]

Never had an issue, could been the type of paint, type of plastic, I kno I got a '65 Rivie once, went to scrub it for painting, and had the issue of cracking plastic, so it went to the parts closet. to be cut up at a later time, but never had an issue, and I do whole hell of allot of rebuilders.

[mnwildpunk]

Like I said I've cleaned bodies in brake fluid for 15-20 yrs and this is the first time I had this hapoen if I've done it once I've done it 100 times n.p.

[Ace-Garageguy]

Only one I've ever had get brittle in brake fluid was an old AMT '63 Watson Indy roadster I bought as a gluebomb. It survived some pretty rough handling during disassembly, but after a couple of days in DOT 3 brake fluid, it simply disintegrated into little pieces almost every time I touched it.

[espo]

I know a lot of builders like brake fluid and have never had a problem, but you might want to try Purple Power next time. The container says to use gloves, and you will want to do that, but I've never lost anything and it and it works with paint or "chrome" .

[my80malibu]

I don't like getting it on my skin.does that count?

[Ace-Garageguy]

  On 10/28/2014 at 5:37 PM, my80malibu said:

I don't like getting it on my skin.does that count?

Do you get brittle and crack?

[jrherald420]

I havent had this problem before and i only use DOT 3.

[Gothicz House Of Kustomz]

Wow, coulda been the plastic, I mean ya done this to how many cars, over how long, I would say the plastic, something just wasnt mixed right at the factory, all I can come up with, or was shot thin in the mold, sorry.

[mole53]

Dave I feel for you buddy. A long time ago I tried to strip a model RR engine, key word try, with brake

fluid and it stripped the paint fine. It also stripped the bonding agent from the plastic leaving it in the shape of an engine but a rubbery, crumbly mess. That being said, I'd say your problem is the plastic. I now use brake fluid exclusively with no problems. Besides its cheap, a buck at the dollor store, and I can't find purple power around here.

[my80malibu]

  On 10/28/2014 at 5:50 PM, Ace-Garageguy said:

Yeah just a little

Do you get brittle and crack?

[zenrat]

Brake fluid leaches the plasticisers out of the styrene. This is what causes embrittlement. How brittle seems to depend on the kit rather than the brake fluid but I haven't made an in depth study of the subject.

If you put resin parts into brake fluid they will turn into jelly.

If you put vinyl tyres into brake fluid they will to hard and shrink. Solid ones will split. This shrinking can be useful if you need smaller tyres but it's a slow process (weeks) and you have to keep taking them out to check if they are small enough yet.

[Lunajammer]

I used brake fluid just once. It made all the parts too brittle and crumbly to work with. A fingernail would scrape a mar into the plastic. Damaged an otherwise nice Johan 60 Adventurer and ruined the small detail parts. Never used brake fluid again.

[Mike Chernecki]

I had similar issues with brake fluid. I had more issues with the surface turning waxy and you are able to scrape off the top detail layer. Once the plastic dried it became brittle.

I have switched to Purple Power or 99% isopropyl alcohol (this stuff removed the paint on the amt pre-painted pro shop kits), keep a tub of both and neither has an effect on plastic or resin. Purple Power can be found almost everywhere, I get mine at Walmart. Wear rubber gloves as stated above when using Purple Power, it will have an effect on your skin (try it and find out what happens, its not permanent).

[mnwildpunk]

Purple power I can't stand the stuff we use it at work

[Tom Geiger]

Dave, that's a ROG kit that they're having molded in Poland. Probably a different blend of plastic than we are used to using. I'm working on a Trabant right now and it's accepted my Duplicolor gray primer and I haven't had any issues with it. And fortunately I haven't had to strip anything.

[FASTBACK340]

I've been using Super Clean (purple power) for years now. I had 2 similar incidents where nice models got ruined in brake fluid. Found out about super clean & never went back.

And as for wearing gloves, I keep a box of the cheap, disposable one-use gloves handy. Wear them when ever I spray or mix epoxy. Double-up for the purple stuff.

[mnwildpunk]

It the smell that gets to me

[MsDano85gt]

I use both without issues, yes, dot 3 will turn resin to jelly!! trying to remeber if i have had dot 3 make anything brittle, not to my knowledge tho

[MsDano85gt]

I use both without issues, yes, dot 3 will turn resin to jelly!! trying to remeber if i have had dot 3 make anything brittle, not to my knowledge tho