Prepping a resin body.

[landman]

I am working on a 1967 Mustang with resin body. I had washed it thoroughly in Dawn soap water to get rid of the manufacturing deposits. I used Duplicolor primer and it came out kind of blotchy, see below. The hood is different because it is styrene. I have heard of using Bleche Wite for this but that doesn't appear to be available here, same as Future. Can't find either of them. So should I strip and start again or is it safe to proceed? I realize it isn't much to go by. I might be able to provide better photos if necessary.

[Guest]

Since it's just in primer Pat, I would definitely strip it and start over. You can use most any type of degreaser product to strip the mold release: Castrol Super Clean, Purple Power or you can also use oven cleaner. I've never used oven cleaner personally. If you have a Dollar General Store near you, you can get a product called LA's Totally Awesome!!! cleaner for around $3 per half gallon jug. You want to get the jug as it's the concentrate. Not the spray bottle. It's diluted. It works great for stripping paint or for cleaning resin.

[vintagerpm]

I've bought my Bleche White at Wal-Mart (automotive section), if that helps with finding it. (It has been a while since I bought any, though - lasts a long time.)

Future is now labeled Pledge Floor Care Finish.

Mike

[landman]

Bought this today. I wonder if it is the same thing?

[jbwelda]

looks close. put some on some plastic, better if a painted surface, with a q tip or something and wait a half hour. if its hard and clear and self leveled, its probably the same stuff. see if it says "acrylic" somewhere on the label, that's what you're looking for.

I use bleche white for cleaning resin bodies, never had an issue afterwards with bad paint I didn't instigate myself. I soak the body in it for 24 hours or so then fish it out, rinse it off in running water, then dump it in a bucket of fresh water for awhile.

jb

[Miatatom]

Pat, you do know that the Pledge Floor Care is an acrylic clear. It's won't strip paint.

[landman]

I tried some over half of this old Ford. It hadn't been painted but it had been clearcoated. Didn't lift the clearcoat. I'll try it on a painted one too.

[vintagercr]

Pat, I'm not sure where you are in Ontario, but if you have a Dollar Tree, I think you can get LA's Totally Awesome there. I got mine in Watertown, NY last year, but thought I saw it here locally. The acrylic you got is just a clear coat. You can get Castol Super Clean at Walmart. It works well. I got Bleche's in the stars as well, but have not used it yet. Steve

[Junkman]

I had good results with what we call "thick bleach" in the UK. It's essentially a toilet cleaner, containing sodium hypochloride.

You could check if something like that is available in Canada.

Also, you can wipe resin parts with cellulose thinner.

Btw, I opened a thread for the purpose to document equivalent products in different countries:

http://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=97798

[Art Anderson]

In my 12 years of resin casting, I found that the best surface prep chemical for resin parts was also the cheapest--worked every time I used it (and I cast, cleaned and prepped several hundred thousand parts for "chrome" plating: Naptha, which is also known as "mineral spirits", which is one of the oldest thinners known to man for thinning enamels.

Worked every time I tried it, and I still use it.

Art

[Aaronw]

TSP (tri-sodium phosphate) is available in most hardware stores, generally in the paint department. It is a cleaner degreaser that comes as a powder or premixed liquid. It used to be the active ingredient in many cleaners including Westley's but environmental laws have caused many to replace it with other chemicals. If you buy the powder form you can adjust the concentration. It is cheap, a 1/2lb box is around $3.

Spic and Span is a common household cleaner that includes TSP and I've heard it works as well as Westleys.

Simple Green is another common resin cleaner.

Several resin casters have recommended prep-sol but I've never had any luck finding it. I did find a knock off and it seemed to work as well as anything else I've used.

I've not had an issue with it, but I have been warned that the purple cleaners can cause resin to soften or even turn to goo. I've not used any for cleaning resin since I heard some had bad experiences so don't know if I was lucky or there is no merit to the claims.

Another technique I've had good luck with it putting on a very light coat of primer. There is often some very minor fish eye with this coat. Once it dries I come back and prime it again and it rarely has an issue adhering to the resin, even the spots where it didn't stick the first time.

[landman]

Tom - Yes I know it is a clearcoat. were were talking about both here, Bleche & Future & not finding any. Looks like I found my "Future".

Aaron - You made the day. I have lots of Simple Green. So I'll quit looking for Bleche. Thank you. And since I have added "trim" to my body, a bath in the degreaser may detach some of that, your last comment is most welcome and was what I was thinking about. I'll sand lightly & re-prime. We'll see.

Steve - Yes we have a Dollar Tree.