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paint stripping agents and a few ?

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  • Member since
    December 2011
  • From: Archbold Ohio
paint stripping agents and a few ?
Posted by Big Iron Farms on Sunday, December 11, 2011 10:40 PM

I realize this has been brought up recently and I have done a bunch of research on here and other places online and all my questions and concerns have not been put to rest.  I have a project that I have put a great deal of time and money into that is not turning out the way I would like it as far as the paint goes.  it is a 1/64 scale large 4wd Steiger Tiger III with a scratch built tile plow on it.  The tractor is a resin kit I got from a friend, he used a Smooth-on resin to pour the parts to the tractor.  The tile plow on the back was completely scratch built by me out of styrene and a couple of aluminum parts.  I painted the completed tractor with plow attached and am not happy with how the paint has turned out.  I used a rattle can of OEM Steiger Green that I purchased from a local Case IH dealer.  It says on the can that it is an enamel paint.  I would like to strip off this paint and start over with a new paint job.  My biggest concerns are finding a stripping agent that will remove the paint without harming the resin body of the tractor and the styrene plastic of the plow.  The other concern is also not harming any of the glue joints of the plow as it already put together and attached to the tractor.  The main types of cement I used to assemble the plow are Faller Expert plastic cement and Tamiya Extra Thin cement and some super glue for the resin parts and aluminum parts.  I appoligize for being long winded in this question and thank you in advance for any help you can give me.

  • Member since
    October 2003
Posted by se5022 on Sunday, December 11, 2011 10:54 PM

I usually use Simple Green to strip paint.  This takes some time though, because it is not as volatile as other strippers. but it gets the job  done and takes good care of plastic or resin underneath.

  So far, I have not had any trouble with the glue joints, using Testors tube glue for styrene or Gorilla Glue for resin projects.

  Hope this helps.

  • Member since
    August 2011
  • From: Hayward, CA
Posted by GreenThumb on Monday, December 12, 2011 11:46 AM

Try Super Clean degreaser on a small part of the resin to make sure it is alright.

It will not attack styrene and it is the best biodegradable paint stripper I have ever used.

Mike

 

 

  • Member since
    September 2006
  • From: Bethlehem PA
Posted by the Baron on Monday, December 12, 2011 12:01 PM

I use SuperClean, too, and have tested it with resin pieces, and enamels, oils and acrylics.  It removed all of the paints, without any effect on the resin (test pieces were casting blocks from Verlinden figures, and Armand Bayardi diorama pieces).

I use SuperClean for all kinds of paint and finish removal, since first trying it earlier this year.  It will remove chrome from chromed parts (tested on Monogram's Red Baron hot rod), and paints from plastic, resin or metal pieces.  The chrome dissolved into the solution in less than 2 minutes.  I find that the paint will dissolve to a degree, and the longer I let it sit in the solution, but I still usually need to do a little bit of scrubbing with an old toothbrush.  But soak times are still 30 minutes or less.

I use different-sized glass jars, depending on the size of the piece.  The beauty of using SuperClean (SuperGreen may be just as effective, but I've never used it, so can't say) is that you can use a batch of it more than once.  I have been doing 3 passes with each batch, that is, after the third stripping job, I pitch the liquid down the drain (the label says it can be used as a drain cleaner, too).  I've even taken to using it to recycle used paint bottles--it dissolves the remaining congealed paint in the bottle, and cleans the labels off.

I used it to clean my airbrush as well.  I have put some in the cup and sprayed it through, and I have also soaked parts in a bath of SC.

And around here, it's 8 bucks a gallon at Walmart, can't beat that.

You do want to use gloves, like kitchen cleaning gloves, and even though it doesn't have any caustic fumes, you should still have good ventilation (a good general tip for the workbench, in any case).

In the ultimate use for SC, I intend to try using it to clean the oven Big Smile

Best regards,

Brad

The bigger the government, the smaller the citizen.

 

 

  • Member since
    August 2011
  • From: Hayward, CA
Posted by GreenThumb on Monday, December 12, 2011 2:12 PM

the Baron

In the ultimate use for SC, I intend to try using it to clean the oven Big Smile

It will do that as well as it contains Sodium Hydroxide (Lye) that is also the ingredient that is in Easy-Off oven cleaner. That is why it works better than Simple Green. Wink

Mike

 

 

  • Member since
    December 2011
  • From: Archbold Ohio
Posted by Big Iron Farms on Monday, December 12, 2011 9:37 PM

Thanks guys for the help,  I was getting concerned that some of these agents would screw up the glue joints on the plow, and I really don't want to have to try and rebuild that thing again

 

  • Member since
    September 2006
  • From: Bethlehem PA
Posted by the Baron on Tuesday, December 13, 2011 3:31 PM

GreenThumb

 the Baron:

In the ultimate use for SC, I intend to try using it to clean the oven Big Smile

 

It will do that as well as it contains Sodium Hydroxide (Lye) that is also the ingredient that is in Easy-Off oven cleaner. That is why it works better than Simple Green. Wink

I wasn't aware that it did; it must be in a smaller concentration than oven cleaners, though it would explain why gloves are a good idea.  I have to check the label on the jug.

SuperClean is also sold in smaller pump spray bottles, though Walmart was out of them, when I last bought it.

The bigger the government, the smaller the citizen.

 

 

  • Member since
    December 2011
  • From: Archbold Ohio
Posted by Big Iron Farms on Wednesday, December 14, 2011 6:14 PM

well guys i want to thank you again for the help.  The model has been stripped with the super clean.  It worked great and didn't harm any of the plastic parts or resin parts, now the aluminum is a different story.  I corroded and ruined all the aluminum hydraulic cylinders I made for the plow and they will have to be replaced, but for the most part the model came out ok.

  • Member since
    September 2006
  • From: Bethlehem PA
Posted by the Baron on Thursday, December 15, 2011 11:40 AM

Big Iron Farms

well guys i want to thank you again for the help.  The model has been stripped with the super clean.  It worked great and didn't harm any of the plastic parts or resin parts, now the aluminum is a different story.  I corroded and ruined all the aluminum hydraulic cylinders I made for the plow and they will have to be replaced, but for the most part the model came out ok.

That's interesting...I think I will set up a test.  I haven't dunked aluminum in it, but I do occasionally use soda can aluminum for sheet stock, so I'm curious to see how it comes out. 

I should add that I noticed no bad effects on the steel parts of my airbrush, or on the tweezers that I use to retrieve things from the bath.  It didn't affect the white metal alloys used to cast my various figures, either.

The bigger the government, the smaller the citizen.

 

 

  • Member since
    December 2011
  • From: Archbold Ohio
Posted by Big Iron Farms on Thursday, December 15, 2011 10:52 PM

a lot of the problem could be the alloy of aluminum you put in it too

  • Member since
    September 2005
Posted by TB6088 on Friday, December 16, 2011 10:08 PM

Just don't use brake fluid if your worried about glue joints.  Used it to strip the paint from an almost built Tiger I, and it worked great as far as removing the paint.  I used Tamiya thin liquid cement for my glue joints and ended up having to put the entire thing back together.  Live and learn..................... or check out the forum!

Tom 

  • Member since
    September 2006
  • From: Bethlehem PA
Posted by the Baron on Monday, December 19, 2011 11:46 AM

TB6088

Just don't use brake fluid if your worried about glue joints.  Used it to strip the paint from an almost built Tiger I, and it worked great as far as removing the paint.  I used Tamiya thin liquid cement for my glue joints and ended up having to put the entire thing back together.  Live and learn..................... or check out the forum!

Tom 

That's just twice as much modeling enjoyment for your money Big Smile

The bigger the government, the smaller the citizen.

 

 

  • Member since
    May 2012
Posted by Gundamry on Thursday, May 10, 2012 9:28 PM

wow, lots of info here, thanks for sharing everyone.  i used ELO on some plastic miniatures to remove some primer that came out of the can badly and while it removed the paint after a few hours soaking, it pitted the plastic and "unglued" the pieces on nearly all of my models.  it's great for using it with a brush to remove decals or small mishaps of painting, but not for removing en'masse as it were.  i will definately try the Super Clean and hope it removes all the old paint and layers leaving the plastic unharmed. 

it's funny, but seeing what Easy Off does to oven stains, i was hard pressed to believe it wouldn't hurt plastic or resin, lol.  interesting...  i might have to try that too.  thanks again for the great advice and tips here.

~GR

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