Paint removal

There are products avaulable like Chameleon from Suadron. A lot of peeps will suggest brake fluid. If you do that, just please don't flush it down the drain.

When you get done using automotive brake fluid for stripping, put it into a metal quart or gallon can, seal the can, mark the contents on the can and take it to your local noxious waste site (mine go to the county site here). I do the same thing to the dirty thinner that I have been cleaning my paint brushes with.  Beats dumping out in the back yard!

I personally use brake fluid, but it's not very cheap, and you usually need about a gallon of it to strip decent-size parts (at least so it fills up the container you're using). Also, brake fluid is hygroscopic, meaning it readily absorbs water, even from the air, so it gradually loses it's stripping ability as it absorbs more moisture.

I have heard of people using oven cleaner to strip plastic parts, but oven cleaner is getting harder and harder to find, as most people these days have self-cleaning ovens.

I use bleach to strip chrome plating off of plastic parts, I think I'll try that on a painted part and see if it works.

I use Easy Off oven cleaner and a toohbrush.  Has always worked for me.  Just make sure you wear some type of gloves and hopefully respirator.

Good luck

If you can find it, try PineSol cleaner.  Its not very fast, but does work and is less expensive and toxic.  Doesn't damage the plastic at all.  Good luck.

John

If I understand your question about removing paint correctly, you want to be able to remove the paint without damaging the plastic, right?  Well, I don't know what your location is, but if you're in the States or Canada, you can pick up some stuff called Super Clean degreaser at Walmart.  It's fairly cheap, and a gallon will last you a lifetime!  I've used it to remove lacquers, enamels, and acrylics from kit parts, even clear parts, without any damage to the plastic.  I've even left chrome plated parts to soak, and the Super Clean lifted the plating right off.  Some paint and chrome has been a little more stubborn than others, but a little scrubbing with a toothbrush after a good soaking took care of it all.  A good thing about the stuff is it cleans up with water.  Be careful though, it can be pretty strong stuff straight out of the bottle so wear gloves.  Unless you want your hands to feel like your fingerprints have been melted off.  (It's not that caustic, but it does leave your hands feeling...uh...weird.)