Paint Removal on Old & Extremely Rare Model

the paint can be stripped using brake fluid or oven cleaner. I diubt the decals can be saved.

for this model being so rare, I'd like to say that brake fluid should not be used because it is brutal stuff. If it's the wrong kind of plastic, brake fluid can cause it to crumble.

It's hard to say what to do without being able to see the model and its paint. Sometimes you can chip off old paint without using any chemicals at all. I'd try that first.

Oven cleaner is mild. You just spray it all over the painted areas, close it up in a plastic bag or other sealable container for around 10 hours.

The next step up in harshness is nail polish remover. You've gotta sit there with the parts while they soak and keep testing the paint. Get the paint off and get those parts out of the nail polish remover as soon as possible. Nail polish remover is acetone that is weakened by the other stuff in it. So, don't use straight acetone. Use nail polish remover. Acetone will eat plastic fast.

Thanks guys for your help and advice. I will probably try the oven cleaner first. I spent quite a bit of money for this model so I definitely want to start on the conservative side.

Welcome to the forum. Besides using the paint on type of oven cleaner, i've had success using Castrol Super Clean. It's available at the many marts. Let the parts soak in it if you can, or spray it on.

Isopropyl alcohol my friend. Available in most well stocked drug stores and pharmacies.

Find a plastic container just a bit bigger than the model's all around dimensions so that the model will go in comfortably but not leave too much extra space.

place the model in the container and pour in the alcohol straight from the bottle over top of the model until the bottom of the container is completely covered in alcohol.

Fill the container with hottest tap water (do not use boiling water from a kettle) to fill the container the rest of the way until the model is submerged completely or as much as possible and then put the cover on the container loosely. Do not push the lid down to seal it, you just want to keep things warmer longer and slow down the alcohol's evaporation rate a bit.

Place the container in an out of the way spot away from ignition sources and let it sit overnight.

The next day, take an old toothbrush and give the model a scrub with it. the paint should be softened enough that you can get some of it off.

I find this method works well with both enamel and acrylic paints. As your model is no doubt painted with enamels, you may have to repeat the process a few times before getting all the paint off.

The alcohol will not damage the plastic at all and if there are clear parts it wont craze them.

All around its just safer for your health and your model. It may not be the fastest stripping method mentioned here, but think of the extra time involved as extra piece of mind.

Good luck in your project.

Hi Direland,
I collect lots of old models, and am curious about what you bought? I found an Aurora Lockheed XFV-1 in a box of junk, and stripped and restored it using alcohol. Repolished the canopy with toothpaste and was very pleased with the way it turned out. No way to save the decals, so scrounged from other kits, and used Chartpack rub-ons for some of the numbers. Good luck with the restore.
Gerald

PS- Click my profile; there's a picture of my pride and joy rocket!

I use simple green if there are any questions to the condition of the plastic. It is totally safe, but takes maybe a bit longer. I usually just soak my parts in it for a couple of days, and then scrub it with an old toothbrush. Oven cleaner and brake fluid is great if you are in a hurry, but it sounds like you want to treat it with a bit more care. Good luck, and welcome to the group!!

Sorry guys, but I have to wake up this subject again.

I don't have a rare model, but do have one that needs repainting.

It's a recent AMT plastic 1/25 scale auto, sprayed with many coats from a can of testors  semi transparent enamel.

My son and I want to respray it again the same color, it came out bad the first time around.

We want to save the raised letters and emblems that are part of the plastic model itself, so the safest chemical stripping is preferred.

I would assume, either the Simple Green or alcohol bath methods would be safe?
Simple Green is used 100%?
Alcohol to water ratio? Or does it really matter as long as I dilute it?

And they really loosen the paint?
Gee, I better be careful next time I clean the wifes car LOL.

The easiest way to strip a new model is going to be soaking in brake fluid. Find the cheapest stuff you can, and pour it in something that will cover most, if not all of the model, then cover it, and make sure its covered good, cause those fumes can be pretty bad for you. Brake fluid seems to soften the plastic a little, but nothing that is going to eat away any lettering or make it so bad that you can't work with it, in fact the thing I have noticed about it doing this is it tends to give a little more when you are sanding on it than before, but its nothing thats going to hurt it! Good luck J!

Thanks eizzle...

The cheapest brake fluid you say, uhm...

Guess my wife will be using the snowbank to stop at work tomorrow.

Did I say that?

jhande wrote:

Thanks eizzle... The cheapest brake fluid you say, uhm... Guess my wife will be using the snowbank to stop at work tomorrow. Did I say that?

Wow, don't use my name when you talking like that! I don't want anything to do with it Then again, if she just has to use the snow bank, it shouldn't be tobig of a deal, as long as she doesn't try to stop head on with it

Don't worry eizzle, your name won't come up in the accident report.

Not to worry, she's getting to be an old pro at using snowbanks, she spins around and either backs into them or parks sideways on them. She always seems to keep the nose clean.

Actually I'm just kidding...
I'd buy new brake fluid and leave the old dirty stuff in her car.

Floquil(parent compant is Testors) also markets a product for paint and decal removal called ELO, can be a little harsh on plastic but it does work. May be alittle more expensive than some of the other items mentioned here.

Thanks for the tip John.