How Do I Clean a Clear Flat Coat Off of a Canopy?

Hi Robert, what type of clear flat paint?

Tamiya spray can.  I don't have the can here with me at work.

Try an overcoat of gloss clear. I don't think you have much to lose at this point.

Bill

GMorrison

Try an overcoat of gloss clear. I don't think you have much to lose at this point.

 

Bill

 

Agree.  Or check and see if you can get a replacement from the kit maker, or maybe someone here might have one in the spares box

It's a CH-47F kit from Italeri.  1/48 scale.  Had to buy it from a shop in England.  I don't think they make it any more, but will check.  I've seen techniques for getting paint off, but the clear didn't respond to those techniques.

Tamiya TS-80 Flat Clear in spray can.

Tamiya TS-80 is a synthetic lacquer and its very likely that it has permanently etched the clear plastic.  Probably best to start looking for a replacement part.

That's what I was afraid of.  With this being an out of production kit, where would be a good place to look for a replacement part?  This is my first build after being away from the hobby for over thirty years 

Ebay has been a good place for replacement sprues for various out-of-production kits for me when I made a mistake here and there.  But, there have been times where I didn't have any options but to buy another whole kit.

Might post in the helo page what you need.  Might get lucky. If you get a reply then you can go to PM's.

Eaglecash867

Tamiya TS-80 is a synthetic lacquer and its very likely that it has permanently etched the clear plastic.  

 

Phil_H

I seem to recall seeing an online experiment where someone dropped some sprue in Tamiya LT and some in generic hardware store LT. The Tamiya thinner didn't dissolve the sprue.

 

Useful to know. Thanks for passing that along.

Hi;

      While not familiar with Tamiya's T.S.80. I have done this in the past. I accidently got Floquil Model RailRoad paint on a 1/32 Mosquito Canopy. I let it dry and used Rubbing Alcohol to get it off. Now that may not work for you, However there's methods that work, take the fine grit finishing sanding pads and flowing water and lightly work the areas till they gloss up again.

     OR-See if you can find some Model Master-Boyd's Clear. It's as clear as water and won't yellow with age. Mask off the rest of the bird and brush or airbrush the clear on the offending parts.

I suspectnpolishing might do it.  You can start with an agressive polish like rubbing compound, and go to finer stuff.  You do not need to get it perfect.  At a certain level of scratch/fog Pledge will make it shiny.

Phil_H

You could try Tamiya lacquer thinner. If the TS-80 hasn't etched into the plastic, Tamiya lacquer thinner should be mild enough to remove the paint without affecting the plastic.    I seem to recall seeing an online experiment where someone dropped some sprue in Tamiya LT and some in generic hardware store LT. The Tamiya thinner didn't dissolve the sprue.

It all depends on the type of plastic the sprue was made out of.  Polycarbonate and any kind of lacquers generally don't get along.  Its certainly worth trying the Tamiya LT though.  At this point he has nothing to lose.  

Thanks for all the input from everyone.  Here's what I did:. Tamiya Lacquer Thinner, 2 passes with q-tip; Novus 1, 2 passes with q-tip; Novus 2; polished out with q-tip.  Before and after:

Before

After

Not bad for thirty minutes of work on a model that is going to find itself in a cigar lounge.

Thanks again.

Nice save!!!

I have had good luck with rubbing alcohaul....

But, not always ...

Good save there!

From experience (!) I now clean/polish/check the fit of canopies & transparencies first.

Then I dip in Future/kleer/[your countries equivalent] before I do anything else.

This protects them from most my cack-handedness!

Canopies & transparencies are why I do few aircraft.

RobertT

Thanks for all the input from everyone.  Here's what I did:. Tamiya Lacquer Thinner, 2 passes with q-tip; Novus 1, 2 passes with q-tip; Novus 2; polished out with q-tip.  Before and after:

Before

After

Not bad for thirty minutes of work on a model that is going to find itself in a cigar lounge.

Thanks again.

Well...I just learned something new.  It used to be that getting any kind of lacquer on clear parts was as bad as accidentally getting plastic cement on them.  Nice save!  Can't even tell you had an issue!