striping plastics!

malki · Post by **malki** » Sat Feb 28, 2004 12:21 pm

I'm sure I've seen this on the forum before, but i couldn't find it.

What is the best way to strip the paint from plastics, does paint remover damage them?

sorne · Post by **sorne** » Sat Feb 28, 2004 12:26 pm

paintstripper will destroy them,I think i read somewhere about dishwasher tablets though don't try it on my word

slup · Post by **slup** » Sat Feb 28, 2004 2:31 pm

Dishwasher tablets or powder should do the job as it has a high pH.
In Denmark we have something called "Brown Soap", "Alkali soap" or "Crystalline soap" (translated word by word, i do not know the english word).
It is some soft brown stuff.
Leave them in it for 24 hours and then clean with an old toothbrush.
Repeat if necessary.
This is what i use. It is not as effective but it will not ruin the plastic.

Do not use acetone or paintstripper.
They both eat plastic too.

honeycomb kid · Post by **honeycomb kid** » Sat Feb 28, 2004 6:27 pm

Brake fluid.

It pulls of the paint in big chunks in a few days and doesnt damage the plastic or even plastic base at all. Once I left a plastic human linemen in brake fluid for two weeks cuz I forgot about him. When I cleaned him off (with a toothbrush under running water and soap - hold your nose) he was fine - no detail loss at all, even on that crazy shoulderpad sculty thing.

Indigo · Post by **Indigo** » Mon Mar 01, 2004 10:08 am

Pinesol works well for those who can get it, provided you water it down.
anything with Pine Oil in, like Dettol, works too apparently, although I can't say I've had much luck myself...

tarzom · Post by **tarzom** » Mon Mar 01, 2004 12:42 pm

honeycomb kid wrote:Brake fluid.
.

So, does anyone know exactly how much brake fluid it would be 'safe' to drain from my girlfriends car, to save me buying any?

Please err on the side of caution as I'm quite fond of her.

Melifaxis · Post by **Melifaxis** » Mon Mar 01, 2004 12:52 pm

How fond?

Tim · Post by **Tim** » Mon Mar 01, 2004 1:23 pm

tarzom wrote:So, does anyone know exactly how much brake fluid it would be 'safe' to drain from my girlfriends car, to save me buying any?

Never missed a smile more than on this post

tarzom · Post by **tarzom** » Mon Mar 01, 2004 2:54 pm

Hehehe

Ok, in the interest of safety (not to mention criminal proceedings), I have decided to conduct a few experiments with various easy-to-lay-my-hands-on household products and a bunch of very badly painted plastic skeletons that I recently got in a large lot of old warhammer stuff on ebay.

I'll post the results tomorrow - assuming anything happens and I don't burn/gas/poison/etc myself too badly.

Lets hope for her sake that one of them is successful

(smiley included)

Melifaxis · Post by **Melifaxis** » Mon Mar 01, 2004 3:20 pm

http://michael.casavant.us/Paint/strip.htm

check this site out

Piepgrass · Post by **Piepgrass** » Mon Mar 01, 2004 4:36 pm

tarzom wrote:Hehehe
Lets hope for her sake that one of them is successful (smiley included)

I think one of us better get hold of his GF and warn her to check the breakfluids before driving.....

tarzom · Post by **tarzom** » Wed Mar 03, 2004 9:27 am

Melifaxis wrote:http://michael.casavant.us/Paint/strip.htm

check this site out

Interesting site, but I've never seen this product in the UK.

I've tried several different house hold products (available in UK), unfortunately I don't know what the figures were painted with since I bought them on ebay. I soaked the figures in a small amount of the product overnight then brushed with a toothbrush.

My results so far:

'Sainsbury's own' window cleaner - rubbish
'House Proud Rapide' kitchen cleaner - OK, removed some but not all paint (could do with a longer soak?).
'Ecover' non-chlorine bleach laundry bleach - good on some poor on others.
'Ecover' laundry liquid - Good, completely removed all the paint on one figure and most from another.
'Carex' Handwash - useless
'Flash' all purpose cleaner - Good, removed most of the paint.

I am going to continue my research with other products and try metal figures in the best two so far the ecover laundry liquid and the flash.

So it looks like my GFs brakes are safe for now, but I still have to convince her that the toothpaste is supposed to taste like that

Orinoco · Post by **Orinoco** » Wed Mar 03, 2004 11:16 am

After searching on the web, I finally managed to find a link for Simple Green in the UK. I e-mailed them and asked where I could get hold of it, explaining what it was for.

This is the reply that I got

Hi Chris,

We were advised of an article on a www. detailing the effectiveness of these
products for the purpose you have described, and regret that we are unable
to confirm to the affirmative.

Indeed - modellers we have sent samples to have reported to the contrary.
However, we will happily send you a sachet sample to appraise for the
purpose you mention yourself !

If you would advise us your address we will despatch accordingly and regret
that we are unable to reply in a more positive manner.......

Regards,

Gilly Skinner,
ECS/ Simple Green UK
Tel. 01726 891199
Fax.01726 891187
www.simplegreen.co.uk

So it seems that it ain't that effective, but at least I get a free sample. I'll let everyone know how I get on

Orinoco

tarzom · Post by **tarzom** » Wed Mar 03, 2004 12:12 pm

LOL

Maybe they just don't want to admit that their 'cleaning' product is midly corrosive.

malki · Post by **malki** » Wed Mar 03, 2004 6:36 pm

thanks tarzom, thats a great help! I think i'll give flash a try!