Removing Paint

[gm171 kk]

Can anyone recommend a method of removing paint from plastic? 

According to most articles, videos etc. I looked at IPA seemed to be the choice but it just isn't working for me. 

[murphaph]

There is no one size fits all paint stripper IMO. It very much depends on the plastic and the paint. IPA works well on Murphy Models, for example:

It requires a decent soaking (overnight is best) then a bit of scrubbing with the old toothbrush and then another soaking for a couple of hours. I find two soakings will be enough to get back to bare plastic. That's 99% IPA. It also works in a similar manner for Lima coaches, as does brake fluid (I haven't tried brake fluid on MM models as IPA worked for me)

Edited November 17, 2022 by murphaph

[Andy Cundick]

My go to for paint stripper is Dettol it works well on metal and plastic with no harmful effects apart from the smell ,Andy

[gm171 kk]

It's soaking in 99% IPA (at least that's what it was sold as) since last Tuesday. I'm surprised at how slow and ineffective it was compared to other people's experience. It stripped metal components better but it took time. 

[murphaph]

7 minutes ago, gm171 kk said:

It's soaking in 99% IPA (at least that's what it was sold as) since last Tuesday. I'm surprised at how slow and ineffective it was compared to other people's experience. It stripped metal components better but it took time. 

And scrubbing it does nothing?

[irishthump]

On 17/11/2022 at 3:37 PM, gm171 kk said:

It's soaking in 99% IPA (at least that's what it was sold as) since last Tuesday. I'm surprised at how slow and ineffective it was compared to other people's experience. It stripped metal components better but it took time. 

What model is it? Different manufacturers need different chemicals to strip the paint.

[Mike 84C]

I have successfully used Dettol, soak for a week then a good scrub with a tooth brush then wash off under a hot tap. Also works for dissolving the epoxy bond on glued kits. I do check the plastic to see if its unaffected by the Dettol. 

[gm171 kk]

11 hours ago, irishthump said:

What model is it? Different manufacturers need different chemicals to strip the paint.

It's a 20 year old model from Tekno. 

10 hours ago, Mike 84C said:

I have successfully used Dettol, soak for a week then a good scrub with a tooth brush then wash off under a hot tap. Also works for dissolving the epoxy bond on glued kits. I do check the plastic to see if its unaffected by the Dettol. 

I will give that a try. 

[Si2020]

I've used IPA to great effect. I use a mix of 90% IPA and 10% water which has removed most piant from factory applyed to resprays using all sorts of paint.

i usualy leave the item soaking for at least 4 hours and most stuff comes off with a scrub of an old toothbrush. If paint still lingers than just put it back in and leave for another hour or two.

[Sven-E]

I have used break fluid to great effect. However some other people have reported that it affected the plastic. As mentioned above, different models need different treatment. Start with something weak to be on the safe side and if that doesn't work, go to stronger liquids. Sorry I don't have enough experience to rank the various liquids.

[MAL]

On 16/12/2022 at 11:55 PM, Sven-E said:

I have used break fluid to great effect. However some other people have reported that it affected the plastic. As mentioned above, different models need different treatment. Start with something weak to be on the safe side and if that doesn't work, go to stronger liquids. Sorry I don't have enough experience to rank the various liquids.

I can report that it affects plastic. I had a Bachmann DD40X which had far too much yellow paint on it filling all details. I am not sure if the plastic is PS or ABS. Soaked it in brake fluid once and removed 70% of the paint. So I soaked it a second time. With brushing off the paint I noticed the plastic shell became brittle and I "removed" some steps. I did the same with a Atlas and Kato shells without beeing able to remove the paint as well as the plastic (it is ABS) was not harmed. All I could remove from Kato shells was the printing. By this experience I decided the Bachmann was PS.

[Lambeg man]

On 17/11/2022 at 2:44 PM, Andy Cundick said:

My go to for paint stripper is Dettol it works well on metal and plastic with no harmful effects apart from the smell ,Andy

Hi Andy, neat or diluted? LM

[Andy Cundick]

Use it neat and use a sealed container otherwise it'll stink the place out,good luck Andy.

[gm171 kk]

Okay so all the parts were sitting in ipa since November. I took the makings of one truck cab out, the one with the most paint removed (not saying much), washed it in washing up liquid in warm water, dried it off an Nd started painting. 

Put two light coats of primer on. Three light coats of gloss white. Made a balls of painting door handles so it got a 4th coat of white. Tried to paint the door handles again... The paint started coming off on the corners as I held it. 

The cab was diecast with a plastic roof glued to it so removing the paint and starting again would be a nightmare. So it's across the road now in the neighbours field. 

Any ideas why this happened. I mustve painted about 7 diecast trucks with aerosol cans and this always happens. I used Tamiya aerosols this time as I wanted to be sure it worked. But before I used halfords car paint. 

I'm done with it either way as I must've wasted €1000 painting diecast with nothing but I pile of ruined models to show for it. 

Edited January 20, 2023 by gm171 kk

[Andy Cundick]

It sounds like a problem with the primer my go to primer is an ordinary grey primer done by Upol it hangs on everything i spray with it from etched brass to diecast as well as full size vehicles  from Austin to Land Rover via Jowett.Most good motor shops seem to sell it,Andy.