help! Removing paint from MIR resin kits?

[tonybonneyba]

Evening! 

Hope everyone is keeping well these autumn days....

Looking for some advice, if that's okay?

 

Recently purchased two second hand MIR resin class 201 locomotive bodyshells which are partly painted & i would like to get them painted sometime.

Is there a way that you would recommend to remove the paint without damaging the resin?

As you can probably understand, having never done this before, it's little bit anxiety inducing....

Some sources say use this & that, while others say don't, such as IPA, whitespirit, brake cleaner, nail varnish remover, oven cleaner, dettol, paint stripper, etc etc. Very mixed messages! 

 

Thanks in advance & have a lovely evening. 

[DJ Dangerous]

Definitely not acetone / nail varnish remover or paint stripper.

They will strip the paint off anything metal but they will melt anything plastic.

The top two that I've heard mentioned are IPA and brake fluid, can't remember which dot though.

Have a look through some of the workbench threads and you'll see the likes of @murphaph, @JasonB, @popeye , @Dempsey and @Georgeconna discuss what they are using.

 

Edited October 16, 2023 by DJ Dangerous
Spelling

[Past-Avenue]

Hi I use IPA and leave it soaking in it for a few hours and with a old toothbrush remove anything that's lose and repeat the process till the surface is free from paint etc. 

Enda 

 

[Dempsey]

One of the strippers I use does state that it can be used on resin however I have never used it on such a surface. I'll include a link for you to make your own determination. 

https://eirehobbies.com/products/paint-remover-240-ml?_pos=1&_sid=53296aa35&_ss=r

[Georgeconna]

Dettol. thing is it rightly expensive and hopefully that paint is enamel.

Depends on the Resin too so be careful.

or: CARSON PAINT REMOVER 100ML | TAMIYA ACRYLIC PAINT | PAINTS / ADHESIVES | Catalogue | MarksModels

Note Vid below is for Plastic. I used the method recently. Took Ages, Messey and parts smelt of Dettol for and age afterwards.

 

[murphaph]

I think @Noel has experience stripping paint from resin. I have painted it, but not had to strip it. I believe I used IPA to degrease it (briefly) with no ill-effects. I would try to test a bit of whatever I was using on an inconspicuous area first. If using brake fluid as a paint stripper it will need to be a classic non-silicone type, so anything that is NOT DOT 5.

[DJ Dangerous]

1 hour ago, murphaph said:

I think @Noel has experience stripping paint from resin. I have painted it, but not had to strip it. I believe I used IPA to degrease it (briefly) with no ill-effects. I would try to test a bit of whatever I was using on an inconspicuous area first. If using brake fluid as a paint stripper it will need to be a classic non-silicone type, so anything that is NOT DOT 5.

 

I was trying to find @Noel's last night in one of his workbench threads but I didn't go back far enough - it was almost four years ago:

 

 

[tonybonneyba]

Good evening! or shall I say good morning!  maybe it's afternoon when you've read this, so, good afternoon! 

 

Apologies for the delay getting back, just been a ta bit busy.

Thanks peps for the great & wonderful responses & advice, I very much appreciate.

As I'm new to this whole paint stripping thing, I think it's best if I were to stay clear from brake fluids for now, same for dettol.

On 17/10/2023 at 10:50 AM, Georgeconna said:

Dettol. thing is it rightly expensive and hopefully that paint is enamel.

Depends on the Resin too so be careful.

or: CARSON PAINT REMOVER 100ML | TAMIYA ACRYLIC PAINT | PAINTS / ADHESIVES | Catalogue | MarksModels

Note Vid below is for Plastic. I used the method recently. Took Ages, Messey and parts smelt of Dettol for and age afterwards.

 

 

But will keep this in mind for future for when I'm working on plastic/metal kits. Thanks!

 

On 17/10/2023 at 8:05 AM, Past-Avenue said:

Hi I use IPA and leave it soaking in it for a few hours and with a old toothbrush remove anything that's lose and repeat the process till the surface is free from paint etc. 

Enda 

 

Would you have any recommendations on brands of IPA & strengths?

On 17/10/2023 at 8:14 AM, Dempsey said:

One of the strippers I use does state that it can be used on resin however I have never used it on such a surface. I'll include a link for you to make your own determination. 

https://eirehobbies.com/products/paint-remover-240-ml?_pos=1&_sid=53296aa35&_ss=r

I've also seen this product come up a few times & it's supposed to be good.

 

 

https://youtu.be/VPeDsrgydss?si=o_SQPZ-od1SDOA5n

 

Fortunately, the person I've bought the two MIR resin class 201 bodyshells from has left some painted bits of off cut(?) resin in the box, so, can test them with the different strippers.

 

Think I'm going give IPA & the 'Green Stuff World' paint stripper ago.

 

Thanks again for the quick response, & the brilliant advice, very much appreciated!

Edited October 18, 2023 by tonybonneyba
Forgot to include what I'm going to try

[tonybonneyba]

Got the Green Stuff World paint remover & put in a tub with the 201....

Seems to have worked well after 30mins or so, with assistance from a new battery toothbrush.

No damage to the resin from what i can tell.

Note to self, get bigger tub.

Have rinsed the paint remover off with water & will work on it on Wednesday as its going take a bit!

If you plan on doing this, ensure you've got a room with an extractor or an open window, such as a utility room or bathroom,  as the paint remover stinks! - and thats coming from a person with little to next to no sense of smell.

[Flying Snail]

Looks good, but I hope you've little or no sense of taste too if you're planning on using that toothbrush yourself before bed 

[Broithe]

5 minutes ago, Flying Snail said:

Looks good, but I hope you've little or no sense of taste too if you're planning on using that toothbrush yourself before bed 

Mmm, I'm having flashbacks now.

My father once left a tube of Deep Heat in the bathroom here.

It takes about an hour for my onboard systems to be fairly operational in the mornings and so I just used the tube that was where the toothpaste should be...

 

I can still taste it.

[tonybonneyba]

1 hour ago, Flying Snail said:

Looks good, but I hope you've little or no sense of taste too if you're planning on using that toothbrush yourself before bed 

Belive it or not, i don't have much sense of taste! More textures than anything!

Although, i don't plan on using that toothbrush on anything but paint remover

[tonybonneyba]

You can follow the progress on this project here....