stripping paint

[Edavillenut]

i have a Life like Proto 2000 gp-9 that i want to strip and re paint in my own road. what will strip the factory paint without melting the shell.
and to help any one else out laquar thinner WILL MElt a athearn shell

 

[shaygetz]

I've used automotive brake fluid in the past with good results. Buy a cheap loaf pan and two bottles of fluid, let it soak 24 hours, scrub the details with an old toothbrush, wash with warm, soapy water and let air dry. Handle it with gloved hands after that. The fluid takes progressively longer with each use and is worthless after 4-5 cars. The one warning I have heard in the past is that it leaves an unpaintable surface on AHM passenger cars so you might want to research that a little. I myself have not experienced any adverse effects.

 

[RailRon]

Shawn, you might also lok through this thread about some pros and cons of different methods.

I for myself used brake fluid exactly as shaygetz explained. Apart from one experience I always had good results with this method. (The bad experience was on a VERY old model racing car kit from the early 60's which became very brittle and developed a lot of fine cracks Today's plastics are much better of course )

So it is always wise to use a few drops of the paint stripper on an inconspicious spot first - preferably at the inside of the body shell. Leave it there for a few hours, then wipe it off and try to scratch the surface: If the plastic turned gooey, or if little, hard chips break away, then it's obviously not the right stuff for that sort of plastic !

Ron

 

[jim currie]

have used brake fluid as well and have had no trouble with it but is still best to test,have also used potassium hydroxide(sp) to remove some two part paint on a o gage for a friend hard to fine but works well think i read about it in old mr

 

[Gardenrrguy]

Brake fluid! I just happen to have plenty of that stuff around. Just experiment with the times you leave the parts in the fliud. Different materiels and paints can react at different speeds. If something starts to get soft (like some plastics) run it under warm, NOT HOT, soapy water to get rid of the brake fluid.
Practice makes perfect!

 

[stary]

Originally posted by Gardenrrguy
Brake fluid! I just happen to have plenty of that stuff around. Just experiment with the times you leave the parts in the fliud. Different materiels and paints can react at different speeds. If something starts to get soft (like some plastics) run it under warm, NOT HOT, soapy water to get rid of the brake fluid.
Practice makes perfect!

be cautios when using brake fluid or any of these other things, though, as all plastics react differently. I've heard that the paint on KATO shells is ecspecialy(sp?) tough.
However, I've heard of people getting exellent results on all plastics, even KATO, with CHAMELEON paint remover.