Stripping Factory Paint?

Howdy All,

I've heard that 91% Isopropyl Alcohol will strip factory paint from locomotives.

True/False?

If so, how much exposure does it take? Do I just drop the shell in and soak for 5-10 minutes and then use a small brush to scrub the factory paint off?

Mike

 

It depends on which manufacturer.

I have had fairly good success with 91% alcohol. I usually submerge the shell inside a small plastic food container (with lid) and attack it at various times with a toothbrush. Some paint comes off quickly and easily, others take more time and effort.

I think it's a good and inexpensive way to start before investing in a dedicated product such as Chameleon.

 

Thanks Guys,

Bill, I'd not heard of the Chameleon product, but a few minutes of research indicates that a shop close by carries that in stock. Not cheap though!

I may try the alcohol method first.

Mike

 

This comes up allot. I have had the best luck with NON-acetone fingernail polish remover. The type I have used several times for removing factory marking, letters, and also paint (depends on technice used). I get it from wal-mart, and it's the cheap store brand and pink in color. I think if my memory serves, it is "Top Care" brand. Be sure it is NON acetone. USE AT OWN RISK. I only say this because I personally have had good luck using it.

I have used it on several different brands, and most recently Kato passenger cars, and Con-Cor passenger cars to remove lettering on some with no damage to paint, and others down to bare plastic.

 

Also...I have used brake fluid. It doesnt damage the plastic. After removing paint just wash the piece in warm soapy water. As with any remover...be sure to do paint stripping outdoors...JMO.

.

 

I've used both 91% & Chameleon. Be careful with the Chameleon product if you leave a shell in to long it might crack.

 

For removing lettering, I've used Pine Sol with good results. Usually needs a few coats and a some swabbing with a q-tip.

I used it here to give a painted over effect.

 

Depends on the manufacturer and the formula of the paint used.

Do not rely on soaking only - use a toothbrush to speed up the process. I suspect almost anything will eventually attack the plastic in some manner if the soaking goes on for many days.

91% Alcohol will work for most - the soaking time varies, sometimes it will start to soften the paint enough to be able to scrub some off within an hour or two. Sometimes it takes overnight to begin to work. Usually two or three soak/scrub cycles does the job. Have not tried alcohol on InterMountain..

Kato is a major exception - they require Pine-Sol or Chameleon - and several soaking scrubbing cycles....A modeler I know that has mostly Kato has used both Pine-Sol and Chameleon - He tells me that he doesn't see much difference between them. He has had a couple of shells develop minor cracks - the reason maybe because of stresses left in the shell from the molding process (or possibly he may have for some reason soaked those shells longer than usual) Fortunately the cracks were minor and were in areas that could be filled.

I have not tried brake-fluid in twenty years because it has damaged shells I have tried to strip. The damage ranged from crazing the surface to actually melting some shells. Maybe the formula of modern brake fluid and the plastics that is now used makes it safe to use - but, I would not risk it.

 

The MRL articulated coah from Kato I painted a couple of weeks back. I striped with 91% in 10 mins.

 

Well...First of all,Pine Sol will outright dissolve some plastics.Put an old Rivarossi shell in it,don't expect to find it in the morning,and if you use it on a loco,FOREVER,it will smell like PineSol...Chameleon..Don't waste your money..It contains pretty much the same type alcohol as 2 dollar a pint brake fluid,it's just a LITTLE safer to the user,I wouldn't make it a habit of putting my hands in either..[Or PineSol,for that matter..].Pretty much any loco or car made in the last ten years will strip totally by itself with 91% alcohol if left in long enough,say 3 days tops..It doesn't harm any plastic I've ever put in it,doesn't even fog glass.
The only other thing I use is Super Clean,the purple spray bottle cleaner.This is the only stuff I've seen that will take a 20 year old Floquil paint job right off down even in the grills.This stuff is unreal in a heated ultrasonic cleaner,mixed maybe 30% with water.I put 2 HO F unit shells in it at 9 O'clock this morning,set the timer on my cleaner at 1 Hr,ran it for another hour just now,they're clean right to the plastic.Without the ultrasound,use it straight.DO NOT use this stuff without rubber gloves,though,it'll take your skin off!!!
I do TONS of painting,probably 100 locos and cars since March,Alcohol and Super Clean arte all I use,alcohol first..And I'll tell ya,I've tried them ALL,been painting models for over 45 years..Oh..Don't use Super Clean on metal,either,use lacquer thinner..

Tudor,I'm not certain,but I think that Non Acetone nailpolish remover is mostly denatured alcohol,that's actually a pretty good model paint remover,too..

 

All I've every used was 91% and a tooth brush, and it worked great. But after stripping an old Kato C30-7 two times, it started to make the shell very weak on top, and eventually cracked it. I might have been a little rough with the tooth brush also :/

Mike

 

That's odd, the two units I used Pine Sol have never smelled. Then again, I was only using it to removed lettering, not strip the whole unit.

I also washed them heavily with soap and water afterwards, to make sure I got rid of all the oils, for decal adhession.

 

If you only did the lettering,then you really only used it for a short time on parts of the outside of the shell,washed it off pretty well,then most likely put clear over where you used it,sealing the stink in,LOL!! I ran into a HO guy I knew once a long time ago,he swore by the stuff.I put 2 brand new Atlas E-7's in it,came back an hour late,they were bubble gum...

 

Thanks for the info everyone. I disassembled the Kato SD40 shell yesterday afternoon and started soaking the long hood/nose portion in the 91% alcohol. After about 30 minutes the ink/text came off the shell with some light scrubbing with a toothbrush.

After about 6 hours and two or three light scrubs with a stiff nylon bristle brush all of the paint came off with the exception of what's still down in the recessed areas around the doors on the long hood, the molded ladder rungs etc. I'm guessing another soak/scrub session and maybe a very small brush should get the rest.

So, all in all I'd say it was a success. Just need to find me a good "beginner" airbrush now and I'll be all set to start repainting and decaling the roster!

Mike

 

I have taken stubborn parts to the do-it-yourself car wash when a toothbrush wouldn't get into the little recessed areas. The "1500 pounds of pressure" will remove those last traces. Be sure to wear some work gloves (ask me how I know) while you hold firmly to the part so it doesn't lose steps/etc. when when it lands...

Terry

 

Holy cow.. I'd imagine so!.. would remove paint, plastic, small fingers, and anything else in the vicinity I'm guessing! Along that same line of thinking I wonder how one of those Water Pik dental cleansing units would do? Perhaps the same end result but with slightly lower water pressure!

Mike

 

Mike,
I have found that any solution that you use is more effective the warmer it is. Room temperature or higher. If you are leaving the model to soak in a cool garage or shed try bringing it into the house. I have noticed that it speeds up the time it takes to get the paint off.

Dave

 

I tried that stuff once on an Atlas GP38-2 HH and it was a Southern Loco to begin with and it just barely took off the decals. I looked twice to be sure that Black wasn't the shell color. But it wasn't the inner side was Grey. No Paint removed there. And it's not cheap. Save your funds go with the 91% Alcohol