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I found out that there actually is something I didn't know

My friend is building a Blood Angels army. He bought the whole pack, 2000 pts, assembled it, primered all in a bunch. So far so good.

Here's where the big mistake happened. He bought a cheap spray paint from a local market, which happened to be a can of car spray paint.
And he didn't paint a test mini but sprayed them all at one go.
So now the minis are covered in a thick layer of red paint and they are shiny because this paint had clear varnish mixed in.

I don't know a way to remove spray paint from plastic models. Is there a way?
I think the only way to save them is to paint a few thin coats of red with an air brush. That way the layer will be very thin so it won't flood the details. Then apply a coat of matt varnish, also with an air brush. The matt varnish will protect the thin layer of red paint, and will provide a good surface for further painting.
I promised to try and save the models, but before I take the task, I wanted to know if someone knows a way to remove the fancy glossy car paint first?

I've thought of every possible trick I know, but they all tend to melt the plastic, too.

Any good ideas?

Brake Cleaner or Easy-Off oven cleaner will remove paint from plastic mini's without damaging them. Wear gloves and do it in a well ventilated area.

For Easy-Off, spray the mini's in a tupperware container or something, let them soak in it, then scrub the paint off with an old toothbrush. WEAR GLOVES.

I'm a fan of Castrol super clean. Great for plastic or metal. There's an article on Daka about how best to use it. Seems to take off everything.

Depending on the brake fluid, some will damage plastic. Super Clean on the other hand has worked like a dream without problem on pewter, plastic, and even forge world resin. Just use gloves, seriously.

(note) Castrol sold the rights to Super Clean. You can find it and the nitrite gloves that you "MUST" use at you local auto parts store in the engine degreaser aisle. Because its suitable for modern engines is why it works on plastic.

All you need is Super Clean, Nitrite gloves(a must), super stiff toothbrush(or equivalent), time to soak over night, and a sink to wash everything off in.

hay i was looking throught the posts and i happened to come across your perdictiment (sorry for the spelling)

i have been trying and testing ideas for stripping models for the last 5 years.....and i have hit gold

plastic and metal models can be paint stripped by using fairy power spray if you live in the uk all you have to do is:

1. spay the fairy power spray on the models

2. submerge in hot water

3.aditate the water....swerl the water to get the whole thing started

4. then leave over night.....

it should slip off the model like butter off a knife...

now the reason i suggest this over other types of stripping

1.it doesnt cause cancer

2.it compleatly cheap somethin like 3 pound for the spray

3.no odar so this can be done inside on these cold months.

i hope this helps

Oven cleaner can and will dissolve your plastic models. Try Simple Green cleaner or the Castrol Super Clean. Purple Power is the Walmart alternative and works just as good, as would most "driveway degreasers", but make sure that you wear gloves. It will remove enamel and acrylic paint, breaks up superglue, and won't harm plastic, metal or resin.

I've had great success bathing models in Purple Power that's diluted 1:3 with water. this works wonderfully when you have time for them to sit a while or when there's not a lot of paint on the model. I've got plastics sitting in this bath since September and they're still in perfect condition.

Metal figures may oxidize with exposure to the cleaner, which can happen no matter what you use. The oxidation looks like darker patches that won't rub off. There's been some noise that oxidation can cause paint to flake or wear away faster, but a good primer *should* prevent that from happening.

Good luck and remember that sometimes you can't save them all!

Anyone know the equivalent of Castrol Super Clean or anything similar you can get in GB?

if you use brake fluid, remember to wear a mask, as its a carcinogen...

but i think we get castrol super clean here, otherwise, any brake fluid will do, it'll just take longer

WaaaaghLord wrote:but i think we get castrol super clean here

really? quick google yielded no results. I kinda dont want to buy something which is going to ruins the plastic and this super clean stuff seems highly recommended here and other places.

It's no longer castrols, its just Super Clean now.

Any driveway degreaser available in a big box or auto parts store will do. Much safer than brake fluid and doesn't stink of rotten fish...

I mainly use super clean, or brake fluid. Super clean is better though.

kk, where do you get it from?

Auto parts store?

Tell your buddy that, whatever he ends up using, do a test mini first!!!!!!!