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Edit: Apologies for the long range necro thread. After getting great advice from you folks, this model rotted on my shelf for a while. Now, an embarassing amount of time later, I have gotten around to finishing it! I went with Simple Green to strip, it was a pain but it worked. The model is far from perfect, but it is passable on the table I think. Thanks again for all the great advice, don't be afraid to go back and do that old model! Pics attached.

Original post:

Dear incredibly smart and good looking dakka,

I won a land raider on an eBay offer I didn't really expect to get - now I have to change it to join the Unforgiven (the crew were... uh... traitors... yeah yeah... )

The question I have is: Can I spray over the job, or will that just lead to a glop-fest? If stripping is recommended, what do you think is the best way? Think simple green can do the trick?

Thanks for sharing your infinite wisdom! Here's the tank:

Always strip first unless the job's really thin.

*sigh* that's what I figured. Ever stripped a vehicle? Any tips?

Graffitti remover is the best thing I've used, though you should wear gloves etc. as with anything nasty.

Wait Graffiti remover?

first time iv ever heard of that being suggested.

Personal go to now is 91 or above % iysopropal alcohol
or Purple power.

soak it for a while

Scrub it with a stiff brush

Expect all the mysterious layers to fight back. or get lucky on the first go.

Cracks corners and crevasses will give you a tough time. use a tooth pick to get it out,.

Graffiti remover huh? Did it melt the plastic? I may give that a shot

I've heard alcohol works well. Where did you find it?

im surprised graffiti did ruin the plastic... id try the alcohol first .. graffiti remover can be pricey

Tested the grafitti remover on some rhinos, cost maybe $10 for a big spray bottle, didn't hurt the plastic one bit while I was scrubbing after letting it soak maybe 20 minutes.

Absolutely destroyed enamel gloss primer on said junky tanks after simple green didn't even cause it to smudge.

I now use it on anything simple green can't handle.

Any particular brand?

Sorry, don't have it with me, I can check later but I just picked it up at the grocery store's paint section- found something that said it didn't hurt plastic (and of course tested it on some sprue first).

Sounds like a godsend for modelers.

^^ I'll be checking out my grocery store/ Walmart.

Well, since there seems to be some interest, I'll try to get a little write-up together in the next couple days. Somewhere around here I have some before & after shots... just gotta figure out which camera card the stuff's on...

Purple Power will work just fine and will not damage the plastic.

I would rather kill myself with a claw hammer than strip a vehicle like that.

Cracks and crevices? Man, you are gonna pull your own eyes out trying to get all the paint off areas like that. Its just insane.

How much did you pay for this thing? If it was a good deal then pretend for a moment that you are not a crazy person with a serious toy addiction and re-spray. Seriously, if anyone gives you crap about it just smile and nod.


Part of my really wants to say strip it, but I know this is just because I'm done work and still winding down. See... I'm a jerk at heart and I know that once you start toothpicking crevices you will slowly descend into madness and depravity, much like the rest of us dakka-ers!

I also do this thing at crosswalks where I'll push the button and if no one is coming I cross the street. What happens is by the time I get to the other side the light changes and everyone driving now has to wait for a pedestrian who isn't even there. Its fething priceless and it makes me feel really good inside when I see six cars piled up at a light waiting on the crosswalk light for no damned reason at all.

So with that in mind you should take my advice with a grain of salt. Re-spray. (But is he just trying to get me to re-spray so he can laugh at me from the crosswalk?).

Something that has not been mentioned, which might be a better option that stripping, or simply re-spraying:

• Sand the vehicle, to remove the build-up in places like where they did lettering on the details, and to smooth out the surface.

Make certain that you get down to a pretty fine grit sandpaper (like 1000 to 1200).

• After sanding, make certain that you give the vehicle a bath, and then let it dry for a few days.

• [i]Then re-prime with spray primer.

MB

Simple Green works on everything ... its pretty cheap and can be reused for different batches of models, and you can find it at home depot / lowes / some walmarts

Personally get a container (folders coffee can with a seal-able lid works great, the large should be large enough for the land raider) pop off all of the space wolf icons / bits you dont want on it, drop it in the contain and fill with simple green ... put on the lid and wait 1-5 days and take a tooth brush to it (ive actually left a batch of models in simple green for over six months and it didnt damage the plastic .... forgot about the poor dreadnoughts)

Thanks for the tips everybody! I'm especially interested in the sandpaper idea - have you tried it before?

 darkcloak wrote:
I would rather kill myself with a claw hammer than strip a vehicle like that.

Kinda how I feel about it now. Got this and a rhino for $35 and some minis I no longer use - I couldn't say no. I have stripped Mehreens using simple green before, but this will be different I think. On the flip side, this is my hobby I spend time on anyway, so...how bad could it be?

I'll try out simple green first, as I already have some, then I'll go from there.

You know what else will suck? Painting this thing deathwing flavored

Automatically Appended Next Post:

 spiralingcadaver wrote:
Well, since there seems to be some interest, I'll try to get a little write-up together in the next couple days. Somewhere around here I have some before & after shots... just gotta figure out which camera card the stuff's on...

Would love to see this! Maybe I'll take pics throughout when I work on these tanks. I can probably test 2 methods. If you find the graffiti remover I'll use that on the rhino, simple green on raider, and I'll write up which was easier, etc

 darkcloak wrote:
I would rather kill myself with a claw hammer than strip a vehicle like that.

If you have a dremel tool and a nylon brush tip its not to bad cleaning the crevices. I have used it on a tank before. but other projects, and it works well and quick.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 Desubot wrote:
Any particular brand?

This is one of the most popular/best graffiti removers on the market:

http://www.truevalue.com/product/Graffiti-Remover-16-oz-/42541.uts?keyword=graffiti

Just looked in the codex - looks like only crusader and redeemer have the twin linked assualt cannon. I'll look for some sponsons online - think it will be possible to magnetize?

*Lando voice

"This deal's getting worse all the time!"

I'm less concerned by the complexity of cleaning the outside, and more that you may end up with cleaning fluid inside a hollow vehicle and not be able to completely remove it. If some seeps out later when you believe it's dry and have started painting, that could be a real pain.

Buttery! Good point - I'm patient though - I don't mind drying it out for a few days. Maybe I'll fill it with rice or some nonsense.

I'll try to be extra careful that the interior is dry. Good observation!

Alternatively, I could try wiping paint away with alcohol instead of soaking.

It seemed like such a good idea when I made the offer!

I feel your pain.

The reason I thought of that, well... If you see the topic, the pod underneath and the cockpits pissed Dettol-slime every time I picked the thing up for about two weeks.

That's without actual hollow areas like the sponsons and treads on your vehicle. Cat litter works well, if you can get some.

Whoa - you are brave. I'm afraid I may have bit off a bit more than I can chew...

We will give it a shot though. If I can strip and paint to a basic tabletop standard, I'll be a happy camper

I'll be sure to make a thread when I have something worth sharing. I always 'hear' about people saving models. It'll be nice to actually redo one.

Wrote this up.

Starting as this

 spiralingcadaver wrote:
Wrote this up.

Starting as this

Holy crap. That's about the worst I've seen.

My god that's horrible.

But i will need to take a look at that krud stuff.

I like how it still was wet enough to take the imprint of the bubble wrap.

Yeah... probably the gnarliest thing I've ever gotten.

And, yeah, Desu, that solvent is great (if stinky). I'd recommend it for the worst projects.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 pretre wrote:
I like how it still was wet enough to take the imprint of the bubble wrap.

Heh, that bit was what pushed me past other methods- without that I might have felt able to salvage it, but regular bubble pocks was really too much, esp. since it was getting some freehand too.

I feel like whoever did that should be put on some kind of register.