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I work in environmental health and safety so I have to deal with chemical safety every day.

breathing acetone for a day isn't going to have long term health effects for you. It's the short term health effects you have to worry about, ie. passing out. The long term health effects you have to worry about are when you breath it for long periods of time day in and day out. I am not recomending you work with acetone without protection, I am just saying stinking up your house one time while you strip your mini's is a pretty minimal chance of giving yourself cancer. it's like smoking one cigarrette in your life and saying you will get cancer.

MEK is a lot nastier, again a time time off thing is pretty unlikely to give you long term health issues, however MEK is a lot more toxic than acetone so your short term exposure risk is much greater. Also, if for some bizarre reason you would ingest either of these it would be really bad, especially MEK. Don't use these with children around. Out of curiosity how fast did the MEK strip the paint?

like I said I work around these chemicals all the time and I have always had this morbid curiosity to take some of the various solvents I have access to and see which will strip mini's the best. I have a respirator so that's not an issue. I am just worried b/c the only thing i need to strip is plastic and I don't want them turning into a pile of goo.

Oh I forgot the numerous times I have accidentally glued my clothing to myself when a drip of super glue has fallen on my trousers [US = pants] and soaked through before drying.

A nice wake up call when getting ready for bed.

I am beginning to think I may be accident prone.

Aerethan wrote:And I sold off my 6th edition Empire soldiers which I'm now going to great pains to replace.

Yeah ... me too, I feel your pain.

I haven't done it yet, but have seen other people cut open their fingers with modelling knives, always seems to be the thumb for some reason...

The only "Why did I let this happen?" moments that happen to me are small cuts to my fingertips with the occasional straight stab into the skin that is shallow. Beyond that, when I get superglue on my fingers, I don't pull them away from each other, but rather use a shearing motion then spend the next 10 minutes continuously washing my hands to get the residue off.

I'm very cautious when working on my models and it shows.

Near misses would include:

Scratching the end of my nose whilst holding a scalpel in the same hand.
Knocking spare blades on the floor whilst barefoot and not noticing until returning with a cuppa.
Leaving my knives and blades out and open where my toddlers could get to them.

I NOW HAVE A PACK AWAY CHECK LIST AND SWEEP THE FLOOR WITH A MAGNET.

Bounty wrote:

hotsauceman1 wrote:I tried to remove paint by putting models in hot water(bad idea) and the microwave(worse idea)
i lost my fingerprints for awhile.

As I cannot at the moment afford to lose another mini trying this myself, what happened when you put it in the microwave?

Warped, warped to holy warp.

Two stupid things.
1) Ok sign me up for the group of guys who have cut themselves with an exacto. I was trying to cut the door out of one of the GW terrain pieces...I wanted to make it look open. Well I was young and dumb so I'm using the exacto to saw through the the plastic and I've done a decent job until the very end when I'm using a lot of force and as it gets free of the plastic I can't stop using the force (reaction time and all). Well in that split second I proceeded to slice off the pad of my left pointer finger and get blood all over myself, my model, and my buddies room as I went running for the bathroom.
Now I have a nice scar on said finger.

2) I love using superglue on models. Not crazy love but I like it since it lets me break them apart later. Well several times I'm wearing a shirt I like while building a model only to have the super glue get on the shirt. I don't notice and it dries forming an annoying hard spot on the shirt which I constantly would pick at. Then the super glue would come out along with the part of the shirt where it had been dried at. I've lost several shirts like that.

My first conversion was making a chaos spawn by gluing the head on backwards on a Bretonnian horse and covering it in leftover human arms. Like, right into the barding.

We wrote:like I said I work around these chemicals all the time and I have always had this morbid curiosity to take some of the various solvents I have access to and see which will strip mini's the best. I have a respirator so that's not an issue. I am just worried b/c the only thing i need to strip is plastic and I don't want them turning into a pile of goo.

I share this trait, but thankfully I have no access to chemicals. Regular plug for Purple Power, but since you're a chemist of sorts this may get you thinking. Degreasers seem to have better results, and don't seem to harm plastics. What do you have along those lines?

hotsauceman1 wrote:

Bounty wrote:

hotsauceman1 wrote:I tried to remove paint by putting models in hot water(bad idea) and the microwave(worse idea) i lost my fingerprints for awhile.

As I cannot at the moment afford to lose another mini trying this myself, what happened when you put it in the microwave?

Warped, warped to holy warp.

Damn, didn't cure it. Now I want to microwave a Rhino and use the left-overs for scenery...


I"d like to take this moment to Thank my Father, Mr. Tucker, and Mr. Glick for teaching the 10 year old me the proper use of cutting equipment and sharp blades. It never stopped Mr. Glick from being medivaced from summer camp every year after cutting himself with his exacto sets, but hey *WE* all learned better. Also, if we have any EMT/Suvivalists around, can I get a verification that SuperGlue makes a nice emergancy stitch in a pinch. EDIT: See below, apparently it's toxic! Nothing would be cooler than cutting yourself with your blade, then sealing it close with the open glue next to you...

No it doesn't. It was originally designed for that purpose and is implemented as such as a medical grade glue. The common one you use on models can potentially be toxic, or at least not all that good for you.

It can hold well though, just there's a risk behind it.

Firehawkordy wrote:Did worse than that, used Methyl Ethyl Ketone or MEK to strip some metal figures in a closed room

I still do that. Haha.

I think it's about time I invested in a fume mask.

Rusty Robot wrote:

Firehawkordy wrote:Did worse than that, used Methyl Ethyl Ketone or MEK to strip some metal figures in a closed room

I still do that. Haha.

I think it's about time I invested in a fume mask.

Or a fume cabinet

I itched my ear with a hobby knife once, bled for 3 hours.

Sonophos wrote:

Rusty Robot wrote:

Firehawkordy wrote:Did worse than that, used Methyl Ethyl Ketone or MEK to strip some metal figures in a closed room

I still do that. Haha.

I think it's about time I invested in a fume mask.

Or a fume cabinet

Yes. Where can one acquire such cabinet?

I cut the tip of my finger off trying to take apart a model of the NCC-1701D when I was about 10. Blood shot everywhere, I found the little black piece of finger about 3 weeks later. It looked a lot worse than it was though.

(Done this Numerous times)
Just done some sculpting work, really chuffed with the results. Time to work on the next bit! looks good!

Then i realize while sculpting the next bit i have turned the previous work into an, incredibly accurate, relief map of my fingerprint! :RAEG:

Tried to fix a bent brush with my sisters old Hair Straighteners. Epic fail. At least i now have a good drybrush.

I tried to strip a Forgeworld Chaos Sorcerer in acetone.

When I get interrupted while painting, I often don't want to put the paintbrush down, so I'll hold it between my teeth, sticking straight out like a toothpick. So, once I was painting and someone rang the doorbell. I put the brush between my teeth and went to answer it. Somehow, I forgot about it and got my head too close to the door as I opened it. The door swung open, slammed into the bristle end of the brush and shoved the brush down my throat, which made me GAG bigtime. I was a hair away from throwing up. Thankfully, I managed to keep my lunch down, but I did have a nice Green paint splotch on the door that I had to clean up later. The person at the door, who I think was selling magazine subscriptions, looked at me like I was a lunatic when I opened the door gagging, heaving and cursing. Now, you'd think that this experience would have taught me to stop carrying my wet paintbrush around between my teeth, right? NOPE.

carving out a hill with a freshly sharpeed knife (horribly sharp)

not cutting away, but TOWARDS me

suddenly, there was a LOT of blood. Cut my thumb paralell to the nail. When put a paper towel on it, the red stain soaked more than half the paper in a few seconds.

And THEN it started to hurt. hard.

dont want to think about that.....

Rusty Robot wrote:

Sonophos wrote:

Rusty Robot wrote:

Firehawkordy wrote:Did worse than that, used Methyl Ethyl Ketone or MEK to strip some metal figures in a closed room

I still do that. Haha.

I think it's about time I invested in a fume mask.

Or a fume cabinet

Yes. Where can one acquire such cabinet?

self build one. It's a desk with an enclosed extractor unit so all you need is some wood perspex and an extractor fan.

Sonophos wrote:

Rusty Robot wrote:

Sonophos wrote:

Rusty Robot wrote:I think it's about time I invested in a fume mask.

Or a fume cabinet

Yes. Where can one acquire such cabinet?

self build one. It's a desk with an enclosed extractor unit so all you need is some wood perspex and an extractor fan.

That made sense in British right?

Fume cabinets are boxes with one open side, and a powerful fan at the top that points OUTSIDE. Sometimes the open side has a closable door, for professional setups this is often roll-up, like on a warehouse loading dock, but smaller.

Note it only does you any good if the fan isn't blowing into the room you're sitting in. Since most houses have a similar, weaker unit over the stove, you can build a portable one that sits on your stovetop, and vents out the hole. You can also use A/C vent tubes and run to a window if you want, just make sure it's venting OUT. Fan placement is typically best on top, or at the top in the rear, as these things tend to float up in the air.

I think I'll just do my MEK work outside.

This cabinet business seems a bit... overkill.

Akroma06 wrote:2) I love using superglue on models. Not crazy love but I like it since it lets me break them apart later. Well several times I'm wearing a shirt I like while building a model only to have the super glue get on the shirt. I don't notice and it dries forming an annoying hard spot on the shirt which I constantly would pick at. Then the super glue would come out along with the part of the shirt where it had been dried at. I've lost several shirts like that.

Same here, a shirt of mine ended up with a crack in it.

I've stuck my fingers together (or had them stick to bits of model) so often that I think I'd be better off handling the parts with tweezers when using superglue.

I've gone to work not once, not twice but three times with bits glued to me....I have no idea how but it has happened. the last time it wasnt a bit, I had just put together a AoBR Marine (the missle launcher guy) and sat the base on my leg while I put together a few more marines, I used supper glue to put him on the slotted base since I was running low on Plastic glue, I used far to much, enough for it to run down the base onto my pants and get stuck there, didn't see it when I rushed to work and walked in to my prep cook (I'm a cook) staring at my leg asking "what the hell is that?"

Still get made fun of by my coworkers to this day.....

We wrote:I work in environmental health and safety so I have to deal with chemical safety every day.

breathing acetone for a day isn't going to have long term health effects for you. It's the short term health effects you have to worry about, ie. passing out. The long term health effects you have to worry about are when you breath it for long periods of time day in and day out. I am not recomending you work with acetone without protection, I am just saying stinking up your house one time while you strip your mini's is a pretty minimal chance of giving yourself cancer. it's like smoking one cigarrette in your life and saying you will get cancer.

MEK is a lot nastier, again a time time off thing is pretty unlikely to give you long term health issues, however MEK is a lot more toxic than acetone so your short term exposure risk is much greater. Also, if for some bizarre reason you would ingest either of these it would be really bad, especially MEK. Don't use these with children around. Out of curiosity how fast did the MEK strip the paint?

like I said I work around these chemicals all the time and I have always had this morbid curiosity to take some of the various solvents I have access to and see which will strip mini's the best. I have a respirator so that's not an issue. I am just worried b/c the only thing i need to strip is plastic and I don't want them turning into a pile of goo.

EHS? Out of curiousity, you wouldn't work in aviation perhaps? Or, more pointedly, you don't happen to work for Boeing do you? They seem to call their safety organization EHS (Environmental Health and Safety) and/or SHEA (Safety, Health & Environmental Affairs) depending on the context.. Also, your knowledge of Acetone and MEK both hint at aviation experience, because both are used in the industry. Although, MEK is frowned on now in manufacturing due to it being death in a bottle.

MEK is death in a bottle.

I've heard it can cause brain damage, which is quite something. I can say that when you are using it, especially without a mask, you can literally feel brain cells dying.

However, when used sparingly and carefully it can be incredibly helpful stuff.

It stripped the pewter mini in a few seconds - and I'm not exaggerating. The paint literally flaked off. Do not use it on plastic or resin though, it's eat it for breakfast.

Rusty Robot wrote: I can say that when you are using it, especially without a mask, you can literally feel brain cells dying.
It stripped the pewter mini in a few seconds - and I'm not exaggerating.

This is my primary problem with "Power" Stripping, I have few brain cells to spare, I have have several seconds to spare, and using these sorts of things may cost me the seconds it saves.

My industrial degreaser may take 18 hours, but it won't melt my brain, and it's not like I'm not about to spend 2-3 hours painting him anyways.

FYI- NEVER, and I mean NEVER use this stuff barehanded. Hell, even latex gloves only offer you seconds of protection against it. Aviation manufacturing used to love the stuff because it could cut through sealant like magic, but it can eat anything and absorbs through your skin. Nitrile gloves offer you enough protection for short periods of use (i.e a few minutes of exposure only). Beyond that, you should probably reevaluate if it's use is really warranted or make sure you have some badassed thick rubber gloves. Also, aprons and faceshields are a good idea, but the typical person using it to strip models won't likely have those laying around..

Bounty wrote:

Rusty Robot wrote: I can say that when you are using it, especially without a mask, you can literally feel brain cells dying.
It stripped the pewter mini in a few seconds - and I'm not exaggerating.

This is my primary problem with "Power" Stripping, I have few brain cells to spare, I have have several seconds to spare, and using these sorts of things may cost me the seconds it saves.

My industrial degreaser may take 18 hours, but it won't melt my brain, and it's not like I'm not about to spend 2-3 hours painting him anyways.

I hear 'ya, but I was saying that for dramatic effect. When used properly (with the correct precautions) there will be no harm done.

Oh, and the note about using it barehanded is a good one. I've done that before, never again!

PLEASE NOTE: For anyone considering using MEK and are worried about it's "side effects" or long/short term health effects please give this a read. It may put it into perspective for you or, more likely, dispel some concerns. http://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/chemicals/chem_profiles/mek/health_mek.html

Bounty wrote:

Sonophos wrote:

Rusty Robot wrote:

Sonophos wrote:

Rusty Robot wrote:I think it's about time I invested in a fume mask.

Or a fume cabinet

Yes. Where can one acquire such cabinet?

self build one. It's a desk with an enclosed extractor unit so all you need is some wood perspex and an extractor fan.

That made sense in British right?

Fume cabinets are boxes with one open side, and a powerful fan at the top that points OUTSIDE. Sometimes the open side has a closable door, for professional setups this is often roll-up, like on a warehouse loading dock, but smaller.

Note it only does you any good if the fan isn't blowing into the room you're sitting in. Since most houses have a similar, weaker unit over the stove, you can build a portable one that sits on your stovetop, and vents out the hole. You can also use A/C vent tubes and run to a window if you want, just make sure it's venting OUT. Fan placement is typically best on top, or at the top in the rear, as these things tend to float up in the air.

Yup. That's what I would have said if the kids weren't running wild.