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I read that you should soak FW resin parts in soapy water and scrub with a toothbrush. I was wondering if using a degreaser would work better like Simple Green or LA's Total Awesome. Would it work? Thank you.

My original post just got eaten by some new Tyranid bug or something...

Rule of Thumb: If it will strip paint, then it will damage plastic or resin

Forge World uses a mold release agent every time they cast a model to prevent the model from sticking to the mold. It's like making muffins in a muffin pan. You have to coat the muffin pan with something to prevent the muffin batter from sticking to the mold. Otherwise, it ruins the muffins...mmmm....muffins....

If you don't clean the mold release agent off the models, you will have a hard time assembling them (the glue won't stick as well) and an even worse time painting them (the primer won't stick).

Commercial degreasers work on a chemical level to break down the chemical bonds on the surface of the item they are applied to. This is how they "dissolve" grease, paint, etc. Without trying the stuff out on a Forge World model, I can't tell you how it will react. I do know this- I have tried to strip a plastic mini overnight in Simple Green and came back the next day to a soupy, chunk filled mess. Do you really want to try that with an expensive Forge World model?
It's possible that a really, really cut down/mild solution of some degreaser would work, but...

Warm water with a little dish soap and a really soft toothbrush works. I prefer Dawn dish with a spring scent. Just don't scrub or you might break some of the smaller parts. Don't make the water too hot- soaking resin in hot water will soften the resin. That is how you fix bent resin parts- soak it under some really hot water, take it out, reshape it, then run cold water over it.

There might be a better way to get the mold release agent off a model, but I haven't found it or heard about it. I just chalk it up as one extra step in prepping resin mini's for painting. Oh, and for some reason, Forge World is just really, really bad with the amount of mold release agent they use.

I'm afraid your rule of thumb is incorrect. Simple Green is completely safe for plastic and resin. I currently have plastic Space Marines soaking in Simple Green that have been in there for weeks with no harm at all to the plastic.

Using a quick bath in Simple Green, and a scrub under water with a toothbrush is an excellent and safe way to strip off the mold release from ForgeWorld models.

 Todosi wrote:
I'm afraid your rule of thumb is incorrect. Simple Green is completely safe for plastic and resin. I currently have plastic Space Marines soaking in Simple Green that have been in there for weeks with no harm at all to the plastic.

Using a quick bath in Simple Green, and a scrub under water with a toothbrush is an excellent and safe way to strip off the mold release from ForgeWorld models.

Thank you. I use LA's Totally Awesome to strip paint and have never had an issue with damage to a plastic model.

Soapy water is a degreaser.

Maybe not strong enough to clean the engine on your car but lets hope your forge world models don't show up with that much grease.

I washed my titan in warm soapy water as directed and noticed several shinny parts on each piece. I dried them off and dumped them into a tub on LA's Totally Awesome over night and scrubbed them again. Still shinny.

So I'm gonna assemble them anyway and spray them with something that GW recommends. A guy mentioned it in a Youtube video but I don't know what the stuff is called. Supposedly you can spray an assembled model with the stuff and it will cover the parts where the release agent couldnt be removed and it will allow you to paint over it.

Does anyone know that name of it?

I just use soapy water and that always does the trick for me

I filled a sink with water and some handwash, then put the parts in and scrubbed them with a toothbrush.

Yeah, I've tried that and it still hasn't removed all of the release agent. That's why I'm looking into using the spray.

 Davespil wrote:
Yeah, I've tried that and it still hasn't removed all of the release agent. That's why I'm looking into using the spray.

If you can poke the shiny bits and leave a fingerprint, it means that the resin did not fully cure and you need to contact FW for a replacement part.

Let the parts breathe for a few days in the air and then wash it again.

 Davespil wrote:


So I'm gonna assemble them anyway and spray them with something that GW recommends. A guy mentioned it in a Youtube video but I don't know what the stuff is called. Supposedly you can spray an assembled model with the stuff and it will cover the parts where the release agent couldnt be removed and it will allow you to paint over it.

Does anyone know that name of it?

I've read elsewhere on this forum about people using spray matt varnish to seal resin, ready to be painted over. Still meaning to try it myself, though.

I've used simple green to clean resin for a couple of years now. Never lost a model.