Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

Hi i got some metal minis and want to know if anyone has used sand blasting to clean up metal minis (after removing flashing ect) or for striping paint off. I have one at work we use to clean barrels up before they get reblacked and for cleaning rust off parts, so i would assume it would also clean the hard to reach parts in some models. Some examples i have are ghazgul thraka, barukk and some judge dredd minis.

Rust is on steel and iron though. hard metal.

Miniatures often use softer lower temp melting metals.

very true lol I see your point, i was thinking if i did short blasts and keeping a distance from the mini. Pressure can be adjusted too, may give it a goa report back.

Not sure about the specifics, like if it requires different equipment than standard sandblasting, but I know baking soda is sometimes used in blasters to clean more delicate stuff like fibreglass. May be an option on softer metals.

It would strip paint off great, but I suspect it would also rip off a lot of surface detail.

But as hungryp says, some sand blasters can use other blasting materials, so that might be worth a try.

Try it out on an old mini and let us know? This is a piece of equipment I doubt most hobbyists have access though, lol

Several years ago I knew a guy who used a sandblaster for paint stripping. It worked great, but it also softened the detail slightly.

I have a sand blaster, but never even considered using it on a metal model. Its going to trash the model, even using a very fine grit, which is not likely to be in use in a barrel blasting set up.

Soda might work.

T

Thanks for the replies im going to try ghazguls body and a JDMG riot judge will do some before and after pics.

The results are in.
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/6sbf2j3ktfuzfnv/AADJ-Td3trPFmyDemNdJBoYYa?dl=0

in conclusion the larger bulkier model stripped easily. the smaller model was more difficult to remove trying to keep the e edges ( the riot judge was not cast as well as another i have).

If you're in the UK, just use Fairy Power Spray!!!