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I've spent a lot of time looking around for different methods of striping paint off of minis and every guide I see does a good job of making their method look great, and as a result, they all look great. Does the method one uses for stripping paint on lots of models depend entirely on personal preference, or am I missing something?

Personal preference, availability of the materials required, tolerance of any smells generated, trade off between the effort required against time required to soak.

For me metal models get cheap acetone nail varnish remover, left soaking for a few days (typically until I remember them), cleaned then into fresh acetone for a second bath. Takes all week but also takes very little effort.

For plastic I have a plastic safe paint and varnish stripper, models get a 24 hour dunk, then a scrub.


These days though not using GW models as much, and other makes tend to be cheap enough I just buy more of them and save the time and effort.

Guess its personal, you find something that works and stick with it. Yoof swears by detol, I can't stand the smell of it

Detol: works slowly but will stink forever
Isopropyl alcohol: works pretty well
Dot3 brake fluid: works amazingly but is horrid to deal with

kb_lock wrote:
Detol: works slowly but will stink forever
Isopropyl alcohol: works pretty well
Dot3 brake fluid: works amazingly but is horrid to deal with

Agree with the first two - and DO NOT add ANY water to the dettol or your paint will just sludge up.

For #3, 3when it comes to disposal, it will vary. Whilst it's true that you shouldn't just pour this stuff down the sink (not that I have) - I have quite a few mechanics in my street, and all of them have allowed me to dispose of the expired stuff (I filter the paint out of it and reuse it until it stops working) in their disposal drums. It's no harder for me to dispose of than dettol.

Dettol - works but stink and water problems make it too annoying.

fairy power spray - worked alright (dawn power dissolver in usa)

ispropyl alcohol 99% pure - no need to use anything else for me. Removes everything I paint with really quick and easy. And plastic is safe in it for months at a time. (will soften resins)

...i dont have a good way to strip resin. anyone else?