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.

Hey all,

I've been thinking about possibly stripping some models, but the thing is that most of these models used non toxic plastic cement (the Testors one that comes in a blue tube) so I'm not entirely sure how stripping paint will work with these. I've got some tanks and some infantry that I may strip. Any ideas? Thanks.

Plastic cement melt and fuses the plastic joints. Try isopropyl alcohol 91%, put squads in plastic sandwich bags with small holes poke through, thus let the alcohol in but keep all the bits together. I use a used plastic ice cream bucket with lid to soak my models in, you will need the lid as the isopropyl evaporate quickly. Soak models for 30 minutes, then scrub away carefully with old toothbrush.

Well non toxic cement I've heard doesn't work very well with means of stripping paint as it doesn't melt and fuse the parts. I could be wrong.

 deltaKshatriya wrote:
Well non toxic cement I've heard doesn't work very well with means of stripping paint as it doesn't melt and fuse the parts. I could be wrong.

I've left enough finger prints in the plastic using Testors Non-Toxic to tell you it does melt and fuse the plastic.

Non toxic just means it contains Limonene or Delimonene, which melts plastic, but doesn't give off the solvent fumes.
Same reason lemon surface sprays will turn the plastic on your plane canopies cloudy if you wash down with those.

So could I use something like simple green (I believe that's what it's called) to strip the paint without having stuff falling apart completely?

You could use isopropyl alcohol, Dettol, or check if SG still works in this way.

Purple Power or Super Clean are my go to stripping agents. If they used any poly cement, you should be fine.

Plastic cement melts plastic together. its what it does.

you might get away with snapping them apart with some gentle force.

as for it gooping on the sides for you to remove, you are going to be stuck sanding filing or cutting it away with a knife.

I have restored some model cars glued with that stuff. It does soften the plastic, so you will have some sanding and putty work ahead of you if they were sloppily done. I would try alcohol for stripping the paint and not worry about whether the figure comes apart or not. Deal with that issue separately.

If you are trying to keep the model together, disregard the rest of this post. If you want to disassemble parts of the model to make it easier to paint, and to repose, read on. I like to take apart at least some of my restorations, just to reach everything for a neater paint job and to repose a bit. Also, if you have a lot of cleanup around sloppy joints, it can be easier to sand and clean the parts separately, and reattach with CA glue. (I wouldn't try regular plastic cement on a joint that was originally glued with the non toxic stuff, as the plastic is already mixed with the first cement. It can do funny things)

One trick we used to get model cars apart was placing them in a freezer. First, we would just put the model in the freezer in a bag. Sometimes the different contraction rates of the plastic and the glue would be enough to weaken the joints. Then we could gently work the parts back and forth until they came apart. The more violent method, is to wet things a bit in the joints and freeze it again. Water will get in the cracks and expand when frozen, gently pushing the pieces apart. (Sometimes not so gently, though) You need to be careful with this method and be ready for something to break or bulge where you didn't expect it to. Start with brushing a little water into the joints and freezing. Then keep trying with more water until something gives. Don't just throw the model into a baggie full of water and freeze it the first time. You will give yourself unnecessary repairs.

Good luck