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So I've found a deal for 12 Warriors of Chaos and 5 Chaos Knights for a very low price.
They are already made, painted and based however. So I'm wondering: is there any successful way to ENTIRELY strip a model - Paint and basing materials - without damaging the model?
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2013/11/04 03:34:49
If the basing was glued on with white glue it can be dissolved with water.
If it was done with super glue you will need CA glue solvent (which I think also melts plastic).
If it was done with epoxy you're screwed.
I've never had the basing not come off when I strip with Castrol Super Clean but it's always been white glue for me with used models.
I've never stripped a model before, but I've heard that all you need to do is shove them in a container of stripped - so metho and such - then scrub them afterwards with a scrub brush. Will this be effective at removing both the paint and the basing if its been plastic glued/super glued?
I'd like to order it myself, but would probably be expensive, so I won't bother. One of my friends stripped some second-hand models recently, I'll ask him what he used.
Also I've heard Dettol is good, but stinks and when mixed with water in an absolute nightmare to remove the paint.
I'm not sure what products are available in Australia but the super clean/purple power we have in the US will weaken superglue bonds, making them extremely brittle and making it easier to detatch anything done with superglue. Also eats through anything but gloss enamels with ease. These are both an engine degreaser that does not harm plastic. I've personally left models in it for months with no problems.
I'm sure there's something similar to the regular stripping agents used in the US or UK. But if you're having trouble just grab some high % alcohol (91% isopropyl is easy to find in drug stores here, or denatured alcohol from the paint stripping section). Both of these have worked for me to remove even gloss enamel down to bare plastic in a few minutes with no harm to plastic. (I left a whole tank soaking in it for 3+ hours) the key tonstripping with these is to dip your toothbrush/scrubber in the alcohol, then attack the model. Soaking doesn't seem to do much. But when you dip, scrub, dip, scrub, the paint just starts to come right off.
Again, I'm sure there's equivalent stripping agents out there that I don't know about but don't forget that you can fall back to alcohol and some scrubbing in a pinch.
I used brown dettol - soak them for a couple of hours (or a few) and scrub the paint off with an old toothbrush. Some people recommend stuff called simple green, but I couldn't find it near me, so dettol it was.
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Dheneb wrote: I used brown dettol - soak them for a couple of hours (or a few) and scrub the paint off with an old toothbrush. Some people recommend stuff called simple green, but I couldn't find it near me, so dettol it was.
Go to a Bunnings Warehouse.
Find the industrial cleaners isle. Some Bunnings put both the household cleaners and industrial cleaners together, some put them in separate isles.
Look for this...
Spoiler:
It should set you back about 20-25 dollars.
To use it just dump some in a sealable container and chuck your models in there for a couple of days. Scrub them with an old toothbrush and they'll come clean nice and easy. The longer you let them soak the easier it will be to strip them.
I suppose the real issue is finding something that is easily available in your location. If you have to order from abroad then I would recommend this stuff: Biostrip . Biostrip will remove anything, usually in under an hour. but I have also left plastic genestealers soaking in a jar of it for days, and they didn't even need scrubbing after. 100 ml isn't very much sadly, but it would probably be enough to strip what you have bought. Because it is thick like yogurt you don't need to submerge models, you can just paint it on.
Stripping bases can be a bit hit or miss. I usually just snap them off and replace them.
This message was edited 4 times. Last update was at 2013/11/04 07:30:09
Recently had amazing results with carlube synthetic brake fluid dot4 completely stripped some of my really old models and even loosened up poly cemented joints
Go to a Bunnings Warehouse.
Find the industrial cleaners isle. Some Bunnings put both the household cleaners and industrial cleaners together, some put them in separate isles.
Look for this...
It should set you back about 20-25 dollars.
To use it just dump some in a sealable container and chuck your models in there for a couple of days. Scrub them with an old toothbrush and they'll come clean nice and easy. The longer you let them soak the easier it will be to strip them.
Thanks so much Snrub. I will be doing this as soon as I purchase these models.
I've heard that Biostrip (what Smacks suggested) works wonders but I've never been able to find any locally and ordering it from over seas costs a mint.
Another option readily available is brake fluid. You need a specific type though and I can't remember what kind. No doubt though Chromedog will pop his head in at some point and give you the right of it.
I tried to use ordinary paint thinner. Didn't take any paint off the actual model but it did melt the base into a squishy blob...
Any UK suggestions that are known to work?
I'm using some second hand models that were painted then sprayed again and I don't want to lose anymore detail so I'd rather strip them before painting if it can be done..
If the models are metal, acetone is a good option. Soak them overnight, then toss for 15 mins in an ultrasonic cleaner, or a good scrub with an electric toothbrush.
If the models are plastic or resin, as somebody pointed out, concentrate of Simple Green works quite well. Again, you'd probably need to scrub the models out after an overnight soak.
A lot of folks swear by the brow Dettol, including the GW Bunker Sydney guys, but I've used that stuff, and it just turns the paint sticky after a week of soaking. It didn't actually strip any paint.
Therefore, I'd advise against it.
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2013/11/04 12:31:02
My friend has left models in there for days and then all they need is a scrub and they are done. That's using Dettol by the way. I guess it depends on the paint used and the kind of Dettol. Each to his own though. I'm checking out simple green.
70% isopropyl rubbing alcohol. Relatively cheap, can be purchased anywhere, strips cleanly, is safe and easily disposable, and strips extremely quickly.
There is honestly no reason to be using any other stripper unless you're trying to save pennies or trying to strip an extra tough model that was painted with enamels and lacquers.
Snrub wrote: I've tried that isopropyl alcohol before and it didn't do squat. How long are you supposed to leave them in the isopropyl?
I find that with 99% isopropyl alcohol, all citadel acrylics kind of start dissolving within seconds. There is no soak time for me. I drop a model in, put on some gloves, grab a brush and scrub away (i like to use a stiff bristled paint brush or an old tooth brush.. combo of the two) and the model is clean in about 5 minutes tops. Then I blow it dry with compressed air from my airbrush compressor, and at that point its ready to paint again.
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Snrub wrote: I've tried that isopropyl alcohol before and it didn't do squat. How long are you supposed to leave them in the isopropyl?
Soaking doesn't do a lot with Alcohol. I let a model soak for 4 hours and it wasn't any better than just dipping the toothbrush in alcohol and going to town.
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