removing paint, need your help!!!!

[joescalise]

I bought some figs off of Ebay and he said he used GW ultramarine blue and that is it. No way that is true, i tried soaking them in water and then taking a tooth brush to them and nothing. I tried nail polish remover and nothing. I soaked them in paint thiner and nothing.

If you have any idea's please help.


thank you.

[Lord Azaghul]

Simple Green, or Break Fluid.

Soaks for 24-48 hours if that paints really tough. Doesn't damage the models

[sukigod]

I second Lord Asaghul. Simple Green or break fluid. If that doesn't work, it might be enamel. Then use high strength pine cleaner with pine oil in it.

[joescalise]

Hello

thank you for the help, which simple green should i use?

[weeble1000]

I've been having a terrible time trying to strip paint off of some old metal guard models. I've been using Simple Green and most of the paint came off when scrubbed with a tooth brush, but there's still a lot in the cracks and crevices and some that just won't come off at all. I've soaked some of the models twice now for more than 48 hours and there's still paint on them that I can't get off.

I think I might have been soaking too many at a time, so I'm going to try soaking them in Dixie cups with 3-4 models per cup. The frustrating thing is that some of the models cleaned up very nicely and the paint just kind of fell off under water.

I don't know if I'm being too anal about getting all of the paint off, but I'm worried that any new paint on those areas might flake off later.

[Lord Azaghul]

The standard 'Simple Green' all purpose seems to do the job just great.

weeble: you may also be dealing with primer - that IS harderd to get to come up.

I have used safety pins to carefully pull out some of the paint in the cracks, but you don't want to scratch the model. Also using a good stiff brissle brush can be a life saver, softer brissled tooth brushed don't seem to get into the deep/small cracks.

[Rafe_131]

@ Weeble

For your metal models, use break cleaner in an areosol *spl?* can. Just make sure you take the base off the model first!!!!! The brake cleaner in a can shoots out with a surprising amount of pressure, which will blow the paint out of the cracks and crevices. It's a bit pricey, usually costing $5-$10 per can, so only use it after you've soaked the models and gotten the majority of the paint off.

[catalyst2]

50:50 Dettol:Water plus a scrub with a soft toothbrush - seems to strip anything off that I've come across so far and doesn't damage the figures, whether plastic or metal. Mind you, I've never tried it on resin or left anything soaking for more than two hours at a time.

Bonus? Fresh pine-scented army for weeks to come! :-)

[TSINI]

good thread guys, i'm considering re-painting my valhallans and wasnt sure the best way to get the old paintjob off.

so am i getting this right,


remove bases
place models in bowls or tins
pour on brake oil
leave to soak for x hours
take out models and wash under water?


or is there a lot more to it than that?

also, having never handled brake fluid, do you have to wear gloves or anything?

[Lord Azaghul]

Actually you can leave the bases on. Break fluid doesn't damage the plastic.

I've never used brake fluid, but as far as I know it shouldn't hurt your skin BUT it wouldn't hurt to do a little research first!

[Rafe_131]

Brake fluid won't hurt your hands any. Just make sure you wash it off when you're done.

[sukigod]

Hello

thank you for the help, which simple green should i use?

You can use any version out there - I usually use the standard "green" stuff.


I've been having a terrible time trying to strip paint off of some old metal guard models. I've been using Simple Green and most of the paint came off when scrubbed with a tooth brush, but there's still a lot in the cracks and crevices and some that just won't come off at all. I've soaked some of the models twice now for more than 48 hours and there's still paint on them that I can't get off.

I don't know if I'm being too anal about getting all of the paint off, but I'm worried that any new paint on those areas might flake off later.

You might need to leave them in for longer - much longer. I've left models (40+ orks at a time) in this stuff for two weeks without harming the models - plastic or metals. Sometimes the primer in the deepest crevices will keep a small amount of paint stuck to the model, it's usually alright assuming you'll be priming over that anyway.

The worry about paint flaking off in these deep areas is negligible. I'd only be concerned if it was sticking to the higher and outermost parts where you would normaly handle the model by.

Good luck to all in stripping your models!

[Andrew]

Break fluid is aquascopic so it will pull the moisture out of your hands and dry them out if you handle it a lot. Break cleaner will dry out your hands a lot faster and if you use a ton and I mean a ton and you do it for three or four days in a row they could dry out so bad that they crack and bleed. You will find out if you have any cuts on your hands if you use the break cleaner. Normal contact you have nothing to worry about though with either of them. I actually used some 15 minute paint stripper on some pewter and that really got the paint off really quickly. What every you do, [B]do not[B] get it on your hands for even a second. Use chemically resistant gloves and wash the model with soap and water before you touch it. You will not feel the burn right away but in a minute your hands will feel like they are on fire. Again I stress extreme caution if you use the paint stripper.

[Rafe_131]

What every you do, [B]do not[B] get it on your hands for even a second. Use chemically resistant gloves and wash the model with soap and water before you touch it. You will not feel the burn right away but in a minute your hands will feel like they are on fire. Again I stress extreme caution if you use the paint stripper.

This is exactly why I shy away from paint stripper....I learnt this lesson the hard way.

[bonswizzle]

If you're in the UK (not sure if it's available in the US) I wholeheartedly recommend Fairy Power Spray. Stuck models in a plastic tub, bases and all, with a thick coat of paint and varnish. Sprayed with a coat of Fairy Power Spray, left for two hours.

The paint fell off to bare metal and plastic (plastics were sometimes left with a light undercoat) and with a light toothbrush scrub under a tap I was left with models that looked like they'd come straight out the blister.

Incredible, and strongly recommended, but like I said, not sure about availability outside the UK.

[TSINI]

If you're in the UK (not sure if it's available in the US) I wholeheartedly recommend Fairy Power Spray. Stuck models in a plastic tub, bases and all, with a thick coat of paint and varnish. Sprayed with a coat of Fairy Power Spray, left for two hours.

The paint fell off to bare metal and plastic (plastics were sometimes left with a light undercoat) and with a light toothbrush scrub under a tap I was left with models that looked like they'd come straight out the blister.

Incredible, and strongly recommended, but like I said, not sure about availability outside the UK.

Excellent, this is the kind of thing i was looking for, easy and "car fluid" free

Thanks mate!!

[Lykum]

You can use any version out there - I usually use the standard "green" stuff.

You might need to leave them in for longer - much longer. I've left models (40+ orks at a time) in this stuff for two weeks without harming the models - plastic or metals.

I would agree with this. I'll usually leave them in for a week. After that, even primer comes off without much problem. Soak for a week, scrub with a toothbrush, and if it doesn't all come off, let it soak some more.

[Azrael71]

I use staright spray and wipe for plastics put them in a small tub for 15 minutes to 30 minutes use toothbrush paint comes off as for metal i use pure acetone for metal which takes the paint off withing 5 minutes.

hope that helps somke people out there

azrael 71

[Ugly74]

Im a little bit spoiled when it comes to repainting metal figures ... access to a small low pressure sand/bead blaster is a god send! It cleans the paint off beautifully.. just make sure you dont have the pressure up too high or hold the model too close to the nozzle ... then it can go a lil pear shaped...