citristrip

[db1995]

get citristrip from walmart smells like oranges and strips all layers of paint in 1 use took about 20 minutes for me and no harsh fumes also in an aerosol can about 8 bucks

[mrtc4w]

I saw that yesterday and wondered if anyone tried it. Did it do anything to the plastic? What type of paint did you strip off?

Marty
Marysville, OH

[db1995]

i shouldnt have posted this so soon it did soften the plastic so please delete

[customcruiserroy]

I found Simple Green does awesome! And it doesn't mess with your skin like the purple lake.

RSS

[15badcats]

Simple Green is good but you have to watch it I have had it soften plastic if left in it to long The only thing I've never had soften plastic is easy off

[Deleted]

They say Pinesol works well.....BUT I HAVE NOT TRIED IT YET!!! But will soon on a project.

[old school modeler]

There is a solvent which I haven't identified in its pure form but has a particular odor, you find it in many industrial cleaners, white board cleaner, and of course scalecoat paint stripper (expensive). You also find it in Westley's Bleche Wite tire cleaner which is the cheapest way to get the volume you need to do the job. I have found industrial cleaners which also have the same scent and work just as well, but they seem to come and go. Of all the other things which have also been discussed on this board in the past, (brake fluid, oven cleaner, others) the solvent in Westley's and Scalecoat is the only thing I have found that works well.

I use a Tupperware celery container which has a snap on lid, a convenient removable grate and is the right size for model bodies and parts together.

Almost always the active solvent is mixed with very strong detergents which remove oils and grease so you should avoid contact with your skin, dries it out like crazy, use gloves. I use a stiff synthetic bristle brush (denture brush works well) to clean the paint off with warm water after soaking.

Results will vary by paint application, paints that have weak bonds to the plastic come off fairly easily, like acrylics and enamels. Lacquer paints have much more molecular adhesion to the styrene and become permanently bonded, you only really get them off by sanding. Soaking can remove top layers and bleach out some of the color but most lacquers are staying until physically removed.

Plastic softening can be a byproduct of most paint removal techniques, varies by plastic and amount of time spent in the soak. The plastic has components that determine its finished properties and often the paint stripper is changing the bond on these materials, this can result in brittle plastic or softer, more pliable plastic. I tried this on a 50's plastic once and it turned completely rubbery overnight, it re-hardended but only to a fraction of its former hardness and was distorted in places as some of the set from the mold which was under tension was released. I have also had plastic turn very brittle with extended submersion in the stripper. Do your removal in stages a few hours at at time, checking the paint as you go or if you have additional parts try the small ones first, alternatively just dip a partial part to try it out.