Model Stripping, Part 2

Ok, my friends, prepare yourselves. This one is going to be long. But I've had so many great suggetions and questions about Model Stripping, that I went to work and did some serious research. And boy, have I got the pictures to prove it.

Simple Green seems to be the go-to favorite for removing paint in the tabletop world. So after striking out several times, I finally was able to snag some at my local Ace Hardware. My first thought is, ounce for ounce, this stuff is way more expensive than nail polish remover. But, maybe it is awesome and worth it. So I gathered my tools.

I had questions about what type of wire brush I use. I have to admit, this is just one that was lying around in a tool kit. No exciting hunt for the perfect tool. I found that my old electric toothbrush, which has been recommissioned for cleaning, just wasn't doing the job scraping off the soft paint. So I dug out this brush.

The first test I did was to comletely submerge a figure in each liquid for 2 minutes. ***Note: All tests were done using plastic models with acrylic paint.***

The white figure was soaked in Simple Green, the yellow in nail polish remover.

After 2 minutes, each was removed.

 

 

 

 Here are the results, after a little work with the wire brush, with no additional soaking.

 

 

 

And after adding some more polish remover and Simple Green, respectively, using Q-tips.

 

 

Now I could have removed more paint, but they are going to be repainted, and I was just plain getting tired, and didn't want to use anymore elbow grease. Details are a bit more difficult to get into. This is when I use the fine-point tweezers. They are great at digging out paint from small creases. Notice, the model soaked in the Simple Green had a bit of an issue with glue coming off.

 

Next test: longer soaking in a sealed container. Now, I had only planned on doing this test with the Simple Green. I know that there is a point that polish remover will melt the plastic, and I don't suggest soaking plastic models in it for more than a few minutes. But Nate encouraged me to try it, and even picked out a model to sacrifice, errr, test.

 

 

 

 

I sealed this guy up for 2 hours.

 

 

And this is how he looked, after a little work with the wire brush. He went back in the bath for another 2 hours.

 

 

 

Next, I sealed up this guy in nail polish remover for 2 hours.

 

 

And here he is, after a little time with the wire brush. While he had no issues with melting, I still don't suggest soaking plastic guys in polish remover. It is all great and dandy, until you find your rare model has turned into a pile of goo.

 

 

Finally, here is our Simple Green guy, after soaking for 4 hours. Now keep in mind, at this point it was 11 P.M. and I was tired. I could have gotten more paint off, but again, I didn't feel like killing my hands, scraping paint with a pair of tweezers. The paint that is left is mostly in creases that are hard to reach with anything bigger than a toothpick.

 

 

So my conclusion? Both the Simple Green and the nail polish remover pretty much did the same job. Neither melted or softened the plastic. I used the wire brush on every single figure tested, and had no issues with scratching. The paint came off just as easily with both. I did have 2 guys lose some glued parts with the Simple Green. This didn't happen with the nail polish remover with this test, but it has happened to me before. My only complaint was the Simple Green was harder to find and waaaay more expensive. But which ever way you decide to go, you will be able to fix those horrible painted figures you bought from that guy who was selling his old Eldar army...

 

I hope I answered some of your questions! I love comments, so let me know what you think.



 

 



Model Stripping

Girlfriend here. And while the title might sound naughty, I'll just be talking about stripping paint. Sorry.

So what I am about to say may be a little controversial. When I have talked about using nail polish remover WITH Acetone to remove paint before, I got all kinds of negative feedback. It melts plastic!! But trust me. I'm a girl. I've been painting my nails, including the fake, plastic kind, since I was capable of holding the brush. (I also painted my first vanity with nail polish - my parents weren't thrilled.) And my nails have never fallen off, the plastic ones have never melted. I have removed color from the carpet before. Again, my parents weren't thrilled.

That being said, there are some high-content Acetone nail polish removers out there. I do recommend using nail polish remover with it, but do a test first. Just throw a little paint on some sprue and see how it reacts.



I like the cheap kind

Supplies you will need:

• nail polish remover
• a cup you will never use again
• q-tips
• wire brush

I have also used pointed-tip tweezers to get the paint in tight areas. Please ask your girl before using hers. She may be upset if her skin burns the next time she goes to pluck her eyebrows.

If you are trying to remove paint from a metal model, great! Just soak that bad boy in a cup full of remover. It doesn't take more than a few minutes for the paint to soften, but if you forget about it, nothing will be hurt. It will likely remove the glue, however! I've found this is much more common with metal models than plastic.

Just a few minutes in the polish remover

If you are trying to remove the paint from a plastic model, I do recommend doing a test (see above). I have not had an issue with the remover softening the plastic to the point that it was an issue using a wire brush. I HAVE had a piece melt some after SOMEONE put it in the polish remover without letting me know first. I won't mention any names.... but it only affected the shoulderpads a little. It is a good idea to do this near a sink, so you can rinse the polish off quickly if needed. While I have soaked plastic models, I don't suggest it. Q-tips come in very handy here. You can also dip the model, use the wire brush, then rinse, and repeat. This way the model isn't affected by the remover for long.

I have not tested a resin model with the remover. I don't know if it is affected by the remover any differently than the plastic. Feel free to comment below if you have tried it! I will update you when I get a chance to try it myself.

I do reuse the remover I soak the models in. Just pour it back in the bottle, and save it for next time!

OTHER USES FOR NAIL POLISH REMOVER:

It is great for cleaning synthetic brushes! Just make sure to rinse them after and let them dry flat, so the bristles can return to their normal position and don't fray.

It is wonderful for cleaning airbrushes! I have unclogged Nate's airbrush more times than I can count. Just don't spray it through - remover is flammable, and not great to breathe in. Just like the metal models, take it apart, soak in the polish remover, and use q-tips or pipe cleaners as needed.


***I always forget to take "before" pictures of the models I strip. Next time I do it, I will add some before and after pictures!***