Scrub in various motions back and forth as if you are brushing your teeth. You also need to use the right products to ensure they stick well to plastic without bubbling or peeling off after application. I will also use paint thinner to soften paint buildup around detailed areas keeping in mind that you do not want to ruin the plastic. In that case, you want to get a scraper, knife, or a razor blade, and start scraping the paint off. It's a Tamiya motorcycle kit and I spray painted the pieces which went on too thick. Glueing the parts together. It is a tricky task to remove paint from plastic. When striving to remove the decals, remain aware of potential damage you can cause to the surface sporting the decal; take it off the wrong way, and you can cause serious damage to the vehicle. This is to avoid scratching or damaging the surface while you are trying to remove the paint. Normally I let them soak overnight, but depending on the type of paint and how long the paint has had to cure, sometimes it only takes an hour or so. How to Remove Paint from Metal and Plastic Models with Dettol. I will cut the sandpaper into very small pieces and hold them or glue them to wooden "tools" to get into small places. Spray painting plastic is a burdensome task, but not as burdensome as trying to remove the same paint from the material.Plastic, unlike ceramic, wood, or metal, needs to be given more attention, so it will not break. Thursday, October 4, 2007. This is the safest way to get the paint off plastic, and it works best if the paint hasn't set on the surface for too long. Model building is serious endeavor for many hobbyists and avid modelers are frequently adverse to chrome plating on model parts because it looks unrealistic and cannot be glued to other parts with traditional modeler’s plastic cement. A plastic model kit is a scale model that consists of unassembled plastic parts, and is available in “snap-together” form or for assembly using plastic glue. The preparation phase is one of the most important parts of the job if you want the paint to last. There are solvents out there that will easily damage or even melt plastic, so make sure to use plastic-safe paint removal products or methods like these.. Do not use anything to dry the parts -- leave them to dry naturally with air contact. Hi everyone, I've wanted to repaint some of my figures for a while now as I painted them pretty badly, but I also have some old Warhammer 40k figures (that were given as a gift) that I want to strip the paint off. To make your model you’ll need a special plastic glue. Lorddrake. Use a paint scraper or a putty knife to remove the existing paint from the plastic item. Building plastic models is a hobby that is enjoyed by millions of people for decades and model paint is an unfortunate circumstance of the hobby. Next, take the plastic bristle brush and apply more force than the prior brush. the thing is, most places only mention acrylic paints, so i dunno if these have any effect on them. You can, however, successfully remove paint from plastic using several safer methods. I Would like to remove the old paint and use an air brush this time. All about plastic model kits, decals and paints! Starting with primer. Each has pros and cons. We recommend our Contacta Professional liquid glue. Author Message Subject: Advert. Don't drink the liqueur when finished stripping. Boiling water and detergent. These range from metal (lead), metal fine cast of more recent LOTR models to plastic models. So Id like to remove the paint … Here are a few tips that will help you. While it may be easy to strip paint from metal, wood, or ceramic, plastic requires more careful attention to keep the material intact. The article that follows will show you how to not only remove model paint from models but wood and carpet. There comes a time in every hobbyist's life when he looks at his painted and thinks "I really want to start over." Brake fluid can serve as an acceptable alternative to paint stripper for removing paint from small metal or plastic objects. You only want to try this if the paint is thick and has hardened so much that most solvents will not work. In some cases, a razor blade can be an appropriate tool for dried and thick acrylic paint. I assume it's styrene plastic. Boil it in a mixture of water with a few scoops of Tide in it. Next, scrape the straight edge across the paint, continuing until all of the paint is gone. Depending on how much you have to do, Goof-Off may be a better option. Believe it or not, it’s possible to remove paint from plastic and metal toys and models, using household items, easily and inexpensively. Remove paint from plastic by soaking My favorite method to remove paint from small plastic items is to soak it in a purple cleaner like Super Clean . Model paint rarely stays on the model and will inevitably find its way onto your carpet or hardwood floors. Other removers are only partially safe for PS - sure they remove the paint but plastic becomes discoloured, brittle or swollen, contact time is limited. The only problem is it's so darn hard! This also works on many plastic models but test the plastic first so you don't end up with Steve McQueen's Blob. 5. Anyone know a good way to remove enamel paint from a plastic model? Scrape off the paint gently and avoid putting too much pressure on it. In addition to plastic, this model includes resin pieces (white) and photoetched metal (gold). Remember, sharing knowledge only helps you improve it. Then start the uneven paint removal with a rough grit sanding being very careful not to sand into any plastic detail of your model. 0. Purple cleaners are probably the most cost-effective, known-safe way to remove paint from plastic models. How to remove paint from plastic models . How to Remove Decals From Any Metal, Plastic, or Painted Surface by Allen Moore . The longer the exposure the greater the damage. Step 1 – Use a Paint Scraper Reply Upvote. Times and dates in your local timezone. For metal, the paint will come right off in globs. This would likely also work to remove the paint from any plastic model that had been printed from a 3D printer and painted. » Order side cutter . Model glue is basically super glue that can bond wood and plastic variety models. Step 1 Dip the cotton swab or cotton square into the acetone-based fingernail polish remover. Rio Grande Dan . All of them are effective. A guy was trying to remove paint from a plastic Hot Toys Boba Fett helmet. Enamels can achieve an airbrushed effect, but they are toxic, so they must be used in well-ventilated areas. Plastic model kits are replicas of various subjects, ranging from military (aircraft, ships, tanks) to science fiction (Star Wars, Star Trek, space), from model cars and trucks to figure models. Model kits reviews and a lot of intersting information! These solvents will obviously work for spray paint on other surfaces. Limiting contact time doesn't work as we want do clean thoroughly and leave out as little paint as possible. Have you ever painted a model and did not like the look of the paint or maybe you have an old model you would like to redo but dont know how to go about it. This removes all traces of molding agents used in the plastic injection process. This might have been posted before, did not find a thread though. Help with removing paint from Warhammer figures [plastic and metal]. Before you start painting, all parts must be washed with water and detergent, the same type as used for dishes. Many modelers forgo primer in favor of applying as little paint as possible to preserve engraved details such as panel lines and hatches. Acetone is an ingredient that is well known for breaking most bonding agents such as model glue and rubber cement. Share +1 0. Experienced painters know you should go to the bare metal or plastic and start over for the best results. I will take you through three of the best methods I know of stripping paint on your used or badly painted models. To remove paint from a contoured plastic surface like a chair, use a razor blade in the manner described above. Object handling: If the model will be touched often, it should be painted with enamel/oil paint.Acrylic paint will need special sealers to allow for repeated handling. The coat is sloppy though, too thick, and on some minis I have some strange coagulation effects. I have some minis basecoated with Citadel Skull White Paint (comes in a spray can). Tweet 0. i need to strip an enamel based paint (krylon) off some plastic models and figures and i've narrowed it down to easy off, castrol clean, and brake fluid based on research from dr. faust and other sites. Painting & Modeling. Acrylics dry fast and are non-toxic, but they can leave brushstroke marks. Sometimes a small plastic residue needs to be removed with a knife or file for the parts to fit perfectly. Just finished stripping paint off a model car someone painted purple. Login or register to post comments + + Fri, 2011-01-21 19:26 — MarcFo45 (not verified) Cheap Brake fluid. P.S. Dan. Brake fluid is commonly used in the wargaming and modeling community by modelers looking to remove an old paint job in preparation for a new one. If there are any doubts or query on how to remove paint from the plastic surface or any topic in general, contact us through our comment section and we will get in contact with you as soon as possible. To paint plastic models, you should use either acrylic or enamel paint. To remove dried paint from plastic, start by applying some rubbing alcohol to the paint, which will help loosen it so it's easier to scrape off. Now, if you’d like to remove it for cleaning and/or to paint it, it’s possible to remove it. I told him that was acetone and it would damage the plastic, so he asked me if there was any way to safely remove paint from plastic. Sanding away the plating is time consuming and will leave the plastic underneath scratched. Automotive decals range from factory pin striping and model designation to political bumper stickers or other decals that declare your personal interests or modifications to the vehicle. 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. This way, you won’t do any damage to the plastic itself. Also, share the article to spread the information as it may also come in handy to your friends or family. He used "nail polish remover" to remove the paint and of course it dissolved some of the plastic. Paint Scraper; Again, before we start, this is not the ideal method. You paint a model badly or glue a part in the wrong place or just buy a used model that you want to repaint to fit your scheme. This paint can be removed without damaging the plastic as we will see later. Try Soap and Water First When dealing with unwanted paint on plastic, the first removal method you try should be soapy water. If the model you want to strip is made of metal, there’s one very cheap, simple way to remove paint from it. 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