Jump to content
 

Using IPA as a paint stripper or good alternatives ?


Recommended Posts

Thanks for all the replies. Another question - I've noticed on some recent Bachmann models the adhesive used to stick the glazing in is far stronger than what was used in the past. Will 10% diluted IPA affect/mark the glazing if left in place ? I've read somewhere that if a glazed bodyshell is placed in the freezer overnight, the glazing will come out more easily ?

Comments ........

 

TIA

Like you, I had trouble removing the glazing on the newer Bachmann 37 models due to a stronger adhesive they appear to be using these days.

An experienced modelling friend suggested I bag the body in a plastic bag and place in freezer for 30 minutes. I did this and immediately after removal from freezer popped the glazing out no problem.

John

Edited by JCClark
  • Informative/Useful 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...

Maybe a bit late to contribute to this, but I've found isopropyl alcohol completely removes the matt paint they use on Lima coaches very easily, i was in fact only wanting to remove the lettering but it strips the paint before it touches the printed on 'decals' which needed some further rubbing to get them all off...I now have a very clean black plastic  shell , ( it hasnt attacked the plastic btw)...as it happens its not too tragic as I was going to change the colour anyway!

I've got another wagon soaking overnight in Dot 4 brake fluid, the ipa wouldn't touch this one ( someone else's diy paint job, who knows what paint they used)

Edited by Porkscratching
Hadn't finished writing
Link to post
Share on other sites

I really should have read all this thread before I set to work.

 

Ive had a Bachmann peak body in a pint of Greene King since Christmas, and the paint hasn't budged. Now I know why

  • Funny 5
  • Friendly/supportive 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

Maybe you should try something with a bit more alcohol content!

The brake fluid is now kind of loosening  the black gungy paint that's been put on a gunpowder van I'm trying to clean up, probably an 'immerse it for a week' job but looks like it'll work, eventually...

Brake fluid certainly takes old vehicle paint off if you're a bit careless with the Gunsons Eezibleed, ask me how I know....

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 4 months later...
  • RMweb Gold

Friday night and theres a new stripper in town....

 

Its a gel - non toxic - brush on and leave. Lets see what happens to this paint finish - I cant say what the paint is, got the loco off ebay but we want to do a 3 piece fixed grille 2 tone green FYE loco vb loco - D1742, boiler port is correct

 

5 minute update - numbers have gone and paint is blistering

 

Phil

D1733.jpg

  • Like 3
  • Informative/Useful 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

On 22/12/2018 at 07:42, JCClark said:

Like you, I had trouble removing the glazing on the newer Bachmann 37 models due to a stronger adhesive they appear to be using these days.

An experienced modelling friend suggested I bag the body in a plastic bag and place in freezer for 30 minutes. I did this and immediately after removal from freezer popped the glazing out no problem.

John

 

Your "Freezer" tip worked well on most bodyshells I've tried, ( left overnight) but not for some reason on the Rep Edition 37 142......... some of the side windows broke before the glue let go - so left the cab ones and resorted to time consuming masking.....

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...
On 26/07/2019 at 22:27, Phil Bullock said:

Friday night and theres a new stripper in town....

 

Its a gel - non toxic - brush on and leave. Lets see what happens to this paint finish - I cant say what the paint is, got the loco off ebay but we want to do a 3 piece fixed grille 2 tone green FYE loco vb loco - D1742, boiler port is correct

 

5 minute update - numbers have gone and paint is blistering

 

Phil

D1733.jpg

Phil, have you ever repsrayed the fibreglass panel colour on one of those ?

ive just stripped a 47 and wonder what colour to use ? Any idea please 

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 3 years later...
  • RMweb Gold

I want to strip the factory applied paint and remove the glazing from a Bachmann class 37 bodyshell. Ideally one product will do both jobs, reading this thread suggests bathing the bodyshell in a bath of IPA should be effective. Does anyone have a better (no pun intended) solution? 

Link to post
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, young37215 said:

I want to strip the factory applied paint and remove the glazing from a Bachmann class 37 bodyshell. Ideally one product will do both jobs, reading this thread suggests bathing the bodyshell in a bath of IPA should be effective. Does anyone have a better (no pun intended) solution? 

I've never soaked any loco body in IPA without removing the glazing first , I have heard IPA doesn't affect glazing but I can tell you it won't remove glue , might be best to try something like a CA/Superglue debonder

  • Agree 1
  • Thanks 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Gold
19 hours ago, Steadfast said:

A few hours in the freezer will weaken superglue. The molecules expand making it easier to crack 

 

Jo

 

I left the bodyshell in a bag in the freezer for 3 hours this afternoon. On removal from the freezer nothing came apart or appeared loose in any way, glazing or the nose ends, suggesting that the glue is well and truly stuck!

 

Should I leave the bodyshell for a longer period? I am concerned that an overnight 12 hours or so will be damaging to it. 

Link to post
Share on other sites

40 minutes ago, young37215 said:

 

I left the bodyshell in a bag in the freezer for 3 hours this afternoon. On removal from the freezer nothing came apart or appeared loose in any way, glazing or the nose ends, suggesting that the glue is well and truly stuck!

 

Should I leave the bodyshell for a longer period? I am concerned that an overnight 12 hours or so will be damaging to it. 

I normally use a scalpel blade to work the glazing loose. On the inside of the body, work a blade between the flange of the glazing and the body, post freezing the glue holding this gap will break with a lot less force that without the freezer.

 

Gently get the tip into the gap between the glazing and the body and twist the blade gently to lever the parts apart. Don't force it, even the freezer has weakened the bond, it could still crack the plastic if you're too forceful.

 

I've left bodies in the freezer overnight before, and have also stripped in IPA with the glazing left attached, before masking before doing the spraying. I couldn't get the windscreen out of my Dapol HST so it stayed in for the IPA dunk.

 

Jo

Edited by Steadfast
  • Like 1
  • Thanks 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

I've used neat Dettol on all sorts of plastics without problems, although never on clear plastic. It shifts most paints, even Halford, Plastikote and other brands of spray paints. I recently used it to remove clear lacquer over silver and primer on a large vinyl C3PO I was improving. Took it back to the vinyl with out any issues. As other have said clean up can be messy. On smaller parts I put them in an ultrasonic bath to get the last of it off.

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...
  • RMweb Gold

 

37104 was 'toothbrushed' clean this morning having spent around 24 hours in IPA. After this I washed it clean with soap and water. The outcome confuses me, I had hoped/anticipated that there would be a single uniform colour of the base plastic with all paint removed. This is not the case, it appears that the base plastic is black and that not all of the paint has been removed. To the touch all areas of the bodyshell feel smooth and I wonder whether I need concern myself about the residual paint? Do I go down the road of a further IPA soaking or can I simply spray a primer on top to form the base for my re-spray? 

 

Any counsel greatfully received.

 

IMG_4362.JPG.d546b7e2b691f50b18860e568128deb1.JPG

 

IMG_4361.JPG.6f786737d14722c2ddecd97189156166.JPG

 

IMG_4360.JPG.29c41d71ae97f65fe020c1e7ec60c0da.JPG

   

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

5 minutes ago, young37215 said:

 

37104 was 'toothbrushed' clean this morning having spent around 24 hours in IPA. After this I washed it clean with soap and water. The outcome confuses me, I had hoped/anticipated that there would be a single uniform colour of the base plastic with all paint removed. This is not the case, it appears that the base plastic is black and that not all of the paint has been removed. To the touch all areas of the bodyshell feel smooth and I wonder whether I need concern myself about the residual paint? Do I go down the road of a further IPA soaking or can I simply spray a primer on top to form the base for my re-spray? 

 

Any counsel greatfully received.

 

IMG_4362.JPG.d546b7e2b691f50b18860e568128deb1.JPG

 

IMG_4361.JPG.6f786737d14722c2ddecd97189156166.JPG

 

IMG_4360.JPG.29c41d71ae97f65fe020c1e7ec60c0da.JPG

   

 

Soak again - it should all come off.

 

CJI.

  • Informative/Useful 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Gold

Lima locos of a certain age, ie the white/black era, need repeated dunks in DOT4, depending on how lucky you are, varying amounts of black will come off at each stage, but you will get there eventually.

Also, remember the efficacy of the liquid diminishes with each dunking.

 

20200920_122231.jpg.e646acba01a1f6593f70cc99cd8f0973.jpg

 

20200920_122244.jpg.66bd24d09fb3feecd3538d9e2d48c829.jpg

 

It can get annoying towards the end!

 

Mike.

Edited by Enterprisingwestern
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Gold

Thanks folks, the bodyshell is back in the IPA for another soak.

 

Does diluting the IPA have much effect? I ask because having disposed of some contaminated with paint, I only have sufficient to cover half of the body at a time. It is not a big deal to keep moving the bodyshell around so that all of it gets time in the IPA. I am thinking that if I add water so that the whole bodyshell is covered it may be more efficient? 

 

Yes, I know I need to buy some more IPA!  

Link to post
Share on other sites

24 minutes ago, young37215 said:

Thanks folks, the bodyshell is back in the IPA for another soak.

 

Does diluting the IPA have much effect? I ask because having disposed of some contaminated with paint, I only have sufficient to cover half of the body at a time. It is not a big deal to keep moving the bodyshell around so that all of it gets time in the IPA. I am thinking that if I add water so that the whole bodyshell is covered it may be more efficient? 

 

Yes, I know I need to buy some more IPA!  

 

With Lima models, my first port of call is always methylated spirits.

 

I can't vouch for it working on the later models but, on the earlier production, Lima paint ran a mile on even the smell of meths - literally, a swill in meths and all paint was gone!

 

CJI.

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Gold
1 hour ago, cctransuk said:

 

With Lima models, my first port of call is always methylated spirits.

 

I can't vouch for it working on the later models but, on the earlier production, Lima paint ran a mile on even the smell of meths - literally, a swill in meths and all paint was gone!

 

CJI.

 

Yet again, as it always is with Lima models, the constituents of the plastic are a moving feast, and different era models react in varying ways to being stripped.

I once had 2 GUV's to strip, one cleaned up nicely with white spirit, the other looked like the survivor of a nuclear attack.

I would always advise a test swab to ensure your brew is OK.

 

Mike.

  • Thanks 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Gold

My body shell is a Bachmann one and is definitely black in colour. A further hour or so in the ipa bath and it cleans up nicely this time. 
 

thanks for people’s input, it has helped no end

 

8B1AFE42-C4F3-43E3-9B64-6BD9DC653E81.jpeg.be5588f4b6efb27614765c3444e063e0.jpegB45AE4E6-198F-4FEF-A1B3-66558D5A9111.jpeg.bfa8bad90266729dcd92948a578bce94.jpeg

 

985F771F-E260-489C-B3A4-182A7A66541F.jpeg.68aa5901916f4b9c062636aefea1c467.jpeg

 

Edited by young37215
  • Like 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

On 03/01/2023 at 11:58, young37215 said:

Thanks folks, the bodyshell is back in the IPA for another soak.

 

Does diluting the IPA have much effect? I ask because having disposed of some contaminated with paint, I only have sufficient to cover half of the body at a time. It is not a big deal to keep moving the bodyshell around so that all of it gets time in the IPA. I am thinking that if I add water so that the whole bodyshell is covered it may be more efficient? 

 

Yes, I know I need to buy some more IPA!  

Diluting it will probably affect the outcome yes , I use 99% IPA neat and have had the paint come off those 37s that are black plastic within an hour or so , I tend to buy my IPA 5/10 litres at a time 

  • Informative/Useful 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

I add a small amount of water to my IPA so it's approx 93% IPA, this reduces evaporation I believe. I've had factory finish off Models in under an hour, never had to leave it sitting for hours or days.

 

Jo

  • Informative/Useful 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Gold

Interesting that others have found much shorter timescales were required to remove factory applied paint. My bottle of IPA is several years old and I can only guess that it has degraded over time making it is less effective. The obvious solution is to buy a new bottle should I have the need to strip another bodyshell.

 

Thanks again for peoples input.

 

 

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...