How to remove paint?

[br-nse-fan]

Hi All

 

I recently purchased some 2nd hand items that have been heavily weathered with an acrylic spray. I was wondering if anyone has thoughts as to how to safely remove the weathering without removing or damaging the original livery beneath?

 

Thanks!

[M.I.B]

Interested to see the replies because I gave up trying to keep the livery below poor weathering/bad painting.

 

The brake fluid method will take everything down to base plastic / resin colour, and it will attack any steel parts which will oxidise quicly if they cannot be removed.

 

Acrylics can be removed with differing levels of success using certain solvents and cotton buds, but if it has been on for a while, or sat in daylight and baked on, you may find that chemical removal gets you down to the point where the applied acrylic touches the original surface paint/decals to find that the paint has reacted with the decals so it was all work in vain.

[Mike G]

I suppose the 'how to' of this depends upon whether or not the original paint was sealed with a varnish prior to weathering. If it has been sealed then there's no reason why cellulose wiped over with a cloth would not remove the weathering. BUT, it may remove some of the varnish as well...if its there. Depends on how vigorous you get with the wiping.

 

Mike

[Sidecar Racer]

I dont know if or how well it might work on acrylic paint , but Fairy Power Spray has cleaned off

some pretty heavily painted in enamel items I have had .

 

A test on small area is advised .

[big_daddy_ray]

I've used Mr Muscle and the brake fluid method to remove everything, never tried to keep the livery though so they may be a bit harsh, though I did use some neat IPA on a wash recently with cotton buds with good success but that had only been on about an hour, but worth a try. Upload some pics and we might be able to help a bit more

[Rumblestripe]

There is no 100% reliable method of removing a single layer of paint unless the paint is only recently applied. Paint is principally made up of three components pigment, binder and solvent. Pigment is what gives a paint it's colour, binder sticks it to what ever lies beneath (and itself) and solvent is added to adjust the constituency or fluidity of the paint. Because the paint has cured all that remains is the pigment and the cured binder (all solvent has long since evaporated). This means in all likelihood that the "weathering" paint and the livery paint is chemically identical. Meaning that applying any form of paint stripper will attack the livery paint just as fiercely as it attacks the weathering. There is no magic bullet!

 

It might be possible to use a mild solvent on the paint with a cotton pad but I doubt you could guarantee removing the weathering without damaging the livery.

[br-nse-fan]

thanks for the feedback guys...

 

I'll post a pic of the item in question within the next day or so.

 

Hope it's not going to require a complete repaint!

 

Derek