Using Brake Fluid as paint stripper...

[F-UnitMad]

ive always used brake fluid, but didnt have any recently when I wanted to strip a brass loco body and id read that dettol can be used and as I had some I thought id give it a try, ..... no bad effects that I know of.

 

Don't try Dettol on a Heljan model.... Those of us on A.N.Other Forum have seen the results....

[Paul Cram]

I've used brake fluid "baths" in the past for stripping paint. Some older DOT types of fluid can react BADLY with some plastics - a Replica Railways coach comes to mind - it turned into almost molten plastic leaving perfect finger print impressions on the sides Modern fluids tend to be synthetic based so test a small area first. A safer option would be to use Precision Paints "Super Strip"

HTH

tractor_37260

This doesn't work on older enamels. It is also very expensive compared to brake fluid which does work on all paints I have tried it with.

[newbryford]

Halfords DOT4 brake fluid removes the paint very nicely from Airfix/Mainline/Dapol Mk2's and will remove the stripes on a IC liveried Lima Mk2 and 73, but doesn't appear to want to play with the light grey of the Lima Mk2 and 73, as well as the yellow end and dark grey roof of the 73.

 

Cheers,

Mick

[Thane of Fife]

I followed tips from these forums and used Wilko Dot4 braked fluid to remove paint and it worked well with an overnight soaking.

 

I have used 10% caustic soda before and the brake fluid is a lot simpler and possibly more efficient.

 

Thane of Fife

[37403]

As someone who regularly reads the excellent advice this forum provides I thought I'd give some feedback on the brake fluid for removing paint.

I used for dot 4 to strip a Bachmann class 20 and it worked a treat. I put it in for a few hours and scrubbed with a good bristle toothbrush to remove any excess and washed with hot water and fairy liquid after.

[polybear]

1 hour ago, 37403 said:

.............and washed with hot water and fairy liquid after.

 

One word of caution regarding fairy liquid (if its the real deal) is that it may well contain lanolin (soft hands and all that...) which can affect paint adhesion.

[37403]

Thanks polybear. I soaked the body in warm water for a while after, and plan to prime it before painting.

Do you think that'd be sufficient to wash the substance off?

[newbryford]

If washing off, use the cheapest washing up liquid you can find. 

Then a quick rub over with IPA, ( not the beer type!), as a final degreaser. 

 

[Enterprisingwestern]

9 hours ago, newbryford said:

If washing off, use the cheapest washing up liquid you can find. 

Then a quick rub over with IPA, ( not the beer type!), as a final degreaser. 

 

 

You'd be better off using the beer type of IPA rather than any type of washing up liquid.

Plain warm/tepid water in an ultrasonic cleaner, or toothbrush if you don't run to such luxuries, is perfectly adequate to de-clag a stripped body!

 

Mike.