Stripping

[DavidB]

Mind working overtime? Sorry, this is something more mundane.

I have a white metal B Type bus my father was making when he died. I need to strip it of paint and then drop it in hot water and start again.

My question: what method would you suggest to strip the enamel paint? Many years ago, I used brake fluid, in the days when I recognised and understood what was under the bonnet.

 

[AJC]

I'd reach for cellulose thinners and an old toothbrush - it smells, sure, but will certainly do the job and leave the whitemetal untouched.

Adam

 

[Lyndhurstman]

There appears to be a plethora (mmmm... nice word..) of posts recently advocating Dettol as a paint stripper. Maybe - in an COVID-accomodating world - it kills two birds with one stone!

Cheers

Jan

 

[simond]

Need to make sure there’s no plastic hidden with before hitting it with anything organic

Celly thinners, MEK or acetone will probably do the job.

 

[DavidB]

Thank you all. Plenty to think about.

 

[John Duffy]

I usually try and start light and work up only if necessary. IPA (isopropyl alcohol - not the good stuff) dipped for 24hrs is usually enough. Cellulose Thinners as has been suggested (getting a little more nasty now) and my last resort is brake fluid. There is a specific type to use which I cannot recall off the top of the head, but if you need, I can go and have a look. I've only ever had to use that to remove car paint from an etched brass kit. The other options should deal with enamels.

John

 

[simond]

DOT4. I don’t think DOT5 will work.

Proprietary paint strippers work too, but they’re likely in gel form which is perhaps not ideal.

And they melt plastic bits too. DAMHIK.

 

[Jordan]

DOT4. I don’t think DOT5 will work.

Proprietary paint strippers work too, but they’re likely in gel form which is perhaps not ideal.

And they melt plastic bits too. DAMHIK.

Beat me to it. Use DOT4 brake fluid, not DOT5, which I think is a fully synthetic fluid - whatever that means!! But it does mean it doesn't work as a paint stripper!

 

[Richard Gawler]

There appears to be a plethora (mmmm... nice word..) of posts recently advocating Dettol as a paint stripper. Maybe - in an COVID-accomodating world - it kills two birds with one stone!

I have used neat Dettol to remove Lima paint from some of their H0 coach bodies with complete success. Clean-up afterwards is with water. The only danger I know is Dettol is toxic to cats and they need to be kept apart.

 

[76043]

There was an older thread on this, but I use Tesco kitchen cleaner with bleach, works very well on enamel painted over plastic. Plus it's only a pound a bottle.
Tony

 

[Dog Star]

I have used neat Dettol to remove Lima paint from some of their H0 coach bodies with complete success. Clean-up afterwards is with water. The only danger I know is Dettol is toxic to cats and they need to be kept apart.

I recollect that, about eight or ten years back someone on WT dunked a HJ 7mm loco body in Dettol and after a few days the plastic surface was so soft as to take finger prints. I think that this was written up by Steve0... although his account appears to have gone from WT.

 

[76043]

I used Dettol to remove black acrylic rattle can paint once, never again. It turned the paint into an oily sludge that could only be removed with the Tesco kitchen cleaner I mentioned above. The only downside with the Tesco stuff is you need to leave it for a least 24hrs (more ideally) to see any results. If using on masak it seems to leave a hard white residue, so best only used with plastic bodies. The body needs to be submerged in the liquid, spraying it on does nothing.
Tony

 

[daifly]

I recollect that, about eight or ten years back someone on WT dunked a HJ 7mm loco body in Dettol and after a few days the plastic surface was so soft as to take finger prints. I think that this was written up by Steve0... although his account appears to have gone from WT.

This thread?
7mm - Project 47: Brush Type Foul
Dave

 

[Dog Star]

That is the one... not far off when I said ten years! Thank you Dave.

 

[Jordan]

I think that this was written up by Steve0... although his account appears to have gone from WT.

Steve O was, a bit later, the chap behind the Little Loco Co.
Less said about that, the better....

 

[JeremyC]

I used Dettol to remove black acrylic rattle can paint once, never again. It turned the paint into an oily sludge that could only be removed with the Tesco kitchen cleaner I mentioned above. The only downside with the Tesco stuff is you need to leave it for a least 24hrs (more ideally) to see any results. If using on masak it seems to leave a hard white residue, so best only used with plastic bodies. The body needs to be submerged in the liquid, spraying it on does nothing.
Tony

Did you use water before all the paint was off? I first read about using Dettol as a paint stripper on another forum and the poster was adamant you must not use water except for the very final rinse after all the paint was off the model. They said using water earlier in the process would cause a reaction similar to what you describe.

 

[76043]

Ah, ok, that's probably where I went wrong then.
Tony

 

[paulc]

A friend uses Acetone and i use GP thinners . These both smell so use in a well ventilated area but neither are as bad as Dettol , that just stinks and I'm with the cats and get well away .