Removing paint from models...

I managed to turn out a box of 2nd hand models earlier today & found an old space marine (has a pistol in a holster & a knife on its belt) & a 1994 metal Eldar Avenger...which are painted terribly (so thick on the Eldar you can barely make out any detail).

Short of scratching it all off with my knife, is there any way of removing the paint & being able to paint over the top again?

Simple Green!!!

Check out their website at http://www.simplegreen.com/products_all_purpose_cleaner.php. This multipurpose cleaner is THE BEST!!! Smells really minty (bad for me... good for the wife). You submerge the models a day... then brush 'em with an old toothbrush. Paint will peel off! It is ridiculous! If you have something left, submerge for another day and repeat. AMAZING on metal and plastic alike! Good degreaser for the kitchen too!

Since you like in the Great UK... http://www.simplegreen.co.uk/

This is another of Dozer's I told you so... I almost bet the bastard that if that thing worked I was going to drink a gallon of it... I'm glad I did not. I tasted it, and it is nasty!

Great to use for metal.

alot of people say not to use it strait on the plastic models overnight but you have to experiment. I think it would probably be a bad idea to do this all night with a plastic model.

You might wanna tone it down a bit for plastic.

It is safe for plastic. I left some models a WEEK... I took the paint of those by gently rubbing my FINGER. I tried break fluid once... it stinks AND eats plastic. Simpe Green is the best.

But... do NOT trust me. Follow dysturbed's advice... try it with a metal model and a plastic model. Better safe than sorry.

Ok awesome, cheers guys =]

I think this metal Eldar might have to be left for about a month judging by the state of it! =/ haha

Looking at the site, they're actually based not all that far from me too!

I had been using ammonia/window cleaner for paint removal, but I just picked up a gallon jug of the Simple Green. I've got some freebie Orks soaking...I'll report on my success...or lack thereof.

Removing the green from the Orks? HERETIC!!!

Mordheimer wrote:

Removing the green from the Orks? HERETIC!!!

at least he didn't say he was painting them red lol

I'm painting them red...only kidding...maybe.
So far the Simple Green is living up to its promise. The paint is coming off nicely, AND it's dissolving the glue. GOOD STUFF!

... and minty! Don't forget the minty smell. I think I'm allergic to mint, because I get a headache with the slightest sent of mint... so I remember that!

That's really odd Mordheimer...

Odd fact about Mathias...Local anaesthetics don't seem to effect me...I had to have a wisdom tooth out last year, they gave me twice the dose they should have as they remembered a regular dose did nothing when I had my last filling...double the dose did nothing as well...more than a little bit 'urty! =/

Short update on this Eldar...it looks like the previous owner undercoated it 3 times!

I just scratched down to the metal on one area, there's a top coat of red, over white, over sky blue, over another coat of white!

MADNESS!

That is NOTHING.

I'll do you one better.

Old metal dreadnought......based not in primer or base paint, but good ol' fashioned plastic spray paint.

layer of red, layer of white, layer of orange, layer of blue, layer of black, and a final layer of green.

And the first layer of red was thick enough that it filled in all of the details.

Oh hell =/

I can just about make out an arm & a tiny bit of face...not sure though lol

Here is a tip for you

I use two different brushes, one for plastic, one for metals.

If any of you have played golf I am sure that you have a club cleaning kit.

Well in my kit I have a double sided brush, one side with stiff plastic bristles, and the other side has wire bristles. The wire bristles are stiff enough to get all the paint off without having to scrub hard, but is soft enough against the metal that it doesn't remove details or scratch the metals. If anything my metal models have come out polished and cleaner then the day that they were made.

***** DO NOT USE WIRE BRUSH ON THE PLASTIC MODELS*****

DoZer wrote:

That is NOTHING.

I'll do you one better.

Old metal dreadnought......based not in primer or base paint, but good ol' fashioned plastic spray paint.

layer of red, layer of white, layer of orange, layer of blue, layer of black, and a final layer of green.

And the first layer of red was thick enough that it filled in all of the details.

DUDE! How many times I have to tell you I did NOT painted that model I gave ya'... it was already like that!

With some of the commission pieces I've been unfortunate enough to be asked to paint, it wasn't so much a paint removal as an archeological dig.

DeafNala wrote:

... an archeological dig.

HAHAHHA!!! That made my day! Good one man!

Mordheimer wrote:

DeafNala wrote:

... an archeological dig.

HAHAHHA!!! That made my day! Good one man!

Glad to have made a positive impact on your day...after a fashion.

NOW the dilemma, with a bunch of Orks slowly becoming ready to paint doI start painting them while working on Da Banks Kreig Guys or do the Mordheim pieces I started, or all the above? I HATE decisions.

I bought some of this stuff yesterday and put my crappy old models in there that were covered in paint and this morning i used a tooth brush to brush the paint off and all i can say is IT WORKS GREAT!!! i can see the plastic now it almost looks like i just bought them.

hehehe... if you still got some paint after the brush... go ahead and put the models to swim another day. Then the 2nd brush will probably take the rest. A needle could help you scrape the very tight spaces if you wish... but normally that is unnecessary.

I've still not got my act together & ordered this stuff!
I think I need a kick up the arse to get me going haha

Still no idea why a blue undercoat! =S

Probably not as good as Simple green and I'm not sure it is any cheaper (not that we will be able to get it in NZ) but I use Methelated Spirits and an old tooth brush to clean my models and it works well although you have to soak them for 1 day+ other wise it just spreads the paint around.
After cleaning though the plastic seems different, maybe it is because the models I'm cleaning are older? Not sure.

The Spirits will work... but it messes with the plastic. It CAN become slightly brittle. Like all good things in life... timing is everything!

Thanks, I'll definitely make sure I don't leave them in too long now I know that.
Does any one know whether it would have an effect on metal models?.I'm sure it won't, but edward gave me a kaskrin and I really don't want to screw it up.