Stripping paint with Simple Green

[Anonymous]

I have heard several members talk about stripping paint with Simple Green, and I have some questions.  What Simple Green product do I need?  How long does it take to soften paint? Does it burn skin like some paint removers? I will be restoring a Lionel 3559 dump car. Has anyone taken one of these cars apart? Is the mechanism complicated?  Any info is greatly appreciated!

 

                                                                                        Jim

[Bob Keller]

I've used Simple Green to remove Cosmolene, but I'm not sure it would be abrasive enough to remove paint from a locomotive or freight car.

[dwiemer]

Not sure about your car, but several posters have mentioned putting laundry detergent into boiling water and then putting the pieces into the pot.  I am planning on doing this method with a few engines.  One thing you want to do is to remove the pot from the heat with the piece in.  You don't want to over heat it.  Then, brush off any extra paint and rinse off. 
Good Luck.

Dennis

[Bob Keller]

Let me just note for newbies that the 3559 is a metal car.

I've only heard of the boiling water route for metal prewar gear, so don't think you can drop a plastic shell into hot water and get the same results. There's a good chance the shell would warp from the heat.

Ray Plummer has remarked to me several times that he'd drop a plastic F3 shell into a tub of soapy water for about 30 days and the paint would come off.

[mitchelr]

I stripped my pre-War 248 in a tub of the undilutedSimple Green.  I believe had read about it on the TCA website I.  It worked like a charm, no smell, no problem handling it.  I had to use an old tooth brush to clean out some of the crevices.  Rinsed it and dried it and and it was clean as a whistle.

Mitch

[chuck]

Depends on the type of paint.  There are laundry/cleaning products that are detergent emulsified petroleum distilates.  These will remove paints from most plastic models with minimal damage.  Please remove any clear parts like windows or lens/marker board covers.  These will become "frosted".  You may also start to effect the pastic if soaked too long or too often.  The material may soften or may actually become britlle (or both).  You will probably not be able to remove the paint from modern era shells painted with electrostatically applied paints.  Even heavy duty solvents like Poly S  EZ Liftoff will not touch this stuff.  It may remove markings, but not the base paint.

[dwiemer]

Bob,

     You of course, are correct.  I should have noted that as I know that many folks that read this would not be aware of what the different cars are made of.  The metal cars and locomotives do well with the boiling water/detergent route, but I would not attempt that with plastic.

dennis