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Custom Painting Loco's and Cars...
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Good question. Actually, I didn't discover it. I got the tip from another modeler and he doesn't even do trains but plastic and metal figures for strategy games. He’s a good friend of mine. <br /> <br />I've used the brake fluid on many things, and it really does work very well, and on both acrylics and enamels. Some paints are really stubborn, and you want to leave them in the solution for at least a couple days. The Castrol Super Clean works as well but often takes a little longer. I haven't found any plastic that it actually hurts. These products are cheap, can be used over and over again, and don’t give off really nasty fumes so I stick with them. Just get a nice large plastic container that has a lid. I use a Tupperware clear container that is rectangular. This makes it easy to store and you can actually see what’s going on inside without messing with it. <br /> <br />You’ll know when it is getting close because the paint will begin to bubble and peal away on its own. When you scrub with the toothbrush, dip it in the brake fluid first and scrub away, but don’t use water until you are done as it tends to make it harder to get the paint off. When you are satisfied that they paint is sufficiently gone, then scrub with a nice soapy water solution to get all the brake fluid off. It comes off pretty easy. If you want to paint quickly, use a hair dryer on low to dry it. If not, just let it sit a day and it will be totally dry. <br /> <br />If a model you are stripping has multiple layers of paint, it will strip off in layers as well. If you come across this let it soak, then scrub that layer off, then re-soak for the next layer. Some people don’t take the time to strip before painting. You lose a great deal of detail if you do this however, so always strip to the bare plastic before starting to paint. <br /> <br />Another thing you should know about brake fluid is it breaks down most glues as well. This can come in very handy if you buy a kit that is poorly assembled. Let it sit for three or four days and even superglue will break down and the pieces will come apart cleanly. Then you just peal off the old glue residue. I like to work with used goods and they tend to be cheap and I enjoy the challenge, so I’ve come across many interesting things. I normally modify everything anyway. <br /> <br />Happy painting! <br /> <br />Warren
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