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Hi Philip, I certainly wouldn't keep the shell in any longer than necessary. Several lighter applications of oven cleaner, rather than one or two heavy smotherings, would likely be better. Sort of like airbrushing in reverse. The underlying issue is what these solvents do the plasticizers in the styrene. As John Pryke pointed out, harsh solvents leach the plasticizer, which causes brittle shells. Other solvents can and have turned shells into mush. Much of it depends on the styrene the manufacturer used for that particular batch of shells. Some of the newer shells over the past several years seem more susceptible. Paul
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