I've used Easy Off oven cleaner in the past to remove paint from models, but it's been tough going trying to remove paint from some Intermountain models. While some of the paint has come off from the Easy Off, it's way too slow. I've even left it overnight in a closed container. What are people using these days that will work better?
Alcohol. "Stronger" the better. For example, I've got some 99% around here. I'm not saying it will work on the Intermountain, just that it's a common alternative.
I've used lye. The active ingredient in Easy Off. I specifically used it on Rivarossi passenger cars. I could leave them in for weeks without damage to the plastic. I, too, found brands of cars it wouldn't strip--don't remember which anymore.
Brake fluid turned out to be a very risky choice.
I'd try the alcohol.
Ed
I just tried some 91% alcohol found at the local drugstore. That's the ticket! It removes the paint like it is butter.
And someday you might find something that the alcohol might not touch. Then maybe back to the Easy Off.
I have a few Athearn BB cars that have what I would call a very shoddy weathering job... basically looks like someone dipped the car in a thick translucent tan paint... I want to remove this but preserve the underlying paint, how do you do that???
Steve
If everything seems under control, you're not going fast enough!
I've used Drano and Scalecoat paint remover.
pirate I just tried some 91% alcohol found at the local drugstore. That's the ticket! It removes the paint like it is butter.
I've had good luck with that, too, when I want to strip an entire shell. I put it in a ziploc bag and pour 91% in. When finished, I strained the alcohol through a coffee filter and saved it, too.
What I'm curious about is how people strip lettering--I have some Rivarossi and Bachmann heavyweight passenger cars that I want to take off the "Santa Fe" and "Southern" lettering and redecal, but I don't want to strip the whole car. The Bachmann lettering seems to be really tough...
Gary
garya If it is laser printed...good luck! It burns it's way into the paint.......you can strip all the paint off the shell and the printing will still be there, just faded somewhat. I experienced that type on some Walthers 35ft trailers. Lacquer thinner will take it off, but it also damages the plastic. I wound up just repainting the shell. You can try denatured alcohol, which is solvent based for Marine stove fuel and with a cotton swab try to remove some for a test and if it won't dent the lettering.....it more than likely was laser printed. Good Luck! Frank pirate I just tried some 91% alcohol found at the local drugstore. That's the ticket! It removes the paint like it is butter. I've had good luck with that, too, when I want to strip an entire shell. I put it in a ziploc bag and pour 91% in. When finished, I strained the alcohol through a coffee filter and saved it, too. What I'm curious about is how people strip lettering--I have some Rivarossi and Bachmann heavyweight passenger cars that I want to take off the "Santa Fe" and "Southern" lettering and redecal, but I don't want to strip the whole car. The Bachmann lettering seems to be really tough...
If it is laser printed...good luck! It burns it's way into the paint.......you can strip all the paint off the shell and the printing will still be there, just faded somewhat. I experienced that type on some Walthers 35ft trailers. Lacquer thinner will take it off, but it also damages the plastic. I wound up just repainting the shell. You can try denatured alcohol, which is solvent based for Marine stove fuel and with a cotton swab try to remove some for a test and if it won't dent the lettering.....it more than likely was laser printed.
Good Luck!
Frank
I don't know what happened to the above post......new one on Me! LOL.
Take Care!
The toughtest cars that I have tried to strip are my Kato N scale locomotives. I use 91% alcohol. Soak it for 1/2 hour, scrape the shell with an old tooth brush to remove the loose paint.. I repeat the process a few times and all of the paint is gone..
garya pirate I just tried some 91% alcohol found at the local drugstore. That's the ticket! It removes the paint like it is butter. I've had good luck with that, too, when I want to strip an entire shell. I put it in a ziploc bag and pour 91% in. When finished, I strained the alcohol through a coffee filter and saved it, too. What I'm curious about is how people strip lettering--I have some Rivarossi and Bachmann heavyweight passenger cars that I want to take off the "Santa Fe" and "Southern" lettering and redecal, but I don't want to strip the whole car. The Bachmann lettering seems to be really tough...
For stripping just the lettering, you might try the Easy Off. When I was first trying the Easy Off on the Intermountain models, it removed the lettering very easy, just not the paint very well. Be careful though, don't let it sit too long.