Airbrushing Problem

[dieselloco411]

Is there a way to take airbrushed paint off after or before it has dried?

[jawnt]

It is usually easiest to remove wet paint ---- just wa***he painted item in whatever paint thinner you are using (solvent type paint thinners may attack some plastics).

After paint has dried you need to use some type of paint remover. In both cases, I'd test the paint remover or thinner in a hidden area if we are talking about plastics.

Jawnt

[modelmaker51]

Yes. How you take it off depends on the type of paint.

With acrylics, i've known people to scrub it off with a stiff brush and some Fantastic or 409.

As I am a custom painter, I have to do a lot of paint stripping before I can paint a model, so I use something strong and quick, for most plastic and brass and solvent or water based paints, I use brake fluid. For Kato and Atlas/Kato I use Scalecoat paint remover. These models are made of ABS plastic which becomes brittle if dipped in brake fluid. Styrene does not.

After the paint is removed, I let the models soak in "wet" water (a couple of drops of detergent added) for as long as the model spent in the stripping fluid to neutralize the chemicals, then they get a good scrub with detergent and water and are air-dried.

CAUTION: When using strong chemicals always use eye protection and chemical rated rubber gloves - latex gloves will just dissolve.