I just bought a brand new Atlas, "Central of New Jersey" caboose. It's painted in their latest color scheme. I would think that it's painted "caboose red" with the white wide diagonal stripes painted on both sides. Their white "Lady Liberty" logos are in the center of these white diagonal stripes. I want to strip off all of this stuff and paint the caboose, "boxcar red". What would be the easiest and quickest method for stripping off this original paint? Thanks! -artguy
I've been hearing more and more about using isopropyl alcohol. I would avoid denatured alcohol due to some brands having acetone mixed in which could cause the styrene to cringe. In the past, I've used DOT3 brake fluid...but with a recent bad experience where DOT3 broke down the plastic on a Kato loco. I won't recommend it. Isoproply is inexpensive and won't harm plastic...it might be worth a try.
Mark H
Modeling in HO...Reading and Conrail together in an alternate history.
Hi, Artguy...
I just stripped a Walthers PRR twin unit diner in preparation of painting it in AlcladII stainless steel. I had the body disassembled so the car sides lay flat in a shallow pan. I used 99% isopropyl and kept a cover over the pan to reduce evaporation. It took a l-o-n-g time, about 2 weeks, to get all the tuscan red paint off. I would scrub a little with a toothbrush every few days, replenish the alcohol and then scrub a little more. Maybe your paint will be a little easier to strip. The isopropyl didn't harm or soften the plastic but some of the metal grab irons did loosen up and fall off. Maybe it softened the ACC?
I wonder how the Pennsy stripped off their paint back in '67 or '68? I know a fella who bought a NYC observation car from the Kansas City Southern and he found out the hard way that the paint stripping was going to cost a bundle. I think they finally went with walnut shell blasting (they have plastic bead blasting now) The KCS had painted it black, red and yellow. I think back then ('72) it set him back about $5k to get it stripped!
Hope you have successful results... let us know, Ed
I recently tried some Easy-Off oven cleaner, and it worked pretty well, though I had to do a few applications to get it all off. It didn't harm the plastic, but be sure to wear gloves and hold your breath when spraying it.
If you use 99% alcohol watch it won't melt smaller parts or bend them. The stuff works quik but becareful. rambo1...