I know this has been discussed before but I am trying to strip paint from an Athearn Blue Box engine. Usually all of the posts end up with conflicting information. I have tried multiple products with no real success. Washaway takes days of soaking and still won't get all of the paint. Real brake fluid is no longer available which worked really well; it's all synthetic now. Lacquer thinner is out because it does melt the plastic. Does someone have a suggestion that won't take hours of soaking and scrubbing?
what ever you try, apply it to a hidden part of the shell first to check compatability
99% alcohol might work, but as wvg_ca said it's a good idea to test it in a hidden area. Whatever you end up using though, make sure it doesn't have any acetone in it, as it will damage the plastic.
There are lots of undecorated Athearn shells that show up on eBay.
.
That is the easiest solution!
-Kevin
Living the dream.
Cheap drug store 99% alcohol always worked for me on BB or most other models.
I think Kato is the company that uses wierd plastic that might be harmed by the alcohol.
- Douglas
I've used Super Clean. I buy it at WalMart. It works with some mixed results, as other chemicals have.
https://i5.walmartimages.com/asr/3ccde994-866c-41a5-8452-57c6d1e1bd9d_1.e93d5d12ea55d6ee3aaab6714328e654.jpeg?odnWidth=450&odnHeight=450&odnBg=ffffff
Try all the suggestions, and see what works.
Mike
My You Tube
I haven't done it myself in decades, but... doesn't Pine Sol strip Athearn BB models? (Or does it melt the plastic?)
Autonerddoesn't Pine Sol strip Athearn BB models?
I heard Pine Sol worked, so I tried it once, and nothing happened. This was on a Walthers Circus Train model, and the Pine Sol did nothing to the paint.
I think Pine Sol works on a lot of models, but it has to soak a lot longer than 99% alcohol. Like for maybe a week. I have used it on a Qtip to remove printed lettering since the slow working time results in fewer mishaps than using the alcohol.
In my experience, if you let the model soak for a week, the pine scent somehow gets into the plastic and the model stinks like pine sol. I'm not kidding.
Here's an Athearn Blue Box caboose in factory-paint...
...and after about 5 minutes in methyl hydrate (available at most hardware or paint stores)...
99% alcohol should get the same results (in most cases, use an old toothbrush to remove the loosened paint), but Super Clean works very well, too, on both plastic and metal.
For all-metal items (no plastic or glued-on details) lacquer thinner is very effective.
Wayne
I have used 99% alcohol on BB shells and it worked fine. If you can't find the 99% stuff locally you can order it on Amazon. Sorry about the blurry picture.
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
Flying CrowDoes someone have a suggestion that won't take hours of soaking and scrubbing?
Unfortunately, I don't have a quick "solution".
I stripped a number of Athearn BB heavyweight cars. They did not behave the same, probably of different manufacture dates and perhaps paint process differences. Most stripped ok in denatured alcohol (which I believe is more aggressive than IPA). But that typically still required some soaking, toothbrush, and re-soaking and brushing.
Some cars were more stubborn so I tried Super Clean. Note that it is a very caustic solution so proper precautions are essential. It will also get warm as it reacts with the paint (do not use a disposable aluminum cake pan unless you want it all over the workbench). (I later bought a stainless wallboard mud pan.) For the cars that did better with Super Clean, it still required extensive soak, brush, repeat steps.
The Super Clean worked better on some cars, the alcohol on others. I think I even went back & forth to experiment. Some cars were quite stubborn, which required lots of time and re-application.
IMG_4571 by Paul Ahrens, on Flickr
Paul
Modeling HO with a transition era UP bent
DoughlessIn my experience, if you let the model soak for a week, the pine scent somehow gets into the plastic and the model stinks like pine sol. I'm not kidding.
That is 100% true.
I read somewhere that soaking resin models in Pine Sol would make them take paint better. I soaked my daughter's entire Soviet Armoured Division in Pine Sol, then painted the models.
Even fully covered in paint, her SU-85s, T-34s, SU-76s, and KV-1s all smelled like Pine Sol for years.
I did not know this would happed with plastic models also.
One more vote for Super Clean or Purple Power (I use purple as it's cheaper, but AFAIK, it's the same stuff) though it doesn't always work.
As for a good container, it is safe for use with polyethleyne. I have a green, square recloseable bucket from Menards with a few galons of Purple it it. It's been in there for years with no problems. I have a large plastic strainer basket in there that I put whatever I want to strip into. Does a good job of keeping track of the small parts and straining out big pieces of paint.
Visit the Chicago Valley Railroad for Chicago Trainspotting and Budget Model Railroading.
doctorwayne ...and after about 5 minutes in methyl hydrate (available at most hardware or paint stores)...
Methyl Hydrate, or Methanol, is not quite as easy to find south of the border. Klean Strip Denatured Alcohol is 50-55% methanol and 40-50% ethanol. Sunnyside denatured alcohol varies 30-60% for both.
HEET, gas line antifreeze, is mostly methanol, so one could try that.
Gary
garyaMethyl Hydrate, or Methanol, is not quite as easy to find south of the border.....
That's good to know, Gary...I sense a money-making project smuggling it to my American friends.
Seriously, though, many of the paint strippers to which we turned in the past are now not necessarily effective on today's modern paints. Methyl hydrate worked well on Athearn, MDC, and Train Miniature items, but had little impact on Rivarossi and Atlas models.For me, Super Clean stripped a metal Mantua steam loco's boiler/cab assembly in 15 minutes, but also removed all of the details added by the previous owner, as all were attached with either glue or epoxy...too bad, because he had done a fairly nice job of it.I used brake fluid on an Atlas diesel, and while it worked well to remove the paint, it absolutely destroyed the body shell, deforming it beyond use.
Super Clean is supposedly caustic (according to the label and some users here), and may be to some degree, but it's certainly not enough so to preclude careful handling when necessary. I usually wear nitrile gloves for paint stripping, but also have some gloves suitable for stronger chemicals. I've had good results stripping brass models using both Super Clean and lacquer thinner (not together, of course). Lacquer thinner is best used in a glass container with a sealable top - a pickle jar is a good choice if the item to be stripped will fit. Without the sealable top, the lacquer thinner will readily evapourate and fill your house with its distinct odour, leaving little or none to do any stripping. Wayne
Wayne,
Good point about Super Clean/Purple Power and details. It will break down the bonds of superglue, and even some epoxy, so you'll have to reassemble any added bits.
It's fairly safe though it can strip the oil from your hands to a painfull degree. I use the same green Solvex gloves that I use for MEK and even mineral spirits.
As for being terribly caustic, I'm not sure, but it will rust some metals. Lead and tin are genrally pretty safe, but wheel axles and such will rust if left too long.
EilifAs for being terribly caustic, I'm not sure, but it will rust some metals
Reminds of the first time I used Super Clean. I put the parts in a thin aluminum backing pan, like the throw-away pie pans, and roasters. Good thing I had it sitting in the laundry tub, as it disinegrated the pan.
Now, I put the shell, along with the Super Clean in a gallon ziplock freezer bag, zip it shut, and place the bag in a Tuberware pan.
Keeping the bag sealed seams to expedite the process.
Mike.
doctorwayne garya Methyl Hydrate, or Methanol, is not quite as easy to find south of the border..... That's good to know, Gary...I sense a money-making project smuggling it to my American friends.
garya Methyl Hydrate, or Methanol, is not quite as easy to find south of the border.....
Hmmmm...I always had you pegged for a life of lawlessness and iniquity. Probably a better profit margin on other chemicals, though...
Lacquer thinner is best used in a glass container with a sealable top - a pickle jar is a good choice if the item to be stripped will fit. Without the sealable top, the lacquer thinner will readily evapourate and fill your house with its distinct odour, leaving little or none to do any stripping.
Good advice. Be careful with the lacquer thinner indoors, and don't breathe it too deeply.
garya Good advice. Be careful with the lacquer thinner indoors, and don't breathe it too deeply.
I have used Easy Off oven cleaner before it worked ok enought to get the blue box rolling stock painted.
Russell
My experience with Super Clean, so far has been positive as far as stripping stubbon paint from older model shells. I was impressed. A high-five to modeler Cedarwood Ron for recommending the. It has become my go to paint stripper when 91% Alcohol isn't strong enough.
Word of caution as mentioned above: Wear gloves and safety glasses.This chemcial actually has a sweet smell and will fool you. Get it on your hands and you might see your skin peeling off the next day.
"I like my Pullman Standards & Budds in Stainless Steel flavors, thank you!"
Count me in the Super Clean group; have used it this year to strip Athearn Blue Box diesels; Athearn Blue Box passenger cars; and Athearn Blue Box cabooses. Worked like a charm.
That what i use and i bath in 6l Ultrasonic Cleaner Stainless Steel Industry Heated Heater W/timerat 60f heat in hr it ready for primer
Apparently I neglected to mention that while methyl hydrate is a pretty good stripper for older paints, such as was used on Athearn Blue Box stuff, MDC, and Train Miniature cars, it's not much use on many of the more recent types of paint.
It is also a chemical which is readily absorbed through the skin, so if you use it, wear nitrile gloves or even the heavier type meant specifically for handling dangerous chemicals. It also evapourates readily, so keep the container which you use for stripping paint tightly covered, both if an item is being stripped or the stripper is merely being stored.
I'm no Jim Jones, but use this plastic container, formerly used for Kool-Ade, for stripping items with methyl hydrate. It's not tall enough for 80' passenger cars, though....
Similar containers are suitable for using Super Clean as a stripper, but if you're using lacquer thinner or MEK for stripping paint from metal items, a glass jar with a sealable lid (such as a canning jar) is a good choice...
Wow, I hadn't known all this. Has been since the 1980s and 1990s that I've done much HO train repainting until recently & there are now no Athearn blue box "screw it together in a few minutes" models.
--> Am definitely taking notes here.
'Back in the day' Wash Away and a brand named Chameleon worked quite well on the Athearn I repainted.
But I see that today is very much not back in the day.
Topic brings to mind discussions on Large Scale Central forum about stripping factory lettering from G scale trains; so many people post that one time a slovent will remove the lettering just fine without disturbing the paint & next time on similar item from same manufacturer the same solvent takes off the paint but leaves the lettering intact.
SeeYou190 There are lots of undecorated Athearn shells that show up on eBay. . That is the easiest solution! . -Kevin .
Another option would be remove the glazing and just paint over it with primer. Seems a lot easier than stripping the paint.
Whatever product you us, what is the best way to dispose of it when you are done?
Rick
Many of these chemicals can simply be put into a suitable sealable container, and kept for future use. I've been stripping locos and rolling stock for 40 years-or-so, and while some products may lose their effectiveness over time, others have a pretty-good shelf life.
For stuff like that, that I want to get rid of, I take it to the local dump, where they accept many types of "hazardous" waste. This includes all sorts of chemicals, paints and thinners, used motor oil, used cooking oil, acids, insecticides, weed killers, and various poisons, along with spent fluorescent tubes. All of it goes to appropriate recycling firms. Here, this is a free service, and only a 10 minute drive...well, maybe 15, if I drive the speed limit.