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Plastic paint striping

Mike Swederska All Messages By This Member #177485 开云体育 There have always been modelers asking what to use for stripping paint from plastic models. I have tried so many techniques using everything from brake fluid to Scalecoat stripper. I have been successful over the years using products such as Simple Green, Goof Off and Isopropyl alcohol but everything is just a crap shoot hopping it will work.? Awhile back I took on a plastic diesel job. Not to my liking but I wanted to help out a friend. He has two of the same locos that he wants painted and lettered. The issue is one was painted by some other painter that he tried and put the wrong colors on the loco. The other is still in its factory paint scheme. I needed to strip both of them and start over. I tried all the usual stripping products and nothing touched either model. The 91% alcohol did soften and make sticky but really needed to soak forever and scrub very hard to the point of damaging the model shell.? I went to a hobby shop that is not really trains but cators to the plastic model guys and all the other stuff that is needed to keep them in business. They sold me a bottle of paint stripper for plastic, and I bought it with hesitation. It is called AK 185. I read the reviews and everyone said it was nothing more than alcohol. They are wrong. This stuff really works.? I keep 91% in a spray bottle and started with it first. Again, it would not touch what ever that first model was painted with or its decals. I tried a small spot inside the shell, and it darn near wiped the factory color off in one wipe. I used it on the aftermarket paint and with a toothbrush I was able to get all the way down to the factory shell with not much work or worry. I then tried it on the next shell with just a factory paint job, and it removed all the lettering and color down to the shell by wiping it with a paper towel.? Just recently I used brake fluid on one of my own PRS box cars I painted over 20 years ago and destroyed it. Run fast, Run hard from using brake fluid. I wish I knew about this stuff then. SKU: AK186 Paint Stripper 100ml -- Mike Swederska Meramec Valley Lines Modeling Mopac equipment in 3/16 https://www.youtube.com/@mikesscale3149 Don't let perfection get in the way of good enough! Keep model railroading fun!
Edward Sauers All Messages By This Member #177486 Mike, do you think AK186 would work on the AM FP40 shells? Ed Sauers toggle quoted message Show quoted text On Wed, May 21, 2025 at 12:03?PM Mike Swederska via <mikesscale=[email protected]> wrote: There have always been modelers asking what to use for stripping paint from plastic models. I have tried so many techniques using everything from brake fluid to Scalecoat stripper. I have been successful over the years using products such as Simple Green, Goof Off and Isopropyl alcohol but everything is just a crap shoot hopping it will work.? Awhile back I took on a plastic diesel job. Not to my liking but I wanted to help out a friend. He has two of the same locos that he wants painted and lettered. The issue is one was painted by some other painter that he tried and put the wrong colors on the loco. The other is still in its factory paint scheme. I needed to strip both of them and start over. I tried all the usual stripping products and nothing touched either model. The 91% alcohol did soften and make sticky but really needed to soak forever and scrub very hard to the point of damaging the model shell.? I went to a hobby shop that is not really trains but cators to the plastic model guys and all the other stuff that is needed to keep them in business. They sold me a bottle of paint stripper for plastic, and I bought it with hesitation. It is called AK 185. I read the reviews and everyone said it was nothing more than alcohol. They are wrong. This stuff really works.? I keep 91% in a spray bottle and started with it first. Again, it would not touch what ever that first model was painted with or its decals. I tried a small spot inside the shell, and it darn near wiped the factory color off in one wipe. I used it on the aftermarket paint and with a toothbrush I was able to get all the way down to the factory shell with not much work or worry. I then tried it on the next shell with just a factory paint job, and it removed all the lettering and color down to the shell by wiping it with a paper towel.? Just recently I used brake fluid on one of my own PRS box cars I painted over 20 years ago and destroyed it. Run fast, Run hard from using brake fluid. I wish I knew about this stuff then. SKU: AK186 Paint Stripper 100ml -- Mike Swederska Meramec Valley Lines Modeling Mopac equipment in 3/16 Don't let perfection get in the way of good enough! Keep model railroading fun!
Chris Fauxturkey All Messages By This Member #177487 You can get it on ebay. Cheaper then Amazon. ? AK Interactive is a European company that makes paints largely aimed at miniature/wargaming enthusiasts. Some hold them to be better then Citadel/Warhammer. Never used either. Don't know. I did just order 2.bottles of stripper though.
John Hutnick All Messages By This Member #177488 For anyone considering this, please go to Amazon and read all of the reviews before buying.? $16 for 4 ounces?? Amazon will sell you a 16 ounce bottle of 99% IPA for $8.34.? Walmart charges $30 for 4 quarts of IPA.? And Ace Hardware sells a gallon for $24.? For the price, I would buy the gallon and soak a model in a tank for a day or two. I generally use a Waterpik to help remove paint after soaking.
Charles Kinzer All Messages By This Member #177489 If you cast a wide net, it seems AK 186 is perhaps good but hasn't been perfect for everyone for everything.? I don't know if it is just alcohol like some claim.? It might be substantial alcohol but have some other things in it.? It is possible there is a misconception similar to some claims about some thinners where people think are just acetone or something but actually have more ingredients like retarders. The aforementioned Amazon reviews are not only good to learn more but also mention OTHER options that people have had success with. The company has a "how to use" YouTube and the comments there might also be instructive: They have a "how to use" product guide PDF: Interestingly, their YouTube video says it is "very important" to have soapy water at hand which they use, and also it seems clear water to rinse.? But these are not mentioned in the PDF.? They also mentioned another product in the video called "Perfect Cleaner" for cleaning brushes. Charles E. "Chuck" Kinzer On Wednesday, May 21, 2025 at 10:18:45 AM PDT, John Hutnick via groups.io <johnhutnick@...> wrote: For anyone considering this, please go to Amazon and read all of the reviews before buying.? $16 for 4 ounces?? Amazon will sell you a 16 ounce bottle of 99% IPA for $8.34.? Walmart charges $30 for 4 quarts of IPA.? And Ace Hardware sells a gallon for $24.? For the price, I would buy the gallon and soak a model in a tank for a day or two. I generally use a Waterpik to help remove paint after soaking.
Mike Swederska All Messages By This Member #177490 Ed, Haven’t tried yet on a locomotive. But plan to soon on one of their box cars. These are a pair of the Baldwin Centipede locos by Broadway Limited. Mike Swederska -- Mike Swederska Meramec Valley Lines Modeling Mopac equipment in 3/16 Don't let perfection get in the way of good enough! Keep model railroading fun! image0.jpeg
Chris Fauxturkey All Messages By This Member #177491 Another possibility is ammonia. It is one of the best penetrants on planet earth, but takes time. As a for instance it will get every last bit of grit and gunk out of the crevices of an old style power steering pump reservoir, with lips and folds. Works MUCH better then acetone for that application even. But I soaked the thing for 24 - 48 hours. Not sure if it's good for plastics. Use with caution. It will remove paint. But not necessarily all. I haven't had 100% success, but still considerable. There also cleaning vinegar. Works to some degree. The AK stuff is likely safe for all plastics, as it's intended use is Warhammer minis and such. All plastic for the last 25 years likely, or longer.
Mike Swederska All Messages By This Member #177492 开云体育 Ed, You got me curious if it’ll work on American Models paint. So I opened up a AM boxcar that was factory painted and just took a paper towel with a little bit of the stripper on it and wiped all the overspray off the inside of the car without hardly having an account to 10 for it to soak. so I believe that it probably will work satisfactory on a factory diesel shell. You may have to let it soak for a few minutes, but not very long and start scrubbing with a toothbrush. If I may say, I use one of those stainless steel drywall mud pans. I use it to strip all the brass items with lacquer thinner, and the pan wipes out clean. Mike Swederska? toggle quoted message Show quoted text On May 21, 2025, at 3:06?PM, Chris Fauxturkey via groups.io <skogkatt007@...> wrote: ? Another possibility is ammonia. It is one of the best penetrants on planet earth, but takes time. As a for instance it will get every last bit of grit and gunk out of the crevices of an old style power steering pump reservoir, with lips and folds. Works MUCH better then acetone for that application even. But I soaked the thing for 24 - 48 hours. Not sure if it's good for plastics. Use with caution. It will remove paint. But not necessarily all. I haven't had 100% success, but still considerable. There also cleaning vinegar. Works to some degree. The AK stuff is likely safe for all plastics, as it's intended use is Warhammer minis and such. All plastic for the last 25 years likely, or longer. -- Mike Swederska Meramec Valley Lines Modeling Mopac equipment in 3/16 https://www.youtube.com/@mikesscale3149 Don't let perfection get in the way of good enough! Keep model railroading fun!
Matt Hogan All Messages By This Member #177493 All, Photo of quick test using 91% and 99% isopropyl alcohol on AM boxcar door track.? Have not tried using it on an entire AM boxcar nor AM loco. ? ? Thank you, Matt Hogan
Mike Swederska All Messages By This Member #177494 开云体育 I thought my picture went with my post.? Mike Swederska? toggle quoted message Show quoted text On May 21, 2025, at 4:04?PM, Matt Hogan via groups.io <Matthew.Hogan1804@...> wrote: ? All, Photo of quick test using 91% and 99% isopropyl alcohol on AM boxcar door track.? Have not tried using it on an entire AM boxcar nor AM loco. ? <AMBoxcarSwab1.JPG> ? Thank you, Matt Hogan -- Mike Swederska Meramec Valley Lines Modeling Mopac equipment in 3/16 https://www.youtube.com/@mikesscale3149 Don't let perfection get in the way of good enough! Keep model railroading fun!
Bill Lane All Messages By This Member #177497 开云体育 Scalecoat is “back in business” selling their plastic paint stripper and thinner – only. ? I have used it recently. It is slow but works well. ? Thank You, Bill Lane Modeling the Mighty Pennsy, PRSL & Reading in 1957 in S Scale since 1987 See my finished models at: Look at what has been made in PRR in S Scale! ? See my layout progress at: Join the Pennsylvania Reading Seashore Lines Historical Society It's FREE to join!?? Preserving The Memory Of The PRSL ?

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