7 replies to this topic

[Sons of Sanguinius]

Hey,  I recently got some old figures and want to change the paint scheme.  I don't want to lose the detail on the plastic figures by adding another layer of paint.  The question is:  How do you strip the old paint off without damaging the plastic figure itself?

A while ago I tried soaking some other figures in a solution of Pinesol and water.  This worked, taking the old paint off, but it seemed to soften the plastic and I lost some of the detail on the figures themselves.

Anyone have any suggestions?

Thanks!

[sinner]

It does. I've ruined a few figs by leaving them in for to long. Brake fluid supposedly works. I've never tried it but, supposedly.

[mgehl]

I use a cleaning compound called Simple Green (other concentrated cleaners may work the same).  I get best results if I leave them in for at least 2 weeks, but I've forgotten miniatures for months and not had a problem.

[Gobbla]

Simple Green.  Don't consider anything else ( I have used other stuff).  Cheap, non toxic (unlike brake fluid), not abrasive (unlike Pinesol), and more effective.

[Wolfbyte2586]

mgehl, on Nov 2 2007, 05:51 PM, said:

Simple Green I leave them in for at least 2 weeks

Does it really take that long???

[mgehl]

You'll spend longer scrubbing with your old toothbrush if you only soak them a week.  After two weeks, almost all of the stuff in the cracks will come out easily.

Wolfbyte2586, on Nov 3 2007, 01:57 AM, said:

Does it really take that long???

[Gobbla]

Put stuff in for and hour or two, take it out and scrub it.  Repeat as necessary.  The best results are a couple of treatments like that, then leave it in for a few days.

[Brynjolfr]

Brake fluid works.  But so does Simple Green; and I'm not worried about dumping that down the sink.  

While it does take a bit of time to work, is that really a bad thing?  You can work on other aspects of the army, and what could be better than an-tis-i-pation? (Carly Simon, not Rocky, but either works)