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stripping paint from resin models


Thirdfox

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Is it safe to use brake fluid to remove the primer and basecoat from a resin model without compromising the material? I'm asking this because i'm planning to mod a Finecast Jump Pack Chaplain into a Wolf Priest and the only materials i have on hand are brake fluid and 90% IPA.

 

I've checked the various threads on paint stripping and used the search button to see if i can find the answers but i haven't located any decent responses. I've found that acetone will render down plastics into goo and that certain fluids can mar a pewter model but no one mentioned anything about brake fluid and resin.

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https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/260669-stripping-paint-from-resin-models/
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My good man, may I introduce you to Mr. Fairy Power Spray.

 

http://www.atb-bargains.co.uk/ekmps/shops/atbbargains/images/fairy-power-spray-brand-fairy-375g.-3757-p.jpg

 

Just a couple of squirts, a bit of agitation with a toothbrush, leave it for a couple of hours and then cold water and toothbrush time again. Voila - 90% paintless models

 

This works for plastics, resins, and metals - 100% safe for your models - NO LOSS OF DETAIL!!!

 

Also, no damage to your skin or respiritory system (though I would still recommend marigolds).

 

You may send donations to my paypal....

Oh, man. That's what i was afraid of. So, Simple Green or the local equivalent is what i really need to look for then?

 

I've also heard that Simple Green softens Finecast. Not had to try it. Power spray I've not heard bad things about. In general though Finecast is a risky thing to try and strip - even gentle scrubbing can damage it. I suspect that is deliberate as a move to curb the second hand market.

I've used nail varnish remover to great effect with forgeworld resin but I've not tried with finecast yet.

 

I might give that a try if i won't be able to find some Simple Green or that Fairy stuff. There is a section of the resin base that i'm willing to sacrifice anyway.

 

Thanks for the suggestions and tips, all of you. ;)

I've also heard that Simple Green softens Finecast.

 

It definitely softens FW resin, but after a couple of days and a hot/cold water bath it hardened right back up. Might not recommend for larger bitz though. I've used brake fluid on FW resin with similar results. It will 'stain' the resin though.

I've also heard that Simple Green softens Finecast.

 

It definitely softens FW resin, but after a couple of days and a hot/cold water bath it hardened right back up. Might not recommend for larger bitz though. I've used brake fluid on FW resin with similar results. It will 'stain' the resin though.

 

Must be a newer resin from FW. I've soaked my FW dreadnaught in Simple Green for well over a week, and it was not softened in the slightest. Good to hear it stiffens back up once it can sit out of the solution. Still strange that it would act this way at all.

I've been doing a a fair bit of stripping of resin scenery lately. With the changes in 6th edition I'm pleased to find that the Forgeworld defence lines and bunkers I've been buying will prove very handy.

 

I've found that Simple Green often works well in stripping some paints, particularly from plastic or metal miniatures. I've had less success using Simple Green or similar products when stripping second-hand resin miniatures and scenery, but this is probably due to the different paints used as well as the composition and surface of the resin itself. I've learned that there are resins and resins.

 

I've used commercial grade stripping gels on resin scenery, including forgeworld stuff. I've actually found some variation within forge-world produced items, which I think relates to some changes they've made over time in the relative composition of their resin, and this represents the differing compositions of epoxy resins in use. I've found that these gels will temporarily soften the more recent/current grey resins, which are more "plastic-like" in that they have greater tolerance for bending without breaking. These resins seem more prone to warping, but are more easily reshaped through emersion in boiling water which significantly softens them temporarily. The white/cream resins they used to use further in the past were harder but more brittle, and were more prone to shatter and fragment like a plaster-cast item. They were much less responsive to heating. I think that the change in resin used was probably because the more plastic resins seem better for miniatures or models which may have small thin pieces projecting out, as the flexibility prevents breakage. They also used to use a more beige resin which seems to sit between the other two in terms of properties. While less inclined to soften, I have found these will "sweat" out a residue after exposure to the striping agent, which needs to be finely sanded off, and which I speculate implies some sort of chemical reaction.

 

I've had limited experience with finecast, as all the reviews I've read have been quite negative about warping and air pockets, so I've been buying up the old metal miniatures while still on the market, waiting for the production to be improved. From what I've read, the mix sounds like it had a more plastic sort of mix, and I would expect that commercial paint strippers will temporarily soften them. When stripping I've often found a need to scrub the surface with a brush, or use a dental probe to pull paint out of surface crevices. If the strpping agent softens the resin it becomes easier to scratch the surface it using a very hard brush or metal probes or sculpting tools. I would advise using milder agents first to minimise the risk. It you need to use commercial paint strippers, then minimise the duration and rinse thoroughly.

Acetone will indeed eat plastic. However it does not harm resin at all. I use it to clean my FW stuff all the time. It will melt paint but leave the resin completely unharmed. Easy way to test this, get some fingernail polish remover, take an extra sprue and leave it to set in there for 60 seconds then take it out.

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