Paint Removal

[Sailorman]

Yes,

There is a product called Modelstrip.  It is a creamy sort of paste.  You coat the parts you want to clean with it, place them in a plastic bag and leave it overnight.  You wash the paste off the next day and the paint goes with it.  It works best with gloss enamels and slightly less well with matt paints.  The paint comes away bringing the plastic parts back to pristine condition.  The material is very aggressive so take care when using it.

This is what my france parts looked like before I started restoring it:

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And this is how they looked after cleaning!

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[Bantstudios77]

Thank you

[DavidJC]

For acrylic paints you can use kitchen towel or a cotton wool pad wet with surgial spirit which can be bought off the shelf from chemists. It's not dangerous in itself but it doesn't smell nice and can make a mess. so work in a well ventilated area and wear gloves.

 

For acrylics or enamels, Revell's Paint Remover is excellent. Again a wetted kitchen towel or cotton wool pad works wonders. Expensive stuff but it's really good.

 

In both cases, wash with non-aggressive bathroom cleaner and allow to air dry.

[PAUL KIMBLE]

A soak in Dettol disinfectant is a relatively cheap way of effectively removing paint as well.

[Tweezers]

I think Modelstrip might have gone out of production.  I cannot find it.

 

Please might someone suggest a product superior to oven cleaner which works some of the time?

[Ratch]

Is there any way I can remove paint from a plastic model part to revert it to the bluey - grey? 

[Darrin Bransgrove]

I've used to use modelstrip years ago and found it very fussy and messy and not very fast (as others have mentioned, you had to leave it over night in a plastic bag). I now use Revell's paint remover and it works a dream. I either soak the part completely and leave for only a few minutes then lightly use an old brush to clean off the paint, then wash in soapy water to clear any residue. If you are careful enough you can even use it on isolated areas. One thing just be careful of, only leave in the solution for as long as it takes to start the paint peeling otherwise it can soften the plastic and damage delicate detail.

[Hugo-357041]

Did you manage to remove the paint from your plastic? If so, could you please tell me which product or method you used? I would like to remove the paint from my plastic game controller, but I'm unsure how to do it. I have already found a paint-remover online, but I have serious doubts about its effectiveness. To be certain, I would appreciate any advice or recommendations. Thank you in advance for your help.

[Ratch]

Did you manage to remove the paint from your plastic?

 

 

It was that long ago, I don't even remember asking the question blush

[Darren-345957]

As well as the Dettol mentioned up thread the old "go to" paint remover for plastic was brake fluid. If the paint is an acrylic laquer I've found regular alcohol (methylated spirits for example) is an effective way of removing it.

[Sailorman]

Someone recommended AK Interactive Paint Stripper to me. It looks like water ....though I'm sure it isn't. I bought a bottle but haven't tried it yet ......