Removing Acrylic paint from models

[topgazza]

I want to respray my Hurricane to practice my airbrushing. I could just put a coat of primer but I wondered if it was worth the faff with stripping the paint off and if in practical terms it was possible ? I've seen suggestion of things like oven cleaner and bizarrely Dettol !
I have varished with AK matt. But it seems to me for practice, forgetting decals for now, primer is best ?

 

[stillp]

Soaking in Dettol works well, as does Mr Muscle oven cleaner, or brake fluid.
Whatever you use, make sure you wash it off well before trying to repaint. Dettol has an advantage here, in that you'll smell it if there's any left!
Pete

 

[topgazza]

So I was reading something that works

Time to experiment. I can always gett some decals from Hannants I assume so oven cleaner or Dettol here I come.

 

[Jakko]

Methanol also dissolves hardened acrylic paint, I found when trying to make a wash using it. Not sure how practical it is to clean a whole model with it, though, as I’ve never actually tried using it for stripping

 

[topgazza]

I think the varnish is protecting it. I only want to practice so I'll probably use primer to cover it up

 

[Bortig the Viking]

Hi, if you really want to do it you can try VMS Clean Slate, works well, but if your just practising with your airbrush use your failures/damaged models, just use a different colors. I practised using food coloring on paper, nice and cheap but it helps with getting paints mixed correctly., pressures etc.
If it was me I'd go for the cheap option saving my money for better equipment and future models.

 

[topgazza]

I have some melamine shelving, odds and sods, in white that would be ideal for practising close, further away, masking with blu tack and different techniques and paint thinning. So I have some good material I can try on

 

[Gern]

Old plastic bottles and containers can also be used. They give you a chance to practise masking curved surfaces and corners.

 

[topgazza]

Good tip Dave I will try that as well, thanks

So my idea of using my wifes head, as she slept, is probably not a good idea ?

 

[Gern]

Good tip Dave I will try that as well, thanks

So my idea of using my wifes head, as she slept, is probably not a good idea ?

Depends on how supportive she is to your hobby: but probably not!

Mind you, you'd get a lot of paint creep under any masking tape, so you'd have to use liquid masking. You could try convincing her that's the latest cosmetic method of preventing wrinkles - that might work.

Failing that, tell her that virtually all photographs of beautiful women have had any skin blemishes airbrushed out; so the logical extension of that is to airbrush over the real blemishes.

Gotta be worth a try.

 

[Deleted member 7181]

I've seen make-up artists airbrushing foundation and shading on so you might just get away with it lol

 

[Gern]

I've seen make-up artists airbrushing foundation and shading on so you might just get away with it lol

D'you think he could get away with Dunkelgelb or Olive Drab as shading colours?

 

[topgazza]

Sounds like you all know my wife. Which is concerning on a whole new level

 

[Deleted member 7917]

Today I had a need to remove some masked acrylic paint stripes on a model that had dried completely. I won't go into why this happened as it is a long story and quite embarrassing (a real senior moment).

The model was airbrushed with grey one-shot Ammo primer followed by 2 sprays of Ammo red. I rubbed the areas with Mr. Color Thinner on a Q-tip and it magically stripped everything back to pristine plastic. Before finishing I tried the same trick with Humbrol enamel thinners (which left a gunky mess) and Ammo odourless enamel thinners (which did nothing whatsoever).

As as aside I also discovered that Mr. Color thinner melts the polystyrene cement used in assembly which is handy to know as well.

Like the differences that I found in the behaviour of the three thinners, the results may not apply to other acrylic paint brands but at the moment I don't have anything to try this on. When I get around to doing so I will post any worthwhile observations.

 

[topgazza]

Good tip Murfie. Mr Color Thinners always smells enough to strip paint just by the fumes alone. Good to know it will actually remove old paint by gentle application

 

[Deleted member 7917]

Mr Color Thinners always smells enough to strip paint just by the fumes alone.

Ha, ha, spot on! I had the windows wide open and the 3M respirator on to prevent me from flying away. As an aside, I bought the respirator to use with recently acquired airbrushing gear but I've found it great for avoiding other fumes like that you cop when the Tamiya Extra Thin Cement jar has the lid removed. Should have bought one years ago. Live and learn ...

 

[Tim Marlow]

Mr. Color thinners will probably dissolve the model if you leave it long enough.....Fairy Power Spray cleaner works as well.....

 

[Tim Marlow]

....and disposable cutlery is a good practice target....