Stripping Minis - What works?
- Thread starter Aliengod3
- Start date
mattsterbenz
New member
Super Clean. Big purple jug that can be found in the auto section of Wal Mart stores. You want to get the \"tough task\" (general purpose) variety. I love the stuff and it works great.
-Matt
-Matt
Legacy Account
Active member
Super-strength paint stripper.
Polycell Maximum Strength is the nadgers.
Put some in a jar, drop the figures in and leave for half an hour. Fish them out and scrub them down under a running tap - outside preferably, the stuff knackers everything!
Polycell Maximum Strength is the nadgers.
Put some in a jar, drop the figures in and leave for half an hour. Fish them out and scrub them down under a running tap - outside preferably, the stuff knackers everything!
Einion
New member
Castrol Super Clean.
Caustic soda solution (be careful of your eyes).
Edit: ultrasonic cleaner.
Many strippers - including oven cleaner, acetone and other solvents, Dettol, SG - will remove all the paint, just not in one go sometimes; you may simply need to re-dip and maybe give it a scrub with an old toothbrush to get the last bits out of recesses.
Einion
Caustic soda solution (be careful of your eyes).
Edit: ultrasonic cleaner.
Many strippers - including oven cleaner, acetone and other solvents, Dettol, SG - will remove all the paint, just not in one go sometimes; you may simply need to re-dip and maybe give it a scrub with an old toothbrush to get the last bits out of recesses.
Einion
i\'ve been meaning to ask this question for a few days too, and luckily i even have some Polycell max paint stripper from stripping some old window latches... but, i need to strip a plastic horse too, and i\'m sure the polycell will eat it. Any suggestions for stripping plastic? cheers 
Sauce Devil
New member
Brushing the mini with a good quality brass suede brush (used for cleaning suede shoes) after stripping does the trick for me.
I\'ve used simple acetone nail polish remover to excellent effect. Just soak the mini in it over night, more if you have the time to spare, then run it under a powerful stream of hot water and use a spare toothbrush. Paint just falls right off in most cases, and I use the toothbrush to get any tricky spots. Mind you, most glues will soften as well, but I don\'t know about all kinds or if the glue re-cures.
Granted, this was with Classic Battletech miniatures, which as a general rule do *not* have the detail that many other miniatures do. I\'m not sure how well it would work on my Harbinger, for example, with the nooks and crannies for paint to cling to.
Granted, this was with Classic Battletech miniatures, which as a general rule do *not* have the detail that many other miniatures do. I\'m not sure how well it would work on my Harbinger, for example, with the nooks and crannies for paint to cling to.
mattsterbenz
New member
It won\'t melt your hands off. It just dries out the skin the same way soap will. I\'d recommend wearing gloves, of course.
-Matt
-Matt
I\'ve had good experiences with citrus base cleaners. Give the miniature a good spray or two and put it in a sealed jar for a few hours. You\'ll still need to break out the old toothbrush, but there won\'t be a great deal of work to do with it, and on the upside there\'s few other downsides.
ETA: I haven\'t had a reason to try it on plastics yet, but to the best of my knowledge it shouldn\'t affect it badly. Try on a piece of sprue first, though.
ETA, 2: Well, I tried it on a couple of miniatures with plastic bases, and the citrus base cleaner very much attacked the plastic. So, use it on metals only.
ETA: I haven\'t had a reason to try it on plastics yet, but to the best of my knowledge it shouldn\'t affect it badly. Try on a piece of sprue first, though.
ETA, 2: Well, I tried it on a couple of miniatures with plastic bases, and the citrus base cleaner very much attacked the plastic. So, use it on metals only.
Einion
New member
Have any oven cleaner? The kind with caustic soda in it.Originally posted by jaybiz
but, i need to strip a plastic horse too, and i\'m sure the polycell will eat it. Any suggestions for stripping plastic? cheers
Test first if in doubt!
Definitely wear gloves (or don\'t touch it at all), I\'ve seen reports where it affects some people much faster than others.
Einion
mattsterbenz
New member
I wear a glove in my left hand (which I hold the mini with). I hold the toothbrush in my right hand and don\'t use a glove on that hand. I haven\'t had any skin problems doing that method.
-Matt
-Matt
Try superglue debonder if you have some of that on hand. I would imagine that most brands are the same but I use FlashBack.
It will melt your plastic but seeing as you are going with lead there is no problem. All you have to do is brush it on with an old brush or toothbrush and in a few seconds the paint will come off like you are rinsing dirt off of it. No scrubbing, no waiting. It\'s better than most for getting paint out of smal crevices .... if your brush can reach it then the paint will go.
It will melt your plastic but seeing as you are going with lead there is no problem. All you have to do is brush it on with an old brush or toothbrush and in a few seconds the paint will come off like you are rinsing dirt off of it. No scrubbing, no waiting. It\'s better than most for getting paint out of smal crevices .... if your brush can reach it then the paint will go.
Boss Khamzi
New member
For metal minatures I always use Break Fluid. Now I live in the US and DOT3 Break fluid is more than capable to remove paint off of metal mini\'s It will bubble it up like a chemical stripper would take paint off of wood. You just need to peel it off. Use a toothbrush to do this. You can pour it in a bowl cover it and let it sit overnight or longer. When you are ready go back and brush the mini with the toothbrush dipping it back in the break fluid as needed. When your mini is clean... it will need to be wash with a dish detergent to remove the petroleum. Best part is that your covered bowl that you get from the store can be used to keep the break fluid for future projects. Also, cost is not very high in the US.
<EDIT: Added content below>
DO NOT USE ON PLASTIC MINIATURES! This will attack the plastic and cause a loss of detail. It softens the plastic parts! Just handling a minature that has been soaked in Brake fluid can result in loss of detail.
<EDIT: Added content below>
DO NOT USE ON PLASTIC MINIATURES! This will attack the plastic and cause a loss of detail. It softens the plastic parts! Just handling a minature that has been soaked in Brake fluid can result in loss of detail.
D
donga666
Guest
Just finished my first experiment with Fairy Power Spray, it works as well as Nitromors, as quickly, and safe on plastics (and hands)!!! Quicker than Detol or break fluid too.
30mins and no paint!!!!
The only one I have found better is Cellulose thinners and it turns plastics into snot.
Fairy Power spray all the way now!
Isn\'t that Milking?
Sorry couldn\'t resist.
