Stripping enamels?

[BattleshipBob]

Good afternoon

Did some research into stripping enamels and came up with caustic soda!!!!! And brake fluid!! Is there a easier safer way!

Having a real nightmare with enamels, does not matter what I do, pressures, ratio etc it looks bad, patchy etc. All my fault of course!

Perhaps I should not have attempted to spray in the warm weather plus Julies health at the back of my mind. So thinking of stripping and returning to my favourite Mr color, only issue of course is getting the colours right.

[Ian M]

Spraying in warm weather can often be a thriller. Regardless of the paint type.

Either keep banging away at it or wait until the cooler weather turns up.
As for the paint itself the only way to win is to play.
Play with one thing at a time.
I suggest around 2bar air and adjust the ratio thinneraint until you get an even pattern.
If it splutters more thinners. (Or up the air pressure)
If it's splattering and makes 'spiders' more paint (or reduce air pressure).
Just try to keep to adjustments to only one thing at a time.
Buy a bag of plastic spoons to train on..

I am 'lucky' in that I can turnthe heat off or wait until the temperatures are better. Mornings or evenings when it is cooler.

some research into stripping enamels and came up with caustic soda!!!!! And brake fluid!! Is there a easier safer way!

What is it that needs redoing? The hull or loads og small parts.

[BattleshipBob]

Spraying in warm weather can often be a thriller. Regardless of the paint type.

Either keep banging away at it or wait until the cooler weather turns up.
As for the paint itself the only way to win is to play.
Play with one thing at a time.
I suggest around 2bar air and adjust the ratio thinneraint until you get an even pattern.
If it splutters more thinners. (Or up the air pressure)
If it's splattering and makes 'spiders' more paint (or reduce air pressure).
Just try to keep to adjustments to only one thing at a time.
Buy a bag of plastic spoons to train on..

I am 'lucky' in that I can turnthe heat off or wait until the temperatures are better. Mornings or evenings when it is cooler.



What is it that needs redoing? The hull or loads og small parts.

Hi Ian

I use cheap plastic spoons and they looked fine after a practice spray, it's the hull, yet to remove the masking but I am putting the hull away before I go nuts lol. Its too warm anyway to continue

I need to remove the booth and paint etc anyway to get the garage finally cleared. Well that's my excuse

That's my one concern about the modelling room being in the garage is the temp not just in the summer but the winter. Got a heater and a fan and will get a thermometer as well.

Not having issues with spider's or splattering, just poor finish. Its me Ian but it's so frustrating

[Tim Marlow]

You could try fairy power spray.



Works well removing acrylics and cellulose primer, so might well work with enamels. It’s probably caustic soda based anyway……..that’s how it clears the grease so well.

[BattleshipBob]

Evening Tim, thanks!

Used that before, it works a treat. When I get the masking off I will be behind the settee lol

[stillp]

I tried that Fairy Power Spray on that Hataka acrylic that didn't dry properly... and it didn't do a thing after a day's soaking! Brake fluid (DOT 4) took the paint off in about an hour. I wonder if a brake specialist would give you some old used fluid?
Pete

[JR]

Big difference in size Bob from the spoon to one of your hulls , no doubt it's the heat coursing the problem with the paint drying as you move along the hull .
In a large plastic container you can put boiling water, add Caustic Soda, Let it cool down to under 40 degrees Celsius. Leave the model in it overnight and the paint will be all gone the next morning, doesn`t matter what type of paint it is. Decals will be gone but clear parts remain intact.
Saw this tip on britmodeller. Never tried it my self as don't use enamels .
Acetone is another , bit strong to breath in an enclosed space but will work .suppose you would brush it on and wipe .

[Tim Marlow]

Big difference in size Bob from the spoon to one of your hulls , no doubt it's the heat coursing the problem with the paint drying as you move along the hull .
In a large plastic container you can put boiling water, add Caustic Soda, Let it cool down to under 40 degrees Celsius. Leave the model in it overnight and the paint will be all gone the next morning, doesn`t matter what type of paint it is. Decals will be gone but clear parts remain intact.
Saw this tip on britmodeller. Never tried it my self as don't use enamels .
Acetone is another , bit strong to breath in an enclosed space but will work .suppose you would brush it on and wipe .

Please don’t try this John. It’s dangerous. Mixing caustic soda (sodium hydroxide) and water produces an exothermic reaction…meaning it generates heat, lots of it, as the sodium hydroxide dissolves. If you mix hot water with sodium hydroxide, especially pellets, the mixture can get superheated, boil violently, and spit concentrated sodium hydroxide (caustic soda) all over the surrounding area. I know because I once did it by mistake at work. Believe me, you only do it once :anguished:

[Ian M]

If it is just the hull I would just rub it down with 1000grit wet paper... Just enough to smooth the surface and spray over that.

[BattleshipBob]

Have posted pics on the build thread, seems a toxic job lol. Thank you all for your advice!

[AlanG]

Please don’t try this John. It’s dangerous. Mixing caustic soda (sodium hydroxide) and water produces an exothermic reaction…meaning it generates heat, lots of it, as the sodium hydroxide dissolves. If you mix hot water with sodium hydroxide, especially pellets, the mixture can get superheated, boil violently, and spit concentrated sodium hydroxide (caustic soda) all over the surrounding area. I know because I once did it by mistake at work. Believe me, you only do it once :anguished:

Totally agree. Saw a H&S video of this exact thing (on a slightly larger scale) and it had fatal consequences for the operator in question

[Tim Marlow]

Totally agree. Saw a H&S video of this exact thing (on a slightly larger scale) and it had fatal consequences for the operator in question

No fatalities when I did it Alan……we just stood back and said “Oh look, Vesuvius” because that was exactly what it looked like, spitting globs of molten caustic out of a mound of pellets. Took hours to clean up afterwards though……and certainly made me much more careful in future….

[stillp]

No fatalities when I did it Alan……we just stood back and said “Oh look, Vesuvius” because that was exactly what it looked like, spitting globs of molten caustic out of a mound of pellets. Took hours to clean up afterwards though……and certainly made me much more careful in future….

A student in the college where I worked lost an eye through doing something similar.
Pete

[Tim Marlow]

A student in the college where I worked lost an eye through doing something similar.
Pete

That’s appealing! Who the hell was supervising…I knew better and was cutting corners I shouldn’t have, but a student doesn’t know better and should be protected from their own ignorance by those that do.

[stillp]

It wasn't my department Tim, but the lecturer in charge of the class at the time was cleared of any blame. I think the student had chosen to ignore both written and verbal instructions. This was in the early 70s and the outcome might have been different today.
Pete