Removing Enamel Paint with Paint Thinner

[Jonny2174]

Hello all,

A few months back I custom painted a Revell F/A-18 Hornet for a contest, and I tried (and failed) to create a Camouflage paint scheme as seen on some F-4s. Well back then I had no idea what I was doing and so I used enamels and it's pretty thick actually, in some areas you cannot even see the recessed panel lines anymore. I have aftermarket decals for the F/A-18E and would like to repaint my model. But I am going to need to remove the paint that's already there first.

I hear that using Enamel Paint Thinner can work for removing the paint. It turns out that I have a whole jar of Testors Enamel Thinner and Brush Cleaner. But I was unable to find any additional information about how to use it.

I heard that using acetone or other harsh chemicals will work, but it's really not too practical for me because it's only for this one model. Does anybody out there have any suggestions on how to execute this process? Otherwise I'd assume to just pour a little bit onto the affected plastic area, then let the thinner do its work but I'd have no idea on how long it would take or how to clean the paint off later.

EDIT: I tried applying some paint thinner, but it just simply evaporates and nothing happens! But I've found more than a few websites saying that paint thinner is effective for removing enamels...

Any tips are greatly appreciated!

Thanks,

Jerry

Edited April 30, 2012 by Jonny2174

[JesniF-16]

Go get some Easy Off oven cleaner... Using rubber gloves and a respirator, spray the oven cleaner on the model. Then put the model in a plastic container and let it soak for 6-8 hours... Next, take an old toothbrush and scrub the paint off of the model, it should strip off fairly easy. Rinse with warm water when finished scrubbing Good luck.

/Jesse

The oven cleaner is cheap and believe me, you will need it again someday...<_<

Edited April 30, 2012 by JesniF-16

[Triarius]

Oven cleaner will work, however, it is extremely caustic. Wear rubber gloves and eye and face protection.

[Netz]

I agree with the oven cleaner, if you use the paint thinner (any of the ones you mentioned) you will ruin your model.

Brake Fluid will also work the same as Oven cleaner.

Curt

[Jonny2174]

Thanks for the suggestions guys. But it turns out that I ran into a tutorial saying to apply the paint thinner onto a cloth, then rubbing the cloth on the model. Turns out it works pretty well! Just, it requires A LOT of paint thinner cuz the stuff evaporates so fast.

Oven Cleaner is definetely something I will try in the future, but perhaps I will have to just be careful later on? =D

Thanks for your help.

Jerry

[Billabob]

Another option is to soak the model in Purple Power. I tried it this weekend on a poor paint job that I wanted to redo. Put it in a plastic container and let the mode soak for about 24 hours. The paint came right off in most places. A couple of places I had to scrub with a toothbrush and some Comet Cleanser.

[B-1 Nut]

I know that you can't soak the model, but I've used Simple Green very well to remove enamel paints.

I'll soak the part for a couple of hours and remove the paint with a toothbrush.

I've stripped several cockpits like this because I wasn't pleased with a mistake I made.

[Jonny2174]

Hmm, thanks for all the ideas guys. I guess I'll have to find out which one of those works best for me by experimentation.

The paint thinner did actually work, I used some TP and dipped it in the thinner then rubbed SUPER hard against the plastic and the paint came off. But now there's a white residue on the plastic, and some of the panel lines are a bit damaged...not too sure what happened there. I wonder what would happen if I just soaked it in paint thinner? Because paint thinner evaporates rather quickly.

And also I think I failed to mention that it's not individual parts that I'm trying to de-paint here...it's a whole, assembled, plastic airplane. And the cement just isn't going to forgive me...

Scrubbing with an old toothbrush sounds like an effective addition to my method.

Thanks,

Jerry

[Netz]

I agree with the oven cleaner, if you use the paint thinner (any of the ones you mentioned) you will ruin your model.

Brake Fluid will also work the same as Oven cleaner.

Curt

[FlyingLow]

I just recently had an issue with MM gloss black didn't lay down properly and I created perfect (black) orange.

I used standard MM Enamel Thinner in red can:

And applied it with old brush and it went right off:

Note that under enamel I had a layer of Gunze Mr. Base White, which is lacquer based and it didn't react at all with the thinner.

So after a layer of Mr. Surfacer and Alclad I am back in business:

BTW. yes this is 1/144 so the quantity of thinner required is relatively small, I also didn't want to ruin the interior paint and succedded at that.

[Jonny2174]

I just recently had an issue with MM gloss black didn't lay down properly and I created perfect (black) orange.

I used standard MM Enamel Thinner in red can:

And applied it with old brush and it went right off:

Note that under enamel I had a layer of Gunze Mr. Base White, which is lacquer based and it didn't react at all with the thinner.

So after a layer of Mr. Surfacer and Alclad I am back in business:

BTW. yes this is 1/144 so the quantity of thinner required is relatively small, I also didn't want to ruin the interior paint and succedded at that.

HOW...did you do that? I use the Model Master / Testors Enamel Thinner...except it comes in a glass jar. I'm assuming it's the same thing though, surely it is not for acrylics. I am speechless! I tried applying the paint thinner onto my model jet too. After a bit of scrubbing, the brown came off, but the green and beige stay right there and refuse to come off. Well, maybe it's because I don't have the lacquer underneath. I applied the paint directly onto the model.

Jerry

[FlyingLow]

Hi Jerry, I can feel your frustration. I wish I would know what did the trick in my case, perhaps I was just lucky... Since I am no chemist I have couple of thoughts that might played part... there might be differences in different products Testors make, I was always wondering why they have red and blue Thinner cans.. The other is related and maybe you used Lacquer thinner to thin the enamel paints you used and with that turn them into something between lacquers and enamels and therefore they don't react the same (I have no idea if this makes any sense).

I guess sometimes it just comes down to trial and error aproach...

[Jonny2174]

Hmm, I guess so. FlyingLow, I definitely agree with you that modeling is very much trial and error. Heck, it was error that caused me to paint the plane in that ridiculous scheme in the first place!

Thank you for your help, will keep experimenting.

Jerry

[Jinxter13]

I agree with the oven cleaner, if you use the paint thinner (any of the ones you mentioned) you will ruin your model.

Brake Fluid will also work the same as Oven cleaner.

Curt

Very true, but don't use it on resin parts......it will have the same affect erode the details to a point of non recognition.

[famvburg]

I've used automotive brake fluid off & on for years with good results.

[ShaneV61]

I'm glad i saw this, but it is to late for my ruined sky raider. You can learn a lot from the mistakes of others. what ever you do, do not let small parts soak in thinner, it will melt.

[phasephantomphixer]

Mineral Spirit is mild and cheap at Hardware stores.

[balls47]

Jonny2174, One more warning about using the Testors Universal Enamel Thinner (product #8824). After it gets through the paint, it will get into the plastic. It will soften the plastic and soften it to the point that it gets "snotty" and a thin layer will rub off, ruining the model. Definitely don't use the Testor's Airbrush Thinner. Testor's adds something to give the thinned paint a little bit of tooth to grab onto the model. Go with the other products that were mentioned above. Good Luck!