nowinaminute 2815 Posted January 20, 2018 Bit of a random one but does anyone have experience removing the WRONG kind of paint from lexan? I have just got a Tamiya Farm King and the shell has been painted red backed with silver. It's definitely not PS paint because it was badly cracked. I've managed to remove about 75% of it just by flexing the shell and peeling the flakes off but I'm getting down to the more stubborn areas now. The silver paint comes off easily with isopropyl but the red doesn't react at all so I'm guessing they are different types of paint. I'm just wondering if there's something less harsh I could use bearing in mind it's not actually PS paint. Worst case I'll just use some of the graffiti remover but I thought I would check if anyone has been in the same boat before? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WillyChang 1814 Posted January 21, 2018 7 hours ago, nowinaminute said: Bit of a random one but does anyone have experience removing the WRONG kind of paint from lexan? I have just got a Tamiya Farm King and the shell has been painted red backed with silver. It's definitely not PS paint because it was badly cracked. I've managed to remove about 75% of it just by flexing the shell and peeling the flakes off but I'm getting down to the more stubborn areas now. The silver paint comes off easily with isopropyl but the red doesn't react at all so I'm guessing they are different types of paint. I'm just wondering if there's something less harsh I could use bearing in mind it's not actually PS paint. Worst case I'll just use some of the graffiti remover but I thought I would check if anyone has been in the same boat before? Half the challenge is knowing what paint it is. If IPA doesn't dissolve it try some naphtha/lighterfluid/campgas, maybe try a squirt of motorspray/electricalcleaner... but beyond that any harsher solvent usually wrecks the lexan too. If it's mostly flaking off already, help it a bit by applying some really sticky medium - I used to go for Leukoplast fabric bandage with a rubberlike glue, it stuck like used chewing gum Do it warmed up too, I hear it's cold in UK now. (whereas down under I think lexan would melt on hot Tarmac) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nowinaminute 2815 Posted January 22, 2018 On 21/01/2018 at 2:34 AM, WillyChang said: Half the challenge is knowing what paint it is. If IPA doesn't dissolve it try some naphtha/lighterfluid/campgas, maybe try a squirt of motorspray/electricalcleaner... but beyond that any harsher solvent usually wrecks the lexan too. If it's mostly flaking off already, help it a bit by applying some really sticky medium - I used to go for Leukoplast fabric bandage with a rubberlike glue, it stuck like used chewing gum Do it warmed up too, I hear it's cold in UK now. (whereas down under I think lexan would melt on hot Tarmac) Turns out the red comes off with ipa too but it needs to soak in it for an hour or so. Only problem is how to submerge the thing in it. I haven't got that much IPA and the stuff evaporates pretty quick anyway! White spirit seems to work too but takes a bit longer. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Crash Cramer 617 Posted January 22, 2018 Mongoose had stripped some paint from a bodyshell by soaking a towel(paper or cloth I guess) in the solution he was using, so put some IPA on that rag, then drape that into the body and I guess he also added some clingwrap or plastic wrap from the kitchen to perhaps not let it evaporate so quickly?? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WillyChang 1814 Posted January 22, 2018 I buy IPA in jerrycans get instrument grade highest purity. IPA doesn't evaporate that quickly but it'll absorb water moisture first then seems to become a lot less aggressive than fresh 99.9% pure IPA. Wrap it in a thick plastic bag, pour in IPA then suck out as much air as possible... should be able to rotate the bag & wet one side at a time for only a cup or 2 of IPA. Depending on the paint, often worth breaking the paint surface with a stiff brush or corrosive alkali like caustic oven cleaner then only using solvent to clean off the rest. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
svloopy 0 Posted January 22, 2018 Ive just finished repainting my very old madcap lexan body shell, I have no idea what sort of paint was used (Brush painted) I tried dot 4 brake fluid which had no affect on it, then had a go with paint thinners on a very small area which removed the paint but nearly melted it so avoid that idea! In the end 2 stroke petrol worked fantastic melting the paint off in a few seconds and with no fading or melting. I just worked a little area at a time with it on a cloth and soon as it was clean I washed the area very quickly and moved onto the next. Not sure if plain petrol would be harsher on the lexan as the 2 stroke was all I had. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
iluvmud 812 Posted January 23, 2018 nitro fuel works great too! I'm taking the paint of a poorly painted DF01-Blazing star Before Right now Just need to soak the last few edges and done! the only weird thing Ive noticed.... Over spray does not want to come off.... the coated paint comes right off though. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WillyChang 1814 Posted January 23, 2018 6 hours ago, svloopy said: Not sure if plain petrol would be harsher on the lexan as the 2 stroke was all I had. Doubt 5% oil makes much difference naphtha/lighterfluid/Colemangas works same as petrol, much less stinky & doesn't have dyes or unnecessary additives like what's in pump unleaded. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Juggular 4964 Posted January 23, 2018 Baddon posted this youtube video on another thread just now. I thought it would be fitting here. I did not discover this, Baddon did. Hibernaculum already mentioned it on the previous page (in 2010) also. I wonder if it's really this easy on old stuff too. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WillyChang 1814 Posted January 23, 2018 20 minutes ago, Juggular said: Baddon posted this youtube video on another thread just now. I thought it would be fitting here. I did not discover this, Baddon did. Hibernaculum already mentioned it on the previous page (in 2010) also. I wonder if it's really this easy on old stuff too. yep it's known as "purple bottle" Works great on PS sprayed paint (just about nothing else does!), some of the preprinted RTR bodies too. But don't expect to just wipe on wipe off... oh no, you've gotta really burn the elbow grease scrubbing & polishing with a rag. If your body is aged or used... you'll likely flex it so much during scrubbing that the lexan cracks from material fatigue. Purple bottle also ain't cheap, you'll go through a few... price of 3-4 bottles is same as a new shell where I'm at. original discovery blog here but F'd by photobucket 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Juggular 4964 Posted January 23, 2018 2 hours ago, WillyChang said: price of 3-4 bottles is same as a new shell haha , I thought it was too good to be true. Thank you for the info. I contemplated on clearing painted windows, but I think getting a new shell and an MCI decal might be more fun. For Photobucket photos, I can see the photos thanks to the Chrome plugin: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/photobucket-hotlink-fix/kegnjbncdcliihbemealioapbifiaedg?hl=en Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WillyChang 1814 Posted January 23, 2018 3 hours ago, Juggular said: haha , I thought it was too good to be true. Thank you for the info. I contemplated on clearing painted windows, but I think getting a new shell and an MCI decal might be more fun. For Photobucket photos, I can see the photos thanks to the Chrome plugin: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/photobucket-hotlink-fix/kegnjbncdcliihbemealioapbifiaedg?hl=en That video sure makes it look "wipe on wipe off" easy, huh?! false advertising!!! Plugins only good for desktops afaik these days I'm mainly surfing from handhelds, no chance to sit down at desks anymore. Clearing painted Windows is doable, have done a few fancy shells like Egress & Avante, where original builders painted over Windows because they had no room to install the driver co.ckpit figure... yeah years before those 2 got rere'd 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Baddon 860 Posted January 23, 2018 Sorry guys, to be honest its not the video i was looking for, Tamiya do a product I had seen in another utube video from a guy in UK with a MASSIVE collection from the first 100 buggies that shows him stripping a polycarb shell. It was only available from Japan but uses very little of the product and is easier to use. I will have another search and see if I can find the correct video. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Baddon 860 Posted January 23, 2018 Found it but not as easy to use as I recall. Still its pucker stuff rather than brake clearer.... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WillyChang 1814 Posted January 23, 2018 Yeah afaik purple bottle appeared first in Japan without much formal introduction ... word got out, gaijin wanted to buy. But 3-6mths later it's sold worldwide anyway. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
whahooo 465 Posted June 4, 2020 I tried Nailpolishremover without Acetone, it worked very well and costs about 1 Euro.... Sadly the Polishremover i had at home worked realy well ( Company "look") but was soon empty, so i got another one from ebelin and that one gets the Lexan cloudy.... I try to get this Shell bach to Life: Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
