Bodyshell Troubles.........

[madbad jezza 0]

This has probably been asked a million times by every man and his dog, but remind me again what the best way of removing paint from a polycarbonate bodyshell is. I'm using glow fuel at the moment but it's a slow process and its messy. I need a quick easy result!.

cheers,

James.

[kaiser 8]

i beleive brake fluid is what everyone uses.

i wouldn't know first hand though, i've never stipped a shell before.

[Gruntfuggly 540]

Try this...

[twisty 8]

i beleive brake fluid is what everyone uses.

i wouldn't know first hand though, i've never stipped a shell before.

NO NO NO,Not brake fluid for polycarbonate bodys,it will destroy the body.

The brake fluid method is for the hard styrene type bodys.

Gruntfugglys link[TC search engine] has plenty of good reading.

Slow and messy is OK, if you try to rush it,it will probably end in tears.

[HunterZero 73]

To cut a long story short...

For polycarbonate, caustic soda (oven cleaner) is a NO. Acetone (most nail varnish remover) is a NO. Brake fluid is risky, but chances are it will damage the polycarbonate in some way, and you cannot leave it on the polycarbonate for very long or it definitely will damage it.

If the paint is older or is brush paint, then it's most likely not fuel proof and nitro fuel will remove it (higher % nitro works better, around 20% to 30%). Some paints may come off easily, but usually, it isn't quick, it's messy, but that's your best option.

If the paint is Tamiya PS spray paint, it's very stubborn once it has cured. If it hasn't cured yet, lacquer thinner or Parma Fashine can remove it. Only way to effectively remove it once cured is to use Tamiya's own Polycarbonate Body Cleaner, and slowly remove it with a lot of elbow grease a small patch at a time (if you go to fast, friction can overheat and craze the polycarbonate). You will need a couple of bottles and a lot of patience to do an entire shell.

If you are desperate, you can respray new PS paint over the cured paint, and the new paint will soften the existing paint to allow it to be removed. But this is an expensive way to do it.

The body cleaner is good for wiping down the shell prior to repainting too.

(this post should probably be a sticky!)

- James

[chinaman SS 0]

have a look here ...

http://www.tamiyaclub.com/forum/index.php?...=removing+paint

[Dan DT-02 0]

I used Brake fluid with my Polycarbonate body and it came out looking brand new. No damage to the body whatsoever.

[HunterZero 73]

I used Brake fluid with my Polycarbonate body and it came out looking brand new. No damage to the body whatsoever.

Yet I've seen others where the body shell has become brittle and disintegrated or lost its shape. It almost seems as if some polycarbonates put up with it better than others. And on PS paints, DOT3 isn't fast. Apparently DOT4 is better...

Be VERY careful using brake fluid. As I said above, don't leave it on exposed polcarbonate for prolonged periods, and don't soak it. Apply it only to the painted area and wipe it off.

- James

[ben44 0]

I used brake cleaner (NOT not brake fluid !!)

and it worked great

it's an higly volitile spray used to clean diskbrakes/parts ( to get the black powder off)

i had put the body in a plastick bag with a zip to close it , sprayed in the bag , closed it for 15 minutes end the paint came loose from the body ( it didn't disolve the paint , it just came off)

Ben

[30cms 7]

I used brake cleaner (NOT not brake fluid !!)

and it worked great

it's an higly volitile spray used to clean diskbrakes/parts ( to get the black powder off)

i had put the body in a plastick bag with a zip to close it , sprayed in the bag , closed it for 15 minutes end the paint came loose from the body ( it didn't disolve the paint , it just came off)

Ben

good tip

i think the main tip though for any lexan body stripping, is keep your eye on it - DON'T leave it overnight or the body could turn to mush.

i once cleaned all my oven's grill pans and racks in a big tub of caustic soda / water. they came out like new. riding high on this technique I tossed in all the saucepans and left them overnight

next day there was a bunch of handles floating about in a sea of mush. turns out the pans were aluminium

that evening my wife asked where the wok was, and I shamefully told her that I had dissolved it in a tub of acid. still, you live and learn.

[AndyjcClod 289]

good tip

i think the main tip though for any lexan body stripping, is keep your eye on it - DON'T leave it overnight or the body could turn to mush.

i once cleaned all my oven's grill pans and racks in a big tub of caustic soda / water. they came out like new. riding high on this technique I tossed in all the saucepans and left them overnight

next day there was a bunch of handles floating about in a sea of mush. turns out the pans were aluminium

that evening my wife asked where the wok was, and I shamefully told her that I had dissolved it in a tub of acid. still, you live and learn.

ROFL !! I did a similar thing with a Clod Buster body. Came down to a blistered warped blob of plastic!

[madbad jezza 0]

Mmmmmmmmm............a lot of interesting ideas here!. I tried brake fluid a few years ago and i found it clouded the polycarbonate so i never bothered again. I liked the idea of the Carson paint killer, but nobody here in the UK seem to sell it?????. The glow fuel is getting the paint off and it's the method i've used over the last few years - sometimes the paint comes off quick and sometimes it doesn't. This shell is one of those shells where it's slow to come off. The thing i hate most about the glow fuel idea is the fact that it really is sooooooo messy and the fuel is nasty stuff. I've since found a chap in canada selling Madcap shells, and even including shipping they are still a pretty good price - sometimes, is it really worth the hassle.......but then i think i'll somehow loose the "originality" of the car if i start fitting repro stuff - and theres also the cost issue - where my time and patience are free...........oh choices choices.............

[MadMax 23]

Get Dot4 break fluid it works perfect.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=085nJyj4TBM

[balongbalong 0]

buy mr. hobby mr. color thinner from your local hobby store

[HunterZero 73]

buy mr. hobby mr. color thinner from your local hobby store

Tried that. Might work on brush paint, but won't do squat to Tamiya PS paint.

- James