Lead Adventure Forum

Other Stuff => Workbench => Topic started by: Sardoo on 22 January 2018, 01:16:10 PM

Title: Update: Removing paint from resin miniatures
Post by: Sardoo on 22 January 2018, 01:16:10 PM: I recently found a GW resin miniature hidden amongst my “started painting years ago and hope to finish it before the year 2525” pile. I’d like to strip the acrylic paint off the model and start again but have no idea how to do this without reducing the figure to a greasy puddle on my workbench.

I’d be really grateful if someone could suggest the best way to get the paint off.
Title: Re: Removing paint from resin miniatures
Post by: Dags on 22 January 2018, 02:00:02 PM: Used dettol on resin bases without issue
Title: Re: Removing paint from resin miniatures
Post by: Sardoo on 22 January 2018, 05:28:15 PM: Cheers, will give that a go.

Thanks for the tip!
Title: Re: Removing paint from resin miniatures
Post by: Cubs on 22 January 2018, 05:42:17 PM: +1 for the Dettol (has to be Dettol, not a cheap pine disinfectant), although it is a bit smelly.

Soak overnight at least (I leave them 2-3 days) and then (wearing rubber gloves) scrub all the offending muck off with an old toothbrush. It will be all gooey like warm chewing gum. Rinse back in the Dettol pot and scrub again.

Only when you are satisfied that you've got off all you can, should you then rinse in (hot soapy) water. If you do it before, any bits of melty paint left on the model will instantly reset.
Title: Re: Removing paint from resin miniatures
Post by: SotF on 23 January 2018, 03:08:40 AM: Best thing I've found is to use an ultrasonic cleaner and put it in for a few cycles of run, pull it out and rub it down and then back in. Doesn't take as much time and there's less risk involved.
Title: Re: Removing paint from resin miniatures
Post by: FifteensAway on 23 January 2018, 06:09:21 AM: Depending on the resin's chemical composition, that Dettol might result in a blob. If you can go the ultra-sonic route, better chance of success. Though if the paint isn't too thick, can't you just paint over it? Only reason not to I can think of is if you are painting for a contest. Otherwise, I'd opt for a simple repaint - maybe with a spray primer first.
Title: Re: Removing paint from resin miniatures
Post by: Sardoo on 23 January 2018, 11:37:00 AM: Thanks for the help, folks!

In the short term I'll give Dettol a try - the figure is still available let so if I end up with a disaster it's not the end of the world.

The ultrasonic option isn't one I'd thought about and looks like it will reward further investigation.

Unfortunately the simplest option of repainting the figure probably isn't going to work for this miniature as it has a lot of braid on the chest and if I put on yet more paint I think it would really flatten and obscure this.

Thanks to all for your helpful advice - much obliged :)
Title: Re: Removing paint from resin miniatures
Post by: zemjw on 23 January 2018, 11:46:16 AM: Quote from: SotF on 23 January 2018, 03:08:40 AM
Best thing I've found is to use an ultrasonic cleaner and put it in for a few cycles of run, pull it out and rub it down and then back in. Doesn't take as much time and there's less risk involved.

Are you using just water in the cleaner or something else? I have a cleaner, but I've never tried to use it to strip a figure
Title: Re: Removing paint from resin miniatures
Post by: Rich H on 23 January 2018, 12:09:32 PM: Isopropyl alcohol. It's the bit in dettol that works.
A dip for an hour and a scrub with someone elses toothbrush.
Rinse - repeat. I'd not let it soak overnight for fear of the resin getting weird.
Title: Re: Removing paint from resin miniatures
Post by: Cubs on 23 January 2018, 01:07:36 PM: Quote from: Rich H on 23 January 2018, 12:09:32 PM
Isopropyl alcohol. It's the bit in dettol that works.

It's actually the combination of the isopropyl and pine oil. I've tried isopropyl on its own and it's not as effective.
Title: Re: Removing paint from resin miniatures
Post by: Curis on 23 January 2018, 02:45:06 PM: Acetone-free nail polish remover works a treat.

I had this 40K scale Titan, it's a early 1990s resin beastie:

(http://www.ninjabread.co.uk/forums/armorcast-warhound-titan-unstripped.jpg) (http://http://www.ninjabread.co.uk)

After 30 seconds dunked in a jug of the stripper I could toothbrush it back to:

(http://www.ninjabread.co.uk/forums/warhound-titan-second-stripping.jpg) (http://http://www.ninjabread.co.uk)

After another 30 seconds dunked in a jug of the stripper I could toothbrush it back to:

(http://www.ninjabread.co.uk/forums/warhound-titan-third-stripping.jpg) (http://http://www.ninjabread.co.uk)

But be warned: only use acetone-free stuff, else it will eat your resin.

And test it on a small area first, as there's always a chance it's a formulation that will melt in the stripper.
Title: Re: Removing paint from resin miniatures
Post by: SotF on 23 January 2018, 03:23:21 PM: Quote from: zemjw on 23 January 2018, 11:46:16 AM
Are you using just water in the cleaner or something else? I have a cleaner, but I've never tried to use it to strip a figure

I've done both. It works best with various cleaner options, but it can clear a lot off with just water...takes a lot longer with water as well. If you're using a cleaner, get a fine, mesh strainer that you can fit over the things door and a bucket or bowl that you can dump the cleaner through between runs to clear it out a bit because you can get a lot more life out of it by clearing stuff out.

The cleaner also does work well as something to use for keeping family happy with you because it can easily be used to clean older jewelry so that can help keep them from pitching a fit there.

The tabletop minions youtube channel has a lot more on using one with one of the earlier videos...
Title: Re: Removing paint from resin miniatures
Post by: Rich H on 23 January 2018, 08:22:23 PM: Quote from: Cubs on 23 January 2018, 01:07:36 PM
It's actually the combination of the isopropyl and pine oil. I've tried isopropyl on its own and it's not as effective.

You might be right but I was nervous about the 'other' contents of dettol causing a reaction!
Title: Re: Removing paint from resin miniatures
Post by: Sardoo on 24 January 2018, 10:27:29 AM: I've now had a look at ultrasonic cleaners but there appears to be a bewildering range of them - could anyone suggest one that they have used successfully for paint stripping?

Thanks for any advice / help.
Title: Re: Removing paint from resin miniatures
Post by: Connectamabob on 25 January 2018, 01:27:12 AM: We don't have Dettol in the 'States. When I need to strip paint, I usually use either Simple Green, Super Clean, or isopropyl (rubbing alcohol).

Simple Green takes an overnight soak to work, but is the safest in terms of materials. You can leave resin or plastic in it for months with no effect on the material, bu it'll take most paints off with a 1-2 day soak. It can turn some metals black, however (I think it reacts with zinc and maybe some other pot-metal ingredients).

Super Clean (the stuff in the purple jug) will strip anything of anything with a 10-30 minute soak. It'll also strip the lipids from your skin instantly, so it's important to wear gloves. This is the "nuclear option" for stubborn stuff like chrome-plated plastic parts.

When I just need something stripped fast without too much fuss, isopropyl is surprisingly effective, but you don't want to leave resin parts in it for more than maybe an hour. Probably depends on the resin, so IMO I try keep it under 20 minutes. Isopropyl is surprisingly effective, able to strip almost any kind of paint pretty fast, but it sort of dissolves the paint whereas the others above more delaminate it, so the ones above are more "fire and forget". Iso requires you to keep parts wet (with iso, not water) while scrubbing, otherwise the paint re-slolidifies and re-bonds. The stuff above can be scrubbed with ordinary water, as it simply causes the paint to lift/peel off, and drying or displacing does not cause re-bonding.

I can't say if Dettol is more effective than isopropyl, as I have no experience with Dettol. If so, that would speak more to Dettol being CRAZY effective than isopropyl being any kind of ineffective.
Title: Re: Removing paint from resin miniatures
Post by: Cubs on 25 January 2018, 10:20:38 AM: Quote from: Connectamabob on 25 January 2018, 01:27:12 AM
I can't say if Dettol is more effective than isopropyl, as I have no experience with Dettol. If so, that would speak more to Dettol being CRAZY effective than isopropyl being any kind of ineffective.

I think Simple Green is the US version of Dettol. When I tested pure 100% isopropyl vs Dettol in a couple of batches as a comparison experiment (I wore a white coat and everything .... well, a cooking apron which is close enough) the isopropyl did work quickly and removed a fair bit of the paint. But over the longer period the Dettol removed a lot more after two days of soaking vs isopropyl over the same period.

I guess if the paint is quite thin and easily removed, the isopropyl will take off enough for you to be content with the results. But I now just use the big tub of the stuff I bought for cleaning my white plastic window frames!
Title: Re: Removing paint from resin miniatures
Post by: Connectamabob on 25 January 2018, 11:01:05 AM: Quote from: Cubs on 25 January 2018, 10:20:38 AM
I think Simple Green is the US version of Dettol.

It' sold for more or less the same purposes, but the ingredients aren't the same.
Title: Re: Removing paint from resin miniatures
Post by: SotF on 26 January 2018, 12:13:06 AM: Quote from: Sardoo on 24 January 2018, 10:27:29 AM
I've now had a look at ultrasonic cleaners but there appears to be a bewildering range of them - could anyone suggest one that they have used successfully for paint stripping?

Thanks for any advice / help.

Most of them tend to work well. I've seen several used and used a couple of them due to other things causing issues rather than the device itself (One disappeared when I moved, another got banged up with other things and cracked.

Go for one with everything included (I've had some issues with used ones not having the basket), if the description has an internal size listed, go for something you can fit any of the minis you can think of for stripping...
Title: Re: Removing paint from resin miniatures
Post by: Sardoo on 26 January 2018, 11:39:53 AM: Cheers! Thanks for the advice. I'm trying to spend no more than about £30 so I'm that narrows the field down a bit - hopefully I'll get something sorted next week.
Title: Re: Update: Removing paint from resin miniatures
Post by: Sardoo on 10 February 2018, 04:32:16 PM: In the end I took the plunge and bought the James Ultra 7000S ultrasonic cleaner.

I filled the reservoir with warmish water then put four metal minis, which I had painted with acrylics about two years ago, into small glass jar filled with acetone. The acetone was Boots Extra strength nail polish remover and cost £4.

I then sat the jar in the cleaner’s basket and after running the cleaning cycle for about 15 minutes the minis had been stripped clean :D

Result!

Thanks for all the helpful advice!
Title: Re: Update: Removing paint from resin miniatures
Post by: zemjw on 10 February 2018, 08:24:40 PM: I always envisaged filling the entire ultrasonic cleaner with acetone/Dettol. Isolating it to one small jar makes so much more sense - one of those things that's blindingly obvious as soon as someone points it out to you!!!!!!!
Title: Re: Update: Removing paint from resin miniatures
Post by: katie on 10 February 2018, 08:48:23 PM: "I can't say if Dettol is more effective than isopropyl, as I have no experience with Dettol. If so, that would speak more to Dettol being CRAZY effective than isopropyl being any kind of ineffective."

Dettol will quite happily dissolve, so far by my experimentation; acrylic hobby paint (VMC), artists acrylics (System 3), car primer & car paint (Halford), PVA glue, superglue, milliput and, eventually, appears to soften polystyrene bases.

I'm surprised iso works because I thought PMMA wasn't soluble in alcohols, although I'm entirely willing to be convinced I've misunderstood that; my understanding was that the active ingredient (for this purpose) in Dettol is the xylenol.
Title: Re: Update: Removing paint from resin miniatures
Post by: katie on 10 February 2018, 09:12:17 PM: Oh, and "Polyfilla".
Title: Re: Update: Removing paint from resin miniatures
Post by: Sardoo on 10 February 2018, 10:58:44 PM: Quote from: zemjw on 10 February 2018, 08:24:40 PM
I always envisaged filling the entire ultrasonic cleaner with acetone/Dettol. Isolating it to one small jar makes so much more sense - one of those things that's blindingly obvious as soon as someone points it out to you!!!!!!!

While I’d love to take credit for that idea I found it on-line somewhere ;)