Lead Adventure Forum
Other Stuff => Workbench => Topic started by: Vermis on May 01, 2015, 06:56:10 PM
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I uncovered some BPRD clix minis that I mentioned in another topic, and I'd like to strip them before making a few putty adjustments. I don't know what kind of paint is on them, but my jaw nearly dropped when a few dunks in fairy power spray and isopropyl alcohol didn't make the slightest bit of difference. (these are the two best strippers I've tried so far)
I know I can probably do my stuff over the paint, but I would like to try to get a clean surface first. I'm thinking of a very quick dunk in acetone, or even picking up a bottle of that smelly dettol muck again; but does anyone else have any handy hints for stripping clix?
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Warren, straight acetone seems to be answer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYNSjfoe1TU
I want to try it, but still haven't found a place that sells that kind of acetone, just the regular one (mixed with other components) for nail polish removal.
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I use acetone, it works like a champ. Dunk & clean them with a stiff bristle toothbrush. I always clean them at the end with cold water, but let them dry throughly. After all the acetone evaporates the plastic will stiffen back up.
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I have found acetone to be the best, especially combined with an ultrasonic cleaner. I put a glass jar containing aceton in the ultrasonic cleaner bath. One cycle (3 minutes) and the figures are almost paint free.
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I have found acetone to be the best, especially combined with an ultrasonic cleaner. I put a glass jar containing aceton in the ultrasonic cleaner bath. One cycle (3 minutes) and the figures are almost paint free.
A new one to try in my cleaner, thanks :)
Acetone doesn't eat the figure at all?
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Looks like that's unanimous, thanks guys. :D Though I'll echo Dewbakuk: Will the mini be fine? I guess that's the reason for only a few minutes dunking, though.
Rodrigo: I just had a google and saw that Boots (big pharmacy chain in the UK) sells wee bottles of pure acetone as a 'household solvent'. I might take a looksee next time I'm near one. Sorry that it doesn't help you, though!
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Looks like that's unanimous, thanks guys. :D Though I'll echo Dewbakuk: Will the mini be fine? I guess that's the reason for only a few minutes dunking, though.
Rodrigo: I just had a google and saw that Boots (big pharmacy chain in the UK) sells wee bottles of pure acetone as a 'household solvent'. I might take a looksee next time I'm near one. Sorry that it doesn't help you, though!
Yeah, dunking them more than a few minutes (even in modified acetone) makes the Clix go all bendy. I'll have to check the pharmacies around here. I visited 2 but they only had nail polish remover.
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Acetone is the way to go, too long and they will not only bend and soften, they'll go gooey and dissolve. I was trying to use Blob to make some Judge Dredd fatties and accidentally left one in overnight...
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A new one to try in my cleaner, thanks :)
Acetone doesn't eat the figure at all?
As has been said by others - don't leave them in too long. I have found a 3 minute cycle in aceton followed by a quick brush and rinse in water to be adequete in most cases.
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And don't get too vigorous with the brushing either - if you go at it hard and long enough they will start to come apart on the surface, usually starting at a mould seam. You will need to go at it somewhat hard though, if only to get the paint out of the crevices - sometimes it's not worth trying to get the deepest paint out.
Don't worry about them going bendy though, they will harden again once the acetone evaporates.
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I must get an ultra sonic cleaner thingy.
I did some experiments with pure 100% acetone and Dettol on metals and the Dettol gave better results. But having said that, it was just overnight soaking in a jam jar, not an ultra sonic whosit.
Now I have 4 and a half litres of useless acetone sitting in my studio that I can't ship anywhere because I broke the seal on the container. Ho hum. Top tip - buying acetone in bulk is a big saver (if you like acetone). Buying 5ltrs worked out something silly like only twice the price of 1ltr. I also bought some chemical gloves for about £2 - less than washing up gloves!
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Acetone as has been mentioned.
I think both Fairoaks and Sundayhero both use it before their repaints.
And you want the type you get at a hardware store, not the nailpolish remover kind.
Grimm
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I've compared some methods in this thread. I've started using the ultrasonic cleaner after these, but that is now my preferred meethod (less scrubbing)
http://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=75442.msg922040#msg922040
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Ta again, all.
Grimm: The stuff from Boots seems to be pure acetone. Besides, I'd already thought of the problem Cubs has, and don't want to be saddled with a big tin that I might not want or need. :)
And a wee amount of acetone in a wee jar might fit better in me own sonic cleaner, too. ;)
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Grimm: The stuff from Boots seems to be pure acetone. Besides, I'd already thought of the problem Cubs has, and don't want to be saddled with a big tin that I might not want or need. :)
And a wee amount of acetone in a wee jar might fit better in me own sonic cleaner, too. ;)
I don't know Boots. Not in the States.
I to been looking into getting a sonic cleaner. Can get a low end one for less than $30. But i hate the limitation of only going 3 min cycles at a time.
I have to get to the local hardware store myself for a bottle of acetone and try it out myself on my clix collection. :-)
Grimm
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Around here we normally get acetone in the DIY shops together with other paint strippers, methylated spirits, etc I'd try there first.
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Got some in Boots (http://www.boots.com/en/Care-Acetone-Household-Solvent-50ml_983933/) anyway. ;) One of the few things they have to keep behind the counter.
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And I finally bought some pure acetone on a drugstore. DIY stores were a bust. Let's see if I can clean some Clix tonight and post some pictures ;)
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Places like Walmart will have metal cans (1.x Litres-ish) for a few bucks. Be very careful using acetone, preferably use it outside. It will eat the finish off you your floor or nice kitchen table. Also be careful disposing of it. Don't pour it down the drains in your house. The pipes in your house aren't equipped to dispose of this sort of chemical.
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Ok, I'm impressed with the stuff. It's not as easy as the Youtube video shows (maybe because my Heroclix are old ones, lots of paint and a different material - not the transparent plastic they now use) but the paint really sloughs off after some baths. Now I have a nice Doc Samson and a Hellhound to repaint.
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Picked up a can yesterday. Couldnt find a smaller can.
http://www.lowes.com/pd_622048-78-QJAC104___?productId=50298079&pl=1&Ntt=acetone
Grimm
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I did another batch of paint stripping yesterday. An older Heroclix and the hero figures from the Guardians Chronicles core game. Every time I do this I figure out little things to make it better.
*Make sure to wear gloves and do this in a well-ventilated space. ie: outside*
This time I poured a small amount of acetone into a glass container. Using a metal rod I stirred the mixture around a few times. Using an old toothbrush and some tweezers I pulled each figure out and gave it a quick brushing in the hard to reach spots to dislodge the paint there. For stubborn spots dipping the paint in the acetone and then scrubbing again worked.
I tossed the cleaned figures into a glass jar filled with cold water to rinse them off.
Total process time: 7 minutes.