Lars Porsenna Posted April 7, 2006 Share Posted April 7, 2006 I find SG is not a 100% solution... I have a bunch of Samnites sitting in my SG pot. I originally primed with IIRC Floquil Figure Primer, painted using a combo (as in directly mixed) of RP and Citadel paints. I'm having a bear of a time getting the paint off. I also have another figure that's very stubborn (a Reaper figure, the name I've forgotten, though the group refers to him as "Shifty Lootbag... ). Other figures (a Reaper Bathalian, a wizard with a snakestaff, and a Garrity female Drow) the paint sloughs off with no trouble at all... Damon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
axegrrl Posted April 8, 2006 Share Posted April 8, 2006 How long does it take for the simple green to work, or do I need to do something else with the mini after soaking it to get it clean? It depends on what kind of paint was used. Normal acrylics will sometimes rub off after a couple of hours. Others take a longer soaking (overnight), followed by scrubbing with an old toothbrush. Some very old, very stubborn colors may not come off entirely. Or, if the pieces were done with something other than acrylic, Simple Green may not work at all, and you may need a completely different solvent. Eastman has mentioned straight acetone suggested for pieces that have been painted in enamels, for example. (If that's what you've got, check the automotive section of your local wallyworld or equivalent. Cheaper and stronger than nail polish remover, but use it outside!) Alternately, I've seen pine-oil-based products work well -- check the percentage of pine oil: more is better; brand name is irrelevant. But be careful; stronger solvents like acetone and pine oil will eat plastic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angorak Posted April 8, 2006 Share Posted April 8, 2006 SG will soften the acrylics after several hours. I always take the mini into the restroom and scrub it under hot water, hot as you can stand to have your hands under. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Kutz Posted April 8, 2006 Share Posted April 8, 2006 The older Ral Partha paints seem to have had a very good formula in their acrylic paints. Most of them simply laugh at the notion of Simple Green and even nearly pure pine oil (industrial grade solvent) really only makes them gummy. Ive found that what works best is a quality acrylic paint stripper (found in most home stores). Most are acetone - though some utilize methyl ethyl ketone as the main component. Anywho - dip and rinse is the key. The outer surface is really what will be effected; thick paint or really good coverage will make for harder stripping. Letting it soke for an hour and rinsing off what is loose than soaking again will do the same work as letting it soak over night (and it does a better job of getting into crevasses). To get the final bits out, I will generally use Simple Green or pine oil in an ultrasonic cleaner. Helps to clean out chain mail and eye sockets quite well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thrush65 Posted April 8, 2006 Share Posted April 8, 2006 I've stripped alot of models painted with the old Parta paints and they can be stubborn. But an hour in Citri-strip takes off 99% of the paint. The little bits of paint in crevices will come off after applying a little WN Brush Cleaner with an old brush. Or just soak in the WN overnight without using the Citri-strip.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eastman Posted April 8, 2006 Share Posted April 8, 2006 Eastman has mentioned straight acetone suggested for pieces that have been painted in enamels, for example. (If that's what you've got, check the automotive section of your local wallyworld or equivalent. Cheaper and stronger than nail polish remover, but use it outside!) Yep. A couple of years ago I decided to strip some figures I had bought in the early to mid 80s which were partially painted with Testor's Enamels. Dropped the figures into a glass jar of acetone and watched the pretty colors as the paint dissolved away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Robert of Worcester Posted April 9, 2006 Share Posted April 9, 2006 I dip mine in goof off. fore a couple of days. then I brush it with a soft tooth bruch and hot water. I use a needle to get into creases, and I dip it again to make sure I get everything of. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Painfully Posted April 9, 2006 Share Posted April 9, 2006 Be sure to use chemically resistant gloves when playing with strong chemicals. And, if you are using a toothbrush to clean those minis, then you might consider goggles and a respirator too. The brushing action can spray a fine mist of the chemical into the air, causing irritation to your face, and especially eyes. Yes, its a burden, but its either that, or let your body sponge up those chemicals known to cause cancer in the state of California. I prefer toluene for the quick jobs. No messing around with overnight, or even an hour of soaking. We're talking dip for 5 min and brush it off. Rinse and repeat if needed. It's available at any hardware store. Wear gloves, and use proper ventilation! NOT for plastic minis, but excellent for pewter. Acetone is a good second choice, and available as fingernail polish remover in most large supermarkets that have a pharmacy/drugstore section, but you'll get a better price at hardware stores if you want larger quantities. It's safe for some, but not all plastics. I understand it has successfully been used to clean paint off of the WotC plastic minis as long as it does not soak for too long. Pine-sol. Be sure to wear gloves, or you can expect to have chemical burns! You'll start by feeling itchy and then your skin might swell...you don't wanna know the rest! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FeniXbane Posted April 9, 2006 Share Posted April 9, 2006 Yes, its a burden, but its either that, or let your body sponge up those chemicals known to cause cancer in the state of California. Good thing I live in New York Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frankthedm Posted April 9, 2006 Share Posted April 9, 2006 How old are these figures resitant to stripping? I ask because if the figs are old lead, the paint may have bonded with the rotted lead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twjolson Posted April 19, 2006 Share Posted April 19, 2006 I was wondering, maybe on the pinned list we could post comparative prices? I need something dirt cheap but very effective and I don't want to spend hours hunting around comparision shopping. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokingwreckage Posted April 19, 2006 Share Posted April 19, 2006 Simple green seemed to go fine on my old Partha Paints. I get this feeling that acrylics straight on lead-pewter can be really resistant however. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flit Posted April 19, 2006 Share Posted April 19, 2006 I have had pretty good luck with Simple Green and an old glass jar. Most of the minis I have stripped have been newer pewter painted with mini specific paint. Reaper Pro, MSP, and Velljo mostly. But I found something that really works well along with the SG. It doesn't fall in the "cheap" category but so far I really like it. Micromark Ultrasonic Cleaner I had been wanting one of these for a while and finally sprung for one a couple of weeks ago. I filled it up with SG and tossed in some minis that I had painted with black ink. (I paint all my new minis with black ink so the mold lines show up and I can eradicate them more easily- I hate mold lines--I really hate mold lines that you can't see until you have some paint on them.) After the 5 minute cleaning cycle was finished, almost all of the ink was gone. A quick scrub with a toothbrush got almost 100% ink removal even in the little detail areas. Then I used it on a mini that I had primed with MSP brush on primer and basecoated. Same result. Pretty much 100% paint removal with just a little bit of scrubbing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokingwreckage Posted April 20, 2006 Share Posted April 20, 2006 Ultrasonic cleaners are available MUCH cheaper from electronics and auto supplies places, although they may be of lesser quality. I'm talking under $80 AUD. Let me go check..... okay, here's one for $99 AUD but I'm sure I've seen them for less. Okay, I googled up some sellers, no idea wether the items or sellers are any good, this is for-your-information, use-at-own-risk only: Jaycar Electronics Amazon Nextag Some Australian Company Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lastman Posted May 25, 2006 Share Posted May 25, 2006 How does an ultrasonic cleaner work? The magic box is captivating. The Amazon link says it uses tap water instead of chemicals. Do vibrations cause little waves of water to splash the paint off? Wouldn't friction between the figure and the bottom of the magic box remove details? Does it move air like a subwoofer? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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