Stripping Metal Miniatures

[craasher]

I picked up a lot of old Dwarf Models a while back. These are a mix of Maruader metal models, old slayers and lots of cool older GW pieces. The only problem is it looks like they were painted by dipping them in various colors of house paint. The paint on them is thick and doesn't come off easily. I've never really had to strip paint of off models until I got these and was wondering what people used to get the job done. I already have a set of dental picks to get the paint out of beards and such but I need something that loosens all this old paint up. Right now it would be kind of like chipping concrete.

[Adunaphel]

Drop them in a can with Pine Sol in it overnight.
Then run hot water over them in the morning while using a toothbrush to clean them.
It has worked EVERY time for me on metal figures.

Karl

[craasher]

Thats one I never would have thought of. Thanks a lot and Ill try it tonight. I tried Paint Thinner on some of the Man O' War models I got in this trade also and all it seemed to do was take off some of the paint but leave a lot of it Chalky and Nasty.

[Massawyrm]

Simple Green is the single greatest stuff known to man. You can find it at almost any grocery store and every hardware store (including in gallon bottles at Loews and Home Depot.) I have yet to see paint it won't strip. It can do metal in hours and plastic in a couple of days. The paint just peels off when a toothbrush is applied. The best part is that it does NOTHING to glue. No reassembly required.

[bhouze]

My work uses small brushes with metal brush-heads. Cuts stripping time even more.

[orctez]

We should really have a sticky for this! Here's how I strip all my models, metal and plastic.

1. Go to Walmart,s automotive department. Look for a gallon sized purple bottle that says Super Clean, it is a automotive detergent. Take it to the register and buy it!
OPTIONAL: Get a variable setting hose end sprayer from the gardening section
2. Find two containers, plastic, glass or metal. Both should have lids.
3. Put your miniatures to be stripped in one of the containers. Fill that container with the Super Clean, enough to just cover the minis.
4. Cover and leave for a couple of days
5. Pour out Super Clean into the second container, cover and saver for later. It can be reused.
6. Now you can either take a tooth brush and scrub off the paint, which should just about slough off OR you can take the hose end spayer that you bought and use the
strongest, most focused setting and spray off the paint. Leave the minis in the container and just spray into it with the hose. I haven't had anything break, but I won't make
promises!
7. Always wear gloves when you use this product. It is nontoxic and at most it will dry out your skin. But who want's dry skin?

Good Luck!

Art

[MagickalMemories]

We should really have a sticky for this! Here's how I strip all my models, metal and plastic.
Art

Well, Art... Fancy you should mention that.
Bartertown will be having an "Articles and Tutorials" forum soon... As soon as we get some good articles and tutorials.
I've solicited a few from people on the boards and... Well, it looks like you're next.
Why not write ut a tutorial (with images would be GREAT) and PM it to me? I'll get it submitted and it'll be posted for all the world... Well, the Btown world, anyway... to see.

Eric

::Edit::
See the details here:
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=72644&sid=85dbde63a ... d4a427e99e

[oaflord]

Throw in how to do resin too, please!

oAFLORD

[craasher]

Well so far I have tried the Pine Sol and it worked pretty well. There is still some paint in the creases that i need to scrub better to get out or get in there with my dental tools and scrape it out. The added bonus is it smells nice and works as an air freshner and my wife thought I had mopped the floor.

I'm going to try the Simple Green and the Super Clean next.

If you need pictures Art I can take some before and after of my Super Clean project and send them to you.

[orctez]

Sure, send me some pics! I will add them to what I am working on!

To Oaflord: I will see what I can do about the resin. I don't have any resin models at the moment, but I will see what I can manage.

Thanks

Art

[kutzmon]

I posted a link to this article I did on Dakka a while ago. Here goes again:

http://www.dakkadakka.com/wiki/en/category:Painting

Seventh FAQ down. How to Strip...

Couldn't link directly to it... don't know why.

[oaflord]

From the site linked...
"The topic "Dakka Modeling FAQ: How to Strip.." does not currently exist. To create it please follow the link: Dakka Modeling FAQ: How to Strip...

???

oAFLORD

[kutzmon]

Try it now. You have to click the seventh FAQ down on the left. Don't know why I can't link directly to it.

[oaflord]

Cool, going to have to get me some of that Castrol Super Clean...

oAFLORD

[mdtdragon]

I just use a good paint stripping jell that I get from either Home Depot or Lowe's. Depending on the thickness of the paint, it has never taken no more then 24 hrs if they are water based paints. If it is oil bases, well, sometimes that can take longer. Of course this is not the process for plastic or resin figs.