Stripping Lacquer

How in the world do you strip lacquer based paint without damaging the plastic??

Brake Fluid.

I use oven cleaner, the more caustic the better (make sure you use gloves and avoid the fumes). If you're in the States Castrol Super Clean is often recommended.

MEK...Oh wait, you dont want to damage the plastic. I thought you wanted to melt/vaporize it.

Try CSC.

MEK...Oh wait, you dont want to damage the plastic. I thought you wanted to melt/vaporize it.


Should that quote have a smilie or two in there somwhere? :lol:

Should that quote have a smilie or two in there somwhere? :lol:

Yea, but I just got home from work and didnt go to the advanced editor. I know half the smilie codes, I dont know why I didnt use one...whatever. Im exhausted.

ive always wondered if brake fluid would damage the plastic

If you use brake fluid, don't immerse it. Just wipe it on and put the model in a bag. Some plastics don't like it, some aren't fazed by it.

PollyS Easy Lift Off is good for removing lacquer, seems to be harmless to plastic. Oven cleaner and CSC take a lot longer, depending on the color/age/etc.

Matt (CADGUY) found out that 91% rubbing alcohol removes HOK lacquer. Apparently it works on Tamiya as well. Might be worth a shot as well.

ive always wondered if brake fluid would damage the plastic

The one time I used it on a model it got the plastic a bit soft. But a little sanding fixed that :2cents:

I have a civic that's been sittin in brake fluid a month and it hasn't hurt it a bit.

PollyS Easy Lift Off works good on some
types of paint but it makes a mess

If you use brake fluid, don't immerse it. Just wipe it on and put the model in a bag. Some plastics don't like it, some aren't fazed by it.

Matt (CADGUY) found out that 91% rubbing alcohol removes HOK lacquer. Apparently it works on Tamiya as well. Might be worth a shot as well.

:iagree: :werd:
I've used 91% isopropyl and had very good results with it. Took Tamiya laquer and primer off, down to the plastic. If you do use brake fluid, do so at your own risk- some plastics it will attack, some it won't.

Besides, isopropyl is soooo cheap, and you don't have to worry about dumping it afterwards.

will Isopropyl take off spray paint? what about sprayed on clearcoats?

will Isopropyl take off spray paint? what about sprayed on clearcoats?

Yeah, the strong stuff (91%) will. It'll take off Tamiya clear leaquer, and any acrylic. It will of course more than likely work on whatever's under the clearcoat, also. Haven't ever tried it on enamels, don't use 'em much anymore- but CSC works great on them. What are you stripping?

I''m busy to remove paint frpm my Skyline. At my LHS they recommended oven cleaner. It's called Blue Wonder. They said it works great. Will let you guys know if it turns out nicely.

I was stripping a week old clearcoat, and some acrylic, primer and the base was a red spraypaint that was about 3 years old. so...

It worked! Almost all the paint came off, just lettin it soak again. Thanks for the alcohol tip! I used a whole bottle, can it be filtered to remove the paint scraps, and be reused?

I never reuse the alcohol. Its like beer, it doesnt taste good the second time.

Its cheap enough that you can just buy a bunch of it. Its like $.50-$.75 a bottle.

well, I'll try to reuse it, and see what happens, I am cheap, I know. But that's more money for paints (44 cents hahahaha) and kits! Thanks for all the tips!

I was stripping a week old clearcoat, and some acrylic, primer and the base was a red spraypaint that was about 3 years old. so...

It worked! Almost all the paint came off, just lettin it soak again. Thanks for the alcohol tip! I used a whole bottle, can it be filtered to remove the paint scraps, and be reused?

Glad to hear it! :thumbsup:

You can try to reuse it, but unless you were soaking stuff in a closed container, the alcohol isn't likely to be as strong as it was. Alcohol evaporates very quickly, so exposing it to air will essentially weaken it- alcohol evaporates out, and so what's left is a mix with a higher percentage of water, and a lower precentage of alcohol. It's still useable, but it may not be as 'aggressive' as it was straight out of the bottle.

Hopefully the alcohol works well ol' dude.

I save the used alcohol, and re-use it for cleaning my brushes when painting with acrylic paints, which is pretty much always..
And I use it to run through my air brush between color changes. Works fine for those purposes.

I soaked the model in an air-tight containter, and when I took the model out, the box was probably only open a few minutes, so I think it'll still be pretty potent...

I soaked the model in an air-tight containter, and when I took the model out, the box was probably only open a few minutes, so I think it'll still be pretty potent...

Cool. Where'd you get an airtight container big enough to fit a model into? I have a couple big enough for smallish cars, but not quite big enough for most.