help with isopropanol

Perhaps I have greatly over-estimated the paint removing abilities of isopropanol, but the body has been soaking for over a week and requires some serious scraping to remove the slightest amount of paint. Details on the body are as follows: 1 coat Tamiya fine white primer; 3 coats TS-49; been soaking in 99% isopropanol for approx. 1.5 weeks. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance

Hi!
I think that isoprop is a tad to weak to dissolve Tamiya spraypaints with. I have used anoter alcohol, in Sweden known as T-röd (T-red) but it took some time to get the paint soft and I still had to both scrub and sand away the paint. I'd go for brake fluid instead, it will take away the paint in a matter of days or even hours if it's a fresh paint job and fresh fluid. Just stripped a Revell GTX and it took over night to get clean. Btw. it was also finished with Tamiya spraycans and nailpolish on top.
Be warned though, test on a scrap piece from that particular model to be stripped. Some brands of brake fluid will turn your hard earned model in to a piece of ill tasting chewing gum. That happend to a Tamiya Lotus of mine, so now I sit with a complete model minus bodywork :banghead: If the part thrown into the fluid is unaffected over night it should be safe to strip whatever part needs to stripped.

Good luck!
Niclas

Hey vee_dub13,

In my line of work I use all sorts of cleaning agents for various materials. In my experience isopropanol is the weakest of the common alcohols at removing organic deposits (e.g. paint). Ethanol is best, though this is very difficult to come by in pure form if you are member of the public. Heck, it is hard to get within the University system here in the UK. Methanol is nearly as good as ethanol, but again it is not easy to come by.

Isopropanol is good at removing large, loosely stuck material, like soil and dirt. Plus, as it cools the skin as it dries, people think it feels cleaner - hence its use in 'alcohol wipes' you buy at the chemist/drug store. I am not surprised it is struggling to get through the spray paint on you model.

I don't know whether you have isopropanol confused with acetone, which is the active ingredient in most nail polish removers. However, I would not use acetone on plastic kits, as I am fairly confident it will result in a pile of melt plastic.

I know this does not help you too much, but my personal opinion is the isopropanol is unlikely to be of use in this situation.

Grant.

You need paint off a model, use Easy Off in the yellow can (heavy duty) nothing else, don't buy enviornment safe or the blue can as it won't work.

It will take most if not all of the paint off the model in less than an hour. Use a toothbrush to get into small parts. If paint is still there apply second coat of Easy Off.