Break fluid, how do you use it ?

[rallymaster]

Hello everyone,

I need to repaint a body, then I put it in a break fluid bath.
But how long should I let it in ?
Is it really without any risk for a plastic body ?

Thanks for your answers

Bye
Phil

[klutz_100]

OMG when MPWR sees this question.......

Phil, basically you let it sit and check evry 6-24 hours, scrub it with a toothbrush until it comes off. But be VERY careful of yourself more than the model!

I have never had it do anything bad to plastic but some people have had it do bad things.

What kind of paint are you trying to remove because there are other alternatives, you know?

[rallymaster]

Originally Posted by klutz_100

OMG when MPWR sees this question.......

Phil, basically you let it sit and check evry 6-24 hours, scrub it with a toothbrush until it comes off. But be VERY careful of yourself more than the model!

I have never had it do anything bad to plastic but some people have had it do bad things.

What kind of paint are you trying to remove because there are other alternatives, you know?

Thanks for your answer and advices. I work with gloves and mask...!

I try to remove Citadel primer and Tamiya TS26...
I firstly try to sand the body but... I am not so patient !
moreover I've been wanting for a long time to try this way to remove a paint.
But I am always aware to new tips and tricks !
I usually use some decapex to remove the paints, but I can only use it on metal bodies cos' it hurts plastic.

thanks again for your answer.

[MPWR]

I keep my brake system filled with it, and am very happy with it in this application. Otherwise, I wouldn't touch the stuff.

I still wonder where the myth comes from that brake fluid is a good paint stripper. Sure, it will remove paint- but so will petrol! You don't see alot of people stripping paint with petrol, though. I wonder why they think brake fluid is better?

For stripping laquers such as Tamiya (or PPG, for that matter), nothing is better than 91-99% alcohol. Doesn't really matter what kind- isopropyl, denatured, methyl, ethyl, whatever. Just as long as it's 90% or better. Look for it in grocery stores, chemists/drug stores, or house paint stores. It's sold for use in first aid, as a solvent, or as a fuel for camping stoves. It's fast, effective, safe (apart from being flamable), cheap, will not harm plastic (unlike brake fluid, which can), and doesn't have to be treated as toxic waste.

[rod_k2]

Originally Posted by MPWR

For stripping laquers such as Tamiya (or PPG, for that matter), nothing is better than 91-99% alcohol. Doesn't really matter what kind- isopropyl, denatured, methyl, ethyl, whatever. Just as long as it's 90% or better. Look for it in grocery stores, chemists/drug stores, or house paint stores. It's sold for use in first aid, as a solvent, or as a fuel for camping stoves. It's fast, effective, safe (apart from being flamable), cheap, will not harm plastic (unlike brake fluid, which can), and doesn't have to be treated as toxic waste.

MAN,I KNEW HE WAS ABOUT TO SAY SOMETHING OF ALCOHOL!!

[bvia]

Originally Posted by MPWR

I still wonder where the myth comes from that brake fluid is a good paint stripper. Sure, it will remove paint- but so will petrol! You don't see alot of people stripping paint with petrol, though. I wonder why they think brake fluid is better?

...because it is. With anything other than the acrylics, the Tamiya TS line and automotive paints (i.e. lacquer and enamel from Testors/MM) it will strip the paint off in one entire sheet with no damage to the underlying styrene and body-filler/putty.

Petrol will break down the styrene, brake fluid won't.

hth,
Bill

p.s. Do NOT use silicone brake fluid!!!!

[rallymaster]

Originally Posted by MPWR

I keep my brake system filled with it, and am very happy with it in this application. Otherwise, I wouldn't touch the stuff.

I still wonder where the myth comes from that brake fluid is a good paint stripper. Sure, it will remove paint- but so will petrol! You don't see alot of people stripping paint with petrol, though. I wonder why they think brake fluid is better?

For stripping laquers such as Tamiya (or PPG, for that matter), nothing is better than 91-99% alcohol. Doesn't really matter what kind- isopropyl, denatured, methyl, ethyl, whatever. Just as long as it's 90% or better. Look for it in grocery stores, chemists/drug stores, or house paint stores. It's sold for use in first aid, as a solvent, or as a fuel for camping stoves. It's fast, effective, safe (apart from being flamable), cheap, will not harm plastic (unlike brake fluid, which can), and doesn't have to be treated as toxic waste.

for being part of those who keep alive "the myth that brake fluid is a good paint stripper"... But it really is !

Shall i have known that it was a forbidden question or one requiring your agreement ??

did my question dare so much ??

If you have a special problem with break fluid or break fluid users I am certaintly not responsible and couldn't know that...

Then please let's firts and opcorn: and talking about it before



Phil

[Khier]

Originally Posted by MPWR

.....will not harm plastic (unlike brake fluid, which can.

never heared brake fluid attacks styrene. Never had problem with it either.

[MPWR]

Wow, that was alot of smilies.

I did not mean to come across as ranting directly at you, and I'm sorry if that was the impression I left.

Yes, brake fluid will strip paint. But there are many other things that will strip paint just as well. However-

A. Brake fluid is not completely safe on plastic. It is somewhat rare but certainly not unheard of for brake fluid to destroy a body. Personally, I hate ruining parts when stripping them.

B. Compared to other options that remove paint just as well, brake fluid is much more toxic than it needs to be to get the job done. In my book, of two substances do the job equally well, the less toxic one is certainly better. Alcohol works incredibly well to remove acrylics, laquers, and primers.

So you can use brake fluid to strip paint. It will remove paint, and you might never ruin a body with it. But I believe it is not as good as other safer and less toxic options, so I never understand why people promote brake fluid as a particullarly good stripper when there are things that do it better.

[klutz_100]

Phil, Khier - take it easy

MPWR said it can not will.

TBH I also have had no problems but MPWR's advice I tried alcohol on TS paint and I tell you it worked quicker and beautifully so I wouldn't use brake fluid anymore for that. Just my opinion

[Some_Kid]

I usually put my bodies in brake fluid. However it usually leaves residue of old paint stuck on the body, in that case ill clean off as much as i can then ill put it in alcohol to get the rest.

[freakray]

Originally Posted by Khier

never heared brake fluid attacks styrene. Never had problem with it either.

It can harm plastic, especially the plastic some cheaper kits are made from.

[mikemechanic]

Well for those that think that alcohol is not toxic better try doing some research. I think it should be pointed out here that all paint strippers have some sort of risk involved. Alcohol is very flammable and if inhaled will cause nausea, headache and other long term problems. I use brake fluid myself because I am a mechanic and it comes to me fairly easily and works very well. Although I have never had it happen to me I'm sure that it could melt some plastics. Just my 2 cents.

Mike.

[rallymaster]

Originally Posted by klutz_100

Phil, Khier - take it easy

MPWR said it can not will.

"take it easy" ?? Has my question been "taken easy"
I think I took it easy, remember I AM the guy that firstly ask the question !

Originally Posted by MPWR

Wow, that was alot of smilies.

I did not mean to come across as ranting directly at you, and I'm sorry if that was the impression I left.

Humm yes a lot of smile, to mean I was "taking it easy"
failled it seems...

of course yes I know this wasn't against me, but I only asked a naive question to share some experience and I feel a little surprised seeing your opinion so directly given as if it was a forbidden question...
But I understand your point of view, I prefer such a reaction to hypocrisy, there's no problem !


Concerning the topic itself, my conclusions :

I already knew all was said about products striping paint or not, I don't especially look at the perfect method, even not at the most efficient, the fastest, the cheapest, and neither the most popular...!
I only look at another method I would like to pratice by myself and be able to share after that.

after a 24hrs break fluid bath:
there might be better or quicker or easier method, but even if I am not 100% satisfacted it seams to be a good method, especially for plastic body.

Alcohol may have better and cleaner result, but alcohol isn't so "pure" and non toxic you said, it smells like hospital in the whole house and give me headaches !
BTW I think that each method has advantages and disadvantages.

conclusion: we all have different opinions, that was exactly why I posted the question; I didn't want it to become a war of opinion, I don't want to know who's right or wrong, which method is the most popular, I just wanted to share the most possible and improve my skills and knowledges about modeling.

Hope you understand my reaction and way of thinking.

thanks to all that posted here to share their opinion.


Phil

[cyberkid]

Lately, I've been playing around with alchohol and it just doesn't work for me..
I tried medical grade alchohol, IPA (isopropyl) and so-called industrial alchohol, all 95%↑. It just doesn't work for me.
Brake fluid cleaned my model peices within 24 hrs, including the primer wedged into sanding lines nooks and crannies without much scrubbing. The alchohols took over a week and a whole lotta scrubbing leaving primer in sand lines and where my tooth brush, pipe cleaner couldn't get to. Strangely enough, the auto paint I used came off like... shriveled skin, it didn't desolve... just kinda peeled off. But the TS-14, Mr surfacer only came off with a lot of scrubbing. And however much I tried I couldn't really see the bare plastic.
And for future reference, Alchohol will strip putties.

Well, end of my rant.
Thanks to everone who answered my questions when I was asking about alchohol.. but its just not for me...

Steve