# 99% Isopropyl



## cbarm (Apr 15, 2011)

Hey guys, I am new to the stripping/painting scene so here it is... How long should I leave a shell in 99% Isopropal for to get a good strip on the paint so I wont have to scrub it to hard n knock all the details off??


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## cbarm (Apr 15, 2011)

I let the shell sit in a juice jug that I half filled with Fantastic All Purpose cleaner for about 2 weeks and when I put it in the Isopropal, the paint literally fell off, but now the 2nd half of the shell that wasnt covered in the fantastic cleaner has been sitting in the Isopropal for 3 days n still pretty tough scrubbing to get any flakes off...


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## NIMT (Jan 6, 2011)

I've done a few and they all vary. I've also used brake fluid but the clean up is the pits. Mineral sprints mixed with your alcohol will speed up the process.
Don't soak them too long as it pulls out all the oils out of the plastic and dries it out and makes it brittle!


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

I'm guessing you'd have to leave them quite a while in alcohol to get the paint off, never tried that.


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## cbarm (Apr 15, 2011)

Hmmm...quite a while is a pretty loose term around here. What might you suggest would be a better way, or easier way of doing it?


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

I've never used alcohol, I use oven cleaner to strip paint. I confess, I haven't tried it on plastic.

Why strip the paint if you're painting it, just paint over it.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

It is going to take a long time with IPA 99%. If it will at all.

Most just use the IPA to wipe it down right before painting.

Though I never heard of the fantastic way, why don't you just do that for the other half?


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

That's what I'm thinking Ed, you could grow a beard waiting for the alcohol to take the paint off.


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## xrunner (Jul 29, 2011)

I've got an ultrasonic cleaner I got from harbor freight that cleans the cr*p out of anything you put in it - it really works great. I wonder if using that with a solution of some of the afore-mentioned liquids would work any faster on paint? I know you could drop an entire N scale model in it. I might have to to try it on paint removal someday.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Well, I'm sure it can't hurt. OTOH, the old oven cleaner in a bag overnight has always worked for me.


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## cbarm (Apr 15, 2011)

Hmmm...so IPA isnt gonna do me much good...I was reading somewhere on here that that was the best product to use, but I will go to Walmart tomorrow n get some oven cleaner. Any specific brand to use? Maybe some kinda citrus blend so it smells good...haha
Do I do it like I have been n just submerge the shell in it for a few days?


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## NIMT (Jan 6, 2011)

I'm not sure if oven cleaner will work? I don't know if it will melt the plastic or not. I have used denatured alcohol to remove paint and graphics but it's a slow process!


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

I'd try the oven cleaner on something you don't care much about first. It hasn't bothered tin or the diecast pot-metal, but I don't know about plastic.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

I found this on oven cleaner on plastic,

a copy & paste,

"Finally, an ally on the 'Easy-Off' front! Yes, I've been using it for years. On plastic (styrene, plasticine, polystyrene), vinyl and resin. Mostly on oils and lacquers, so I'm not sure what effect it will have on acrylics. Leave on for about 1 hour a coat (includes primer coat). Rinse off with warm water and dish detergent scrubbed lightly with a toothbrush. Only problem I've encountered is with incompatible paints. e.g. If I've accidentally painted a lacquer over an oil (with Krylon primers this is easy to do), then the Easy-Off takes a little longer to take off the "curdle" of paint (maybe a second application)." 
 

I would use lemon scented......it did not take much paint off my Lionel 2065 metal engine shell. Might work nice on plastics.

That one recommends an hour, then do it again if needed.
As oven cleaner is slightly corrosive I would not leave it sit over night unattended.

Denatured alcohol will work too. But there are all kinds of denaturing additives in denatured alcohol. You have to watch, some (most) of the chemicals that you use to denatured it will melt plastics.
Just don't leave it on too long.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

On all of the things I've used it on, which have been tin or diecast, I've used it overnight with no issues. An hour didn't make much of a dent in the paint on a diecast locomotive shell.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

gunrunnerjohn said:


> On all of the things I've used it on, which have been tin or diecast, I've used it overnight with no issues. An hour didn't make much of a dent in the paint on a diecast locomotive shell.



*An hour on plastic.*


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

I know Ed, my point is that an hour didn't affect the paint enough.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

gunrunnerjohn said:


> I know Ed, my point is that an hour didn't affect the paint enough.



On plastic?

Or metal?

I know it is not long enough for metal, I did not want his PLASTIC to melt.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Well, I'm guessing that paint it pretty much paint. Also, note that I said it would be advisable to test it on a junk item so you'd know for sure if it would affect the plastic.


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## cbarm (Apr 15, 2011)

I have been testing on old athearn BB cars. Day 4 of the shell in the 99% IPA and the paint is starting to blister nicely. Alot faster then the Fantastic cleaner. I think I will leave it till tonight n then try a little scrub on it n see what happens...


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## DaveInTheHat (Nov 13, 2011)

I've always used oven cleaner to strip paint off plastic. Works in about 5 or 10 minutes. After its stripped I soak it in white vinegar and then wash it with original Dawn. Never had any problems.


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