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how to strip Tamiya spray paint?


Schmitz

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I needed a mid-gloss paint job on a 1/32 race car (Airfix DBR9) that was supposed to be a "quickie" build. A friend told me he had gotten amazing results using Tamiya spray cans; he said he just laid down a few coats right out of the can and got a nice smooth finish. I gave it a try and and ended up with a pebbly finish; I even tried color sanding with a coarse micro-mesh pad and shot another coat and got the same results...

 

So I pulled out the trusty can of oven cleaner (not EZ-Off but a generic knockoff in a similar looking can), soaked it down and let it sit for a few days - and it had no effect! Whatever is in those spray cans is tough stuff! Anyone have success removing this paint?

 

Suggestions much appreciated!

Don

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

I use 91% isopropyl alcohol.

 

I tried this - put the model in plastic take-out food container and dumped in a whole bottle of 91% isopropyl from the grocery store. It looked good; after 1 night about half the paint bubbled up and came right off when scrubbed with a toothbrush, but a week later the remaining spray paint is still hanging on. It is a little softer; I can now clean the paint off with fine steel wool, but there are little bits of paint hanging on in the nooks and crannies.

 

I'm guessing brake fluid would work a lot quicker and decisively, but the alcohol is a lot less of a hassle (how do you dispose of paint contaminated brake fluid?) Does the alcohol loose its kick after a while? Would switching to a fresh bottle help with the remaining paint?

 

All suggestions greatly appreciated!

 

Don

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  • 1 year later...

Isopropyl alchohol is the exact thinner Tamiya used for their acrylic line and should remove the paint if it's not fully cured. But like Pete said, if it's the synthetic laquer you're going have to turn it up a notch. You might be able to dispose of brake fluid at a local gas station. You might also want to try the purple degreaser available at auto supply stores. A toothbrush helps with the nooks n crannies.

hth

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  • 2 years later...

I use a combination of brake fluid and bleach (not mixed together!); soak the part in brake fluid for a day or two, scrub, put the part in bleach for a couple of days, etc. Rinse & repeat. It seems that whatever paint the brake fluid doesn't take off, the bleach does, and vice-versa.

Edited by Stitch
Grammar
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