Oven cleaner –
“No-name brand from the local Independent
Grocery store, works cold or at a temp of 200 degrees in the
oven. I used it cold, sprayed the part and let it sit for two hours.
It turned the paint back to a liquid (gummy) state and was eas-
ily washed off, some picking required in corners and around
fine details. Overall not a bad result; however, it did leave the
metal with a very dark gray, dull appearance.”
Alcohol –
“I didn’t have any 91% on hand so tried just the 70%
strength. Soaked the part in a tub of alcohol for two hours. At
first glance it appeared to do nothing, but when handled, the
paint came off in sheets. The alcohol seems to have attacked the
bond between the paint and the metal. A lot of picking will be
required around fine details, but I have a couple of brass brushes
in my outdoor workshop and will try them. It also left the metal
with a bright shiny appearance, almost like brand new.”
Brake fluid is an option. Some brake fluids remove paint.
They don’t damage most metals but can make styrene plastic
brittle. Brake fluid can be washed off with water. Keep it away
from painted surfaces and furniture. Because so many differ-
ent plastics are used in models, it has become less popular for
stripping paint. Some brands feel greasy and are hard to wash
off completely.
Don Andrews reported losing a shell that he stripped,
cleaned, washed and repainted.
“The brake fluid that had
been absorbed into the plastic caused a chemical change in the
plastic polymers that ruined the shell. The damage was not
apparent until sometime later,” Don said.
Brake fluids have changed since modelers adopted them
decades ago for stripping paint.
Questions, Answers & Tips - 3
Rob in Texas reports,
“I have used brake fluid in the past, DOT
3 type, and the paint falls right off. I rinse the items in water
and in fact soak them in a container filled with water for a few
days ... It cleans models very well. After they soak in water for a
few days I rinse and let them air dry and repaint.”
Alex, aka Drewrail,
adds, “If you go the brake fluid route you
need to make sure the label has a warning about not to spill
it on the paint. Newer types of brake fluid no longer have the
chemical makeup that will harm the paint. I used the store
brand from Auto Zone.”
Ken Glover’s paint stripping saga:
Stripping paint from metal:
Advice on preparing metal:
mrhmag.com/node/14495
– MRH
Q.
What are special instructions?
– Mike B.
A.
“Special rules” or “system special instructions” cover situa-
tions that are specific to a particular area or situation on a rail-
road. They are detailed instructions that call for actions over
and above those required by the company rulebook. Here’s
the usual warning: different railroads have different names
for these things, and special rules on one railroad will possibly
cover different topics than on another outfit.
Many model railroaders create their own timetables and rule
books, but it’s a rare model railroad that also has its own set
MRH-Sep 2014
