Remove Tamiya paint

[JoniP]

Hi,

 

I started Heller Soleil Royal 20 years ago when I was a student after that came kids and all and didn't have time to finish it. I think that I painted some gold decorations and cannons and now I would like to "restart" it.

 

I was wondering how to remove the paint without causing any damage to plastic? I used Tamiya paints. I remember the bottles looked the same as what they sell now (Acrylic) but I'm not sure if the paint was the same back then. I'm not 100% sure but I think that back then there was something in the Tamiya paint that wasn't ok with EU regulations or something.

[DavidG]

There are specific paint removers by Tamiya and Revell, both works well. Most hobby shops sell them. Good luck for your build.

[Danstream]

If they are their acrylic type, Tamiya paints can be removed by alcohol (IPA). I have done it several times in the past. Alcohol does not affect polystyrene plastic. Otherwise, I also used Mr Color Leveling Thinner. Please make a test on a small part first.

Good luck,

Dan

[Pirate adam]

Windex will also usually work for acrylic paints. Generally the longer they have dried the harder to remove. 
 

Adam 

[JoniP]

Thanks I'll try these.

[Snug Harbor Johnny]

  I Googled 'how to remove acrylic paint',  and a result was that denatured alcohol (methanol) will work better than 90% isopropanol (IPA or 'rubbing' alcohol) ... note that 70% and even 50% is also sold as the watered down version is less irritating to skin.  My admirable Admiral was pulling her hair out trying to remove dry acrylic from a formed plastic mixing tray used for a project, as she was only using soap and water.

  

  I applied some hardware-store methanol on a paper towel and SHAZAAM, much of the residue came off - only the thickest and oldest blobs remained.  So pouring some denatured in the pockets of the tray to let them soak (plus a little prying later with a dull 'dinner' knife), and most of that came off.  I left the clean tray, soiled paper towel and the can of methanol out on the counter to give her a pleasant surprise for her later when she comes down form the sewing room.

 

  I suppose you could soak the parts in a deep tray of denatured alcohol if they don't come cleaner with IPA (the first recommendation of the Google search).  It is possible that 20 year old paint may not be removable ... so in that case, you can paint over the parts where needed.

[Capt. Kelso]

I've removed paint from plastic kits by just soaking in Windex. I use a small plastic storage bin with a lid, paint usually will peel off. Used an old toothbrush on the stubborn paint.

[Thukydides]

I soak the plastic parts in simple green. It works like a charm and just use an old tooth brush to agitate the paint off.

[Snug Harbor Johnny]

  Perhaps its the ammonia (among other ingredients) in the Windex that do the job.

[Jsk]

Fifteen to twenty years ago I used Easy-Off oven cleaner to remove paint from a collection of plastic ships. I put each ship model in a zip lock bag (they were small!) and spray liberally with the oven cleaner. Twenty-Four hours later the paint simply slid off the plastic models. A toothbrush took care of the rest. The plastic seems healthy to this day. More than I can say about Easy-Off. I think it's been changed considerably.

[Dr PR]

Experiment first in an inconspicuous place on the model or a separate piece of similar plastic. Some paint removers will melt plastic and distort the surface.

 

Some paint removers use ethylene glycol (brake fluid).