WnW Hansa-Brandenburg W.12 (Early)

[lcarroll]

Pete,
    Doesn't take a lot, I just drop the part into a few mm's of the stuff in a saucer and roll it around every few minutes, make sure it's soaked and after brushing let it soak again until the paint's all off.
Cheers,
Lance

[Pete Nottingham]

Hi Lance, I think they must have changed the formula in Windolene, I left the piece overnight but it hasn't shifted anything, admittedly the piece I'm trying is an old painted part which has cured for over 12 months so the paint is really tough, so it looks as though I might have to resort to the old blowtorch 

cheers

 Pete.

[boggie]

Hi Pete.
I use an oven cleaner called Mr mustle here in Oz.
It's caustic so I guess that's why it works. I've used it to strip paint, both enamel and acrylic, that's years old.
After it's soaked for a few hours I scrub with a tooth brush. Although caustic it does not harm the plastic.
Non caustic oven cleaners do not work of course.
Good luck.

[Pete Nottingham]

Hi Pete.
I use an oven cleaner called Mr mustle here in Oz.
It's caustic so I guess that's why it works. I've used it to strip paint, both enamel and acrylic, that's years old.
After it's soaked for a few hours I scrub with a tooth brush. Although caustic it does not harm the plastic.
Non caustic oven cleaners do not work of course.
Good luck.

Thanks boggie, we have Mr Muscle in the UK as well, so I'll give it a try.

Cheers

Pete.

[RAGIII]

Brake fluid also works well.
RAGIII

[moustique]

in france it's call GLANZER and it goes very well for all paints

[Isitwindyyet]

Brake fluid also works well.
RAGIII

I think brake fluid works best.

[Pete Nottingham]

Brake fluid also works well.
RAGIII

I think brake fluid works best.

What about synthetic brake fluid, does this work as well?

Pete.

[Isitwindyyet]

Brake fluid also works well.
RAGIII

I think brake fluid works best.

What about synthetic brake fluid, does this work as well?

Pete.

Synthetic Dot 3 and 4 are just marketing labels, all brake fluid is synthesized.  I've used both types and mixed and matched the types and brands.  It all works.  I drain and flush my brake systems every two years on my cars, trucks and motorcycles.  So I have a healthy supply of mixed types.  Brake fluid can't be stored once opened, so if you ever buy a bottle to top up your car, use the remainder as paint stripper.  Polly Scale has a product called ELO, easy lift off, a pun on the Electric Light Orchestra no doubt, it is for all intents and purposes just brake fluid in a small yet expensive can.  Dot 5 is silicone and therefore I am not sure about its ability to be used to safely strip model paint.  As I've never used it.  I've also used Easy Off in the non-toxic blue aerosol can, with great success stripping acrylic paint from clear plastic.

[Pete Nottingham]

thanks windy, most helpful.

cheers

Pete.

[Pete Nottingham]

Well I've tried Tesco Everyday Value All Purpose Cleaner, I don't know if they have changed the formula but it didn't touch the Vallejo paint, so on to brake fluid, SUCCESS, it works, I can carry on.

Cheers

Pete.

[nichenson]

One thing I have found to strip Tamiya paints is 91-95% Isopropyl Alcohol or rubbing alcohol as they call it here.  This is much stronger than the normal one used in medicine as that is around 70% or less.  The problem with strippers comes in the way the molecules react to other agents.  Most oil based compounds are hydrophobic and non-polar.  Alcohol though is special in that it is hydrophilic and contains some non-polar and polar regions.  This is why when you get water in your gas tank, they suggest that you put alcohol in it to clear it out.  All that is doing is allowing the water to mix with the gas via the alcohol.  Since alcohol is like that, it can dissolve almost all dried paints.  It may take a little longer and it may not get it all as some paint may become embedded in the plastic itself, but it should get you almost back to square 1.