Removing spray paint

[AstroKnight]

Is there any way to remove spray paint from a plastic model without damaging it severely?

I got a secondhand RS-3 that’s been spray painted over poorly and I want to know if I can avoid purchasing a new shell

 

[Smudge617]

Is there any way to remove spray paint from a plastic model without damaging it severely?

I got a secondhand RS-3 that’s been spray painted over poorly and I want to know if I can avoid purchasing a new shell

I soak mine in 75% or 99% IPA for an hour or so, (longer if it's very thick), then scrub with an old toothbrush, it may take several soakings to get it all off depending on the type of paint and how thick it's been applied, any original details like cab numbers etc, will come off too.

 

[AstroKnight]

I soak mine in 75% IPA for an hour or so, (longer if it's very thick), then scrub with an old toothbrush, it may take several soakings to get it all off depending on the type of paint and how thick it's been applied, any original details like cab numbers etc, will come off too.

Thank you so much!
Does it have to be fully under like in a small tub? Will 70% Isopropyl Alcohol work?
I don’t care about the paint really, I’m going to make it a fictional railroad’s scheme. I might also find another shell in something like Conrail just so I can exchange them easily.

 

[Smudge617]

Thank you so much!
Does it have to be fully under like in a small tub? Will 70% Isopropyl Alcohol work?
I don’t care about the paint really, I’m going to make it a fictional railroad’s scheme. I might also find another shell in something like Conrail just so I can exchange them easily.

Doesn't have to be fully immersed, depends on how much IPA you have around as you can't use it again, 70% will work, try scrubbing it every now and again to get the loose paint off, then put it back into soak.

Also, make sure you wear gloves when doing this

Mine started like this.

After quite some time in an IPA bath (and a lot of scrubbing), it looked like this.

And I turned it into this, my first lease locomotive, and first attempt at home-made decals too.

 

[AstroKnight]

Doesn't have to be fully immersed, depends on how much IPA you have around as you can't use it again, 70% will work, try scrubbing it every now and again to get the loose paint off, then put it back in to soak.

Mine started like this.

View attachment 195903
View attachment 195904
View attachment 195905
View attachment 195906

After quite some time in an IPA bath (and a lot of scrubbing), it looked like this.

View attachment 195902

And I turned it into this, my first lease locomotive.

View attachment 195908
View attachment 195909

Thank you. I didn't have enough 70% to fully immerse it, but my dad said maybe we could wrap it in a washcloth, douse it heavily in 70% and then put that in a paper bag. I'm just going to hope that works, then I might have to go to the store and get some. It's cheap anyway, so it shouldn't matter.

 

[Smudge617]

Thank you. I didn't have enough 70% to fully immerse it, but my dad said maybe we could wrap it in a washcloth, douse it heavily in 70% and then put that in a paper bag. I'm just going to hope that works, then I might have to go to the store and get some. It's cheap anyway, so it shouldn't matter.

If you're going to the store, get 99.9% IPA it'll work a lot faster, and don't wrap it in a cloth or put it in a paper bag, IPA is highly flammable.

Make sure you do this outside or in a well-ventilated room.

 

[AstroKnight]

If you're going to the store, get 99.9% IPA it'll work a lot faster, and don't wrap it in a cloth or put it in a paper bag, IPA is highly flammable.

Make sure you do this outside or in a well-ventilated room.

Thank you for the warning, I will keep it away from anything that could start a fire.

 

[Smudge617]

Thank you for the warning, I will keep it away from anything that could start a fire.

Let us know how you get on with cleaning the bodyshell.

 

[AstroKnight]

Let us know how you get on with cleaning the bodyshell.

Will do. Thank you so much for your help, you saved a very nice shell

 

[Smudge617]

Will do. Thank you so much for your help, you saved a very nice shell

No problem, any questions or something your not sure about just ask, could you post a photo of the locomotive, before and after.