I want to put an Alclad aluminium finish on an A wing. That requires a gloss black primer. So far I've done the following:

Soaked for 3 days in Purple Power. Removed wash.

Soaked for 3 days in Simple Green. No effect.

Soaked for 3 days in bleach. No effect.

Soaked for 3 days in 93% IPA. No effect.

Soaked for 2 days in oven cleaner. Guns and engine fell off. Paint remained.

I also used a small ultrasonic cleaner during each of these steps though not for the full duration. This is the first time in 40+ years that I've failed at removing paint. Anyone have an idea of the kind of paint that's on the A-wing? Short of using lacquer solvent or acetone which will attack the plastic, I'm at a loss.

Cant you just speay the black primer over the existing paint?

Cant you just speay the black primer over the existing paint?

I was afraid that the suggested primer would cause the existing paint to craze but after the abuse I put it through for the last two weeks it just might hold up. Alclad's gloss primer is lacquer based.

Spraying over the mini would probably have worked fine.

I've been trying to strip one myself, with limited success; using Dettol (UK) has softened the paint but left it very sticky, so it's still really hard to get off, and it doesn't scrub away so getting it out of the small details is almost impossible.

I've heard someone say rubbing alcohol works, so I'm going to try that next if I can find some. It's not like I can wreck it further.

Brake fluid will remove the paint. But there are variables, the biggest one being the age of the paintjob and how long it's had to cure. Is this an OG A-Wing or a newly-purchased one? Don't do 3 days, though... 3 hours is a better test run.

It's not actually necessary to strip X-Wing minis. If we could turn back time I'd advise you to lightly prime the ship in black or grey with a quality spray primer (Dupli-color Sandable is the best) then lightly prime with whatever gloss primer you're using (or just use a gloss lacquer over the matte black, if that will work) and then do your thing.

You're lucky the oven cleaner didn't melt the ship, because that happens!

You never have to strip these models.. just for future reference.. the paint they use makes a great primer, just use thinned layers and build up to the color you want..

Why everyone wants to strip these is beyond me.. you lose literally nothing in detail if you are careful.. just don't use a thick coat of paint, either spray or brushed on..

I used simple green and a toothbrush for my Chaos Marines. Granted, you're dealing with models already thin and lightly painted.

Spraying over the mini would probably have worked fine.

I've been trying to strip one myself, with limited success; using Dettol (UK) has softened the paint but left it very sticky, so it's still really hard to get off, and it doesn't scrub away so getting it out of the small details is almost impossible.

I've heard someone say rubbing alcohol works, so I'm going to try that next if I can find some. It's not like I can wreck it further.

That's what IPA is: Isopropyl Alcohol. Didn't touch the paint.

Brake fluid will remove the paint. But there are variables, the biggest one being the age of the paintjob and how long it's had to cure. Is this an OG A-Wing or a newly-purchased one? Don't do 3 days, though... 3 hours is a better test run.

It's not actually necessary to strip X-Wing minis. If we could turn back time I'd advise you to lightly prime the ship in black or grey with a quality spray primer (Dupli-color Sandable is the best) then lightly prime with whatever gloss primer you're using (or just use a gloss lacquer over the matte black, if that will work) and then do your thing.

You're lucky the oven cleaner didn't melt the ship, because that happens!

I was fairly certain that the oven cleaner wouldn't hurt the plastic. Plastics don't react to alkali. Usually. I've used brake fluid to strip metal figures but not plastic ones.

You never have to strip these models.. just for future reference.. the paint they use makes a great primer, just use thinned layers and build up to the color you want..

Why everyone wants to strip these is beyond me.. you lose literally nothing in detail if you are careful.. just don't use a thick coat of paint, either spray or brushed on..

The reason I wanted to strip it was because of the lacquer based gloss primer. The solvent in Alclad paints is pretty hot and it can cause acrylics to pucker up. Being a gloss it takes longer for the solvent to flash off (dry) meaning it's in contact with the existing paint longer which increases the risk of a bad reaction. Flat primers will flash off faster leaving less time for the solvent to react with the original paint. Typically if youre using multiple paint systems it's lacquer-enamel-acrylic. The solvent in each successive layer won't affect the previous one.

If I have to use a barrier coat between the model and the Alclad it may not be worth using the Alclad aluminium. Regardless, the wash needed to be removed

I know nothing on this, but I know I have seen stripped x wing minis from a linked paint guide somewhere.

I tried to remove paint from my bomber once. The end of it was when brake fluid just melted the model

You have to use a lighter material because if you use a strong one, you'll melt the plastic. I had to soak my models for a week in SG, and then scrubbed the **** out of them because the previous owners drenched them in paint.

I want to put an Alclad aluminium finish on an A wing. That requires a gloss black primer. So far I've done the following:

Soaked for 3 days in Purple Power. Removed wash.

Soaked for 3 days in Simple Green. No effect.

Soaked for 3 days in bleach. No effect.

Soaked for 3 days in 93% IPA. No effect.

Soaked for 2 days in oven cleaner. Guns and engine fell off. Paint remained.

I also used a small ultrasonic cleaner during each of these steps though not for the full duration. This is the first time in 40+ years that I've failed at removing paint. Anyone have an idea of the kind of paint that's on the A-wing? Short of using lacquer solvent or acetone which will attack the plastic, I'm at a loss.

because it's not paint

IT'S PLASTIC COLOUR!

found that out when repainting and magnetizing YV-666

it's natural plastic colouring. so you'll only ever be able to use aceton to take the red\blue triangle and cockpit black

and yeah, non-concentrated aceton with like 10% of it and a toothbrushie is a go-to for me

I want to put an Alclad aluminium finish on an A wing. That requires a gloss black primer. So far I've done the following:

Soaked for 3 days in Purple Power. Removed wash.

Soaked for 3 days in Simple Green. No effect.

Soaked for 3 days in bleach. No effect.

Soaked for 3 days in 93% IPA. No effect.

Soaked for 2 days in oven cleaner. Guns and engine fell off. Paint remained.

I also used a small ultrasonic cleaner during each of these steps though not for the full duration. This is the first time in 40+ years that I've failed at removing paint. Anyone have an idea of the kind of paint that's on the A-wing? Short of using lacquer solvent or acetone which will attack the plastic, I'm at a loss.

because it's not paint

IT'S PLASTIC COLOUR!

found that out when repainting and magnetizing YV-666

it's natural plastic colouring. so you'll only ever be able to use aceton to take the red\blue triangle and cockpit black

and yeah, non-concentrated aceton with like 10% of it and a toothbrushie is a go-to for me

I understand that the white is plastic but the red? The bleach turned it pinkish.

I want to put an Alclad aluminium finish on an A wing. That requires a gloss black primer. So far I've done the following:

Soaked for 3 days in Purple Power. Removed wash.

Soaked for 3 days in Simple Green. No effect.

Soaked for 3 days in bleach. No effect.

Soaked for 3 days in 93% IPA. No effect.

Soaked for 2 days in oven cleaner. Guns and engine fell off. Paint remained.

I also used a small ultrasonic cleaner during each of these steps though not for the full duration. This is the first time in 40+ years that I've failed at removing paint. Anyone have an idea of the kind of paint that's on the A-wing? Short of using lacquer solvent or acetone which will attack the plastic, I'm at a loss.

because it's not paint

IT'S PLASTIC COLOUR!

found that out when repainting and magnetizing YV-666

it's natural plastic colouring. so you'll only ever be able to use aceton to take the red\blue triangle and cockpit black

and yeah, non-concentrated aceton with like 10% of it and a toothbrushie is a go-to for me

I understand that the white is plastic but the red? The bleach turned it pinkish.

the red triangle (or blue one from aces)

is paint, acrylic, judjing by the fact it is taken off by acetone.

hot sprayed judjing by the edges.

simple green and purple power won't help any way.

just the old-school 10-15% acetone and a brushie, gentle touch and some time will do the trick (took off hounds tooth teeth and E-wing stripes that way)

I want to put an Alclad aluminium finish on an A wing. That requires a gloss black primer. So far I've done the following:

Soaked for 3 days in Purple Power. Removed wash.

Soaked for 3 days in Simple Green. No effect.

Soaked for 3 days in bleach. No effect.

Soaked for 3 days in 93% IPA. No effect.

Soaked for 2 days in oven cleaner. Guns and engine fell off. Paint remained.

I also used a small ultrasonic cleaner during each of these steps though not for the full duration. This is the first time in 40+ years that I've failed at removing paint. Anyone have an idea of the kind of paint that's on the A-wing? Short of using lacquer solvent or acetone which will attack the plastic, I'm at a loss.

because it's not paint

IT'S PLASTIC COLOUR!

found that out when repainting and magnetizing YV-666

it's natural plastic colouring. so you'll only ever be able to use aceton to take the red\blue triangle and cockpit black

and yeah, non-concentrated aceton with like 10% of it and a toothbrushie is a go-to for me

I understand that the white is plastic but the red? The bleach turned it pinkish.

the red triangle (or blue one from aces)

is paint, acrylic, judjing by the fact it is taken off by acetone.

hot sprayed judjing by the edges.

simple green and purple power won't help any way.

just the old-school 10-15% acetone and a brushie, gentle touch and some time will do the trick (took off hounds tooth teeth and E-wing stripes that way)

Thanks for the tip. I'll have to give that a try.

I want to put an Alclad aluminium finish on an A wing. That requires a gloss black primer. So far I've done the following:

Soaked for 3 days in Purple Power. Removed wash.

Soaked for 3 days in Simple Green. No effect.

Soaked for 3 days in bleach. No effect.

Soaked for 3 days in 93% IPA. No effect.

Soaked for 2 days in oven cleaner. Guns and engine fell off. Paint remained.

I also used a small ultrasonic cleaner during each of these steps though not for the full duration. This is the first time in 40+ years that I've failed at removing paint. Anyone have an idea of the kind of paint that's on the A-wing? Short of using lacquer solvent or acetone which will attack the plastic, I'm at a loss.

because it's not paint

IT'S PLASTIC COLOUR!

found that out when repainting and magnetizing YV-666

it's natural plastic colouring. so you'll only ever be able to use aceton to take the red\blue triangle and cockpit black

and yeah, non-concentrated aceton with like 10% of it and a toothbrushie is a go-to for me

This is not universally true. The YV is brown plastic, Kihraxzes and Scyks are green plastic, I'm sure there are some other examples.

But the A-Wings are actually made from pure white plastic. Most other rebel ships are made from a light grey/off-white that is then covered with a coat of primer in nearly the same shade.

F/Os are black or dark grey plastic, and covered in a lot of layers of very tenacious paint. I've had one in the Dettol for like two weeks and it's softened it, but it's still really sticky and won't scrub off. The only reason for stripping it in the first place was that it was my test mini for my new scheme and it had gotten really gunged up with lots of layers.

Imperial Aces Royal Guard is red and most Imp ships are grey-blue. Primer is the only way.