I see loads of recommendations for US and UK brands, but does anyone have proven success with products available in Australia?

I've tried a disinfectant with chlorohexynol and also Isocol for its IPA - I've had limited success with the latter but it doesn't make the paint "just fall away" like some of the other products I've heard described, instead requiring scrubbing and scraping to get down to plastic.

I have already done some repaints straight over factory paint, but would really like to try on a completely stripped model.

I've read other people use oven cleaner, but am wary of damage to the model (in addition to them simply being nasty stuff to work with).

Well - there's a surprise!

I was at Bunnings, and discovered that one of the most common recommendations I've read about (Simple Green) IS sold in Australia.

I now have a ship taking a soak in the green.

Was going to suggest Simple Green.

Things I've learnt after an 18 hour soak* in Simple Green:

(* = the ship, not me)

1) It doesn't seem to be all it's cracked up to be - didn't dissolve/loosen the paint as per some reports.

2) Whatever FFG uses as the primary coat on their mini's is super durable! Various solvents take off the shading wash, the ancillary markings and even cockpit canopy, but the ship's main colour holds fast - have had to resort to scraping with a dull hobby blade.

3) The properties of the plastic/resin the ships are made from - it is tough, despite lots of said scraping it doesn't scratch or score, so regardless of the tedious scraping at least the surfaces aren't suffering for it... what is more, once stripped, it takes paint quite well.

4) Is not worth it to bother with stripping - just a wash in warm water and detergent, a cursory wipe over with a solvent to take some of the gloss off, then a good rinse will suffice in future.

hey

if you could post pictures of your success or failure with simply green in Aus

i'd really appreciate it as i'm just about to do the same thing

cheers

FBJ

I think the hype for Simple Green and the like may have oversold you on its stripping abilities. I had visions of the dip magically washing off the paint when I first tried it.

In my experience, it works mostly. There seems to be 5-10% of the paint that needs more than a light scrubbing with an old toothbrush, but hey, that's 90% less paint than was there before, so I'm happy.

I think the hype for Simple Green and the like may have oversold you on its stripping abilities. I had visions of the dip magically washing off the paint when I first tried it.

In my experience, it works mostly. There seems to be 5-10% of the paint that needs more than a light scrubbing with an old toothbrush, but hey, that's 90% less paint than was there before, so I'm happy.

To be fair, that's the same for most techniques. You are almost never going to get a 100% perfectly stripped model, there will always be a bit of paint remaining in the nooks & crannies.

I'm stripping two ships, the first one I soaked for half a day, then took to scraping with a blade to get down to plastic... Still a WIP.

For the second, I soaked it for 2 days(!), then scrubbed it with a new(!) toothbrush (I got it for free and it is a Medium, so I'm never going to use it for teeth - because, boys and girls, you should always use Soft for better gum health!).

Almost all of the shading wash and most of the canopy has come off, but only some of the pinstripes (for the want of a better word) came off and the base colour is practically intact.

I'll take a lesson from the first and not bother trying to get the second back plastic.

Got the both immersed in plain water now, to try and draw some of the smell off (is not overly unpleasant, just off-putting)

I've never used Simple Green, but Dettol seems to be available in 'straya: http://www.dettol.com.au/products/search/first-aid-and-antiseptics/

I believe it's the pine oil that does the trick with paint stripping (tried a TESCO disinfectant with lower oil content and it didn't work at all) and according to google there's no pine oil in Simple Green.

I already tried a disinfectant with the same "active ingredient" - not sure if it had one oil in it as well, so maybe you're on to something...

Speaking of oils, I wonder if eucalyptus oil could be a candidate...?

Simple Green Won't Strip FFG Paint.

It'll strip everything else you put on top of it. But it will not Strip Baked-On Latex-Based Paint.

For that, the best thing you can use and not destroy your model is Isopropyl Alcohol (95% +)

Yeah, eucalyptus oil should soften the paint as well. Never tried it thou as we don't have it in Europe and Dettol works fine for me.

Yeah, eucalyptus oil should soften the paint as well. Never tried it thou as we don't have it in Europe and Dettol works fine for me.

Yep, initial results have been very promising!

Been rubbing with a cotton-tip dipped in pure eucalyptus oil and the paint is coming away, right down to plastic... It's somewhat tedious, but I'm hesitant to try immersion.

There is no visible damage to the plastic, but will give it a bit of time before attempting a full soaking.

(besides, even in Aus, it's not cheap)

Who would've thought after reviewing ideas from around the globe the answer has possibly been in in my own backyard (figuratively speaking).

... AND the smell is infinitely more tolerable.

Simple Green Won't Strip FFG Paint.

It'll strip everything else you put on top of it. But it will not Strip Baked-On Latex-Based Paint.

Yeah, I've learnt that the hard (stinky) way.

For that, the best thing you can use and not destroy your model is Isopropyl Alcohol (95% +)

I'm still keen to try this - to compare to the eucalyptus oil - but not sure where to get 95%...? Will have to hunt around.

Found 100% IPA in Big W... 125ml spray bottle ('Diggers' brand)... then, when in Bunnings (again), discovered they have it too (face-palm) - and a 500ml size as well.

And, as Drasnighta says, it's the best! Paint just wipes away - can leave the slightest bit that requires more concerted effort to rub off, but definitely the most effective.

Though eucalyptus is close 2nd I feel more confident of removing residual traces of IPA (since it should just evaporate) than oil, when preparing for the repaint.

However, it is the most expensive...

125ml = $8.45 (Bunnings), $9.99 (Big W)

500ml = $24.98 (Bunnings)

Simple Green Won't Strip FFG Paint.

It'll strip everything else you put on top of it. But it will not Strip Baked-On Latex-Based Paint.

For that, the best thing you can use and not destroy your model is Isopropyl Alcohol (95% +)

Ethanole works fine for me as well.

Very effective: acetone-free(!) nail polish remover, but be careful with this one. Small amounts, short time, rinse thoroughly with disc washer. If is it allowed to react for too long the plastic surface gets attacked.