I've been doing some testing on paint stripping recently. If it's all metal, white spirits will strip them better and fast than Simple Green will. Just don't let that stuff touch plastic, or you end up with a gooey mess.
Hi ModernKiwi, thanks for the suggestion. Do you scrub the figs when they're wet or does it work ok to let them dry before scrubbing? The trouble I had with white spirits/mineral spirits when I tried them recently for some dragons and a giant was they made a mess despite gloves and precautions. Do you have any tips along these lines?
The spirits definitely work better than Simple Green on enamels, though, which many of these old figs were painted with. Also, if I go with soaking in spirits I suppose I'll need to dedicate a sieve or screen to the cause in order to recapture the stuff.
The Simple Green works great in general but it does depend on how fiddly the undercuts of the figure are and what kind of paint/primer. For the stubborn enamel I have been thinking of trying another stripper for round two. I do have a bit of experience trying various things in the past. Candidates for round two so far are spray on oven cleaner, 100% acetone and the mineral spirits. Since I've already got some spirits I'll definitely try them first.
Yeah I've used oven cleaner before. It works best on enamel paints, but I've only even used it on plastic figures, so I'm not too sure how well it'll do on metal. Someone else told me that isoprople (?spelling?) alcohol 70-90% proof is very good at paint stripping and works on both plastic, metal and resin - but I haven't had a chance to test that - beer doesn't work I can confirm.
With the white spirits, I was pulling them out of the jar with tongs and then brushing them under running water. Not the kind of thing to do at your kitchen sink though or you'll be most unpopular.
That's quite a haul! I see a Ral Partha frost giant (painted as a fire giant!), stuff from those Grenadier "encounters" sets (man I wish I snatched them up when they were clearanced at the mall hobby shop!), lots of classics.
I have never tried 'white spirits' (not quite sure what the american vernacular for that is...mineral oil?) but mostly rely on Simple Green. I picked up a good hint on another blog -- using a lump of 'sticky tack' or 'blue tack' (the stuff they sell for tacking up posters etc. without tacks) to remove the stubborn paint in recesses after using the water & toothbrush. (I think it was the King's Minis blog).
I have found that old minis I painted without priming are harder to strip, for some reason, that those I primed...
@ModernKiwi Thanks for the info. I seem to remember trying isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol in the past and having no luck, but it could have been a weak concentration. I have some 91% now so might give it a god. Also had bad luck with acetone (zero difference after a week or more of soaking), but again, could be crappy nail polish concentration to blame. Did have good luck with Pinesol but eventually settled on Simple Green and have been doing nothing but for 10+ years.
The scrubbing with that caustic stuff is problem for me. Here is California I don't even think it's legal to let the mineral spirits go down the drain. :) Still thinking on this.
@mike Thanks, yeah, these are some recent ebay wins. That Partha giant "Hecatron" (I guess that's his personal name?) is a cool fig if a bit small. Might paint as a Firbolg. And year, some of the Grenadier encounters sets. Two full sets are in here and I also won a third recently. Love the concept and was really looking forward to seeing the little adventure writeups. Unfortunately they really suck. I mean seriously awful. But if I can find a free OCR program and get around to it I'll post 'em.
Thanks for the tip about blue tack--I'll give it a go. I have some crappy tack stuff lying around for years and I think I may have tried it a long time ago and found it leaves things oily/sticky, but a friend just turned me on to "museum tack" and this stuff is a whole nother ballgame. It doesn't leave the residue and comes off when you want it to.
What you say about primer actually makes sense I think if you use a modern spray primer (especially GW, which basically dissolves without a trace in Simple Green. When those old figs are done with enamels that's a tough bond to break, and no primer was needed for those. I find I have the toughest time with dragons as enamel paint locks into the scales.
I've been doing some testing on paint stripping recently. If it's all metal, white spirits will strip them better and fast than Simple Green will. Just don't let that stuff touch plastic, or you end up with a gooey mess.
ReplyDeleteHi ModernKiwi, thanks for the suggestion. Do you scrub the figs when they're wet or does it work ok to let them dry before scrubbing? The trouble I had with white spirits/mineral spirits when I tried them recently for some dragons and a giant was they made a mess despite gloves and precautions. Do you have any tips along these lines?
ReplyDeleteThe spirits definitely work better than Simple Green on enamels, though, which many of these old figs were painted with. Also, if I go with soaking in spirits I suppose I'll need to dedicate a sieve or screen to the cause in order to recapture the stuff.
The Simple Green works great in general but it does depend on how fiddly the undercuts of the figure are and what kind of paint/primer. For the stubborn enamel I have been thinking of trying another stripper for round two. I do have a bit of experience trying various things in the past. Candidates for round two so far are spray on oven cleaner, 100% acetone and the mineral spirits. Since I've already got some spirits I'll definitely try them first.
Yeah I've used oven cleaner before. It works best on enamel paints, but I've only even used it on plastic figures, so I'm not too sure how well it'll do on metal. Someone else told me that isoprople (?spelling?) alcohol 70-90% proof is very good at paint stripping and works on both plastic, metal and resin - but I haven't had a chance to test that - beer doesn't work I can confirm.
ReplyDeleteWith the white spirits, I was pulling them out of the jar with tongs and then brushing them under running water. Not the kind of thing to do at your kitchen sink though or you'll be most unpopular.
That's quite a haul! I see a Ral Partha frost giant (painted as a fire giant!), stuff from those Grenadier "encounters" sets (man I wish I snatched them up when they were clearanced at the mall hobby shop!), lots of classics.
ReplyDeleteI have never tried 'white spirits' (not quite sure what the american vernacular for that is...mineral oil?) but mostly rely on Simple Green. I picked up a good hint on another blog -- using a lump of 'sticky tack' or 'blue tack' (the stuff they sell for tacking up posters etc. without tacks) to remove the stubborn paint in recesses after using the water & toothbrush. (I think it was the King's Minis blog).
I have found that old minis I painted without priming are harder to strip, for some reason, that those I primed...
@ModernKiwi
ReplyDeleteThanks for the info. I seem to remember trying isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol in the past and having no luck, but it could have been a weak concentration. I have some 91% now so might give it a god. Also had bad luck with acetone (zero difference after a week or more of soaking), but again, could be crappy nail polish concentration to blame. Did have good luck with Pinesol but eventually settled on Simple Green and have been doing nothing but for 10+ years.
The scrubbing with that caustic stuff is problem for me. Here is California I don't even think it's legal to let the mineral spirits go down the drain. :) Still thinking on this.
@mike
Thanks, yeah, these are some recent ebay wins. That Partha giant "Hecatron" (I guess that's his personal name?) is a cool fig if a bit small. Might paint as a Firbolg. And year, some of the Grenadier encounters sets. Two full sets are in here and I also won a third recently. Love the concept and was really looking forward to seeing the little adventure writeups. Unfortunately they really suck. I mean seriously awful. But if I can find a free OCR program and get around to it I'll post 'em.
Thanks for the tip about blue tack--I'll give it a go. I have some crappy tack stuff lying around for years and I think I may have tried it a long time ago and found it leaves things oily/sticky, but a friend just turned me on to "museum tack" and this stuff is a whole nother ballgame. It doesn't leave the residue and comes off when you want it to.
What you say about primer actually makes sense I think if you use a modern spray primer (especially GW, which basically dissolves without a trace in Simple Green. When those old figs are done with enamels that's a tough bond to break, and no primer was needed for those. I find I have the toughest time with dragons as enamel paint locks into the scales.
Mike, btw I got the encounter sets for 10-$15 each on ebay so certainly within reach! They may go for more if the box is in nice shape.
ReplyDelete