Bart Posted February 22, 2014 Share Posted February 22, 2014 Is there a consensus on safe paint remover for MTH locomotive car bodies? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xl_special Posted February 23, 2014 Share Posted February 23, 2014 Bart, scalecoat rinse away will remove it in big sheets. 12 to 24 hours soaking, and it just floats off doing no damage to MTH shells. You can use the product over and over again. Just run it through a coffee filter as you pour it back in the bottle. Scalecoat rinse away is sold by most hobbyshops. Larry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enginear joe Posted February 23, 2014 Share Posted February 23, 2014 and I didn't think anything would work!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rayman4449 Posted February 24, 2014 Share Posted February 24, 2014 Thanks a bunch on that info Larry, that is something I have talked about with folks offline about on what will strip paint off these loco shells etc without messing with the plasitc. I will order me some. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bart Posted March 14, 2014 Author Share Posted March 14, 2014 Ok.. Here goes... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bart Posted March 15, 2014 Author Share Posted March 15, 2014 Out of the bath. After first rinse. Guess i should'a taken those off. Soft paint trapped between them and the skirt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rayman4449 Posted March 15, 2014 Share Posted March 15, 2014 So it looks like it came out pretty good. What are your thoughts on the plastic? Pretty much get it all off without affecting anything? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bart Posted March 15, 2014 Author Share Posted March 15, 2014 After the second dunk, rinse and a little scrubbing. No visible damage to the plastic except where i may have been too aggressive with the abrasive sponge. Soaking the other side now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xl_special Posted March 15, 2014 Share Posted March 15, 2014 Looks really good. Where did you get the green pan? Looks like almost a perfect fit. What road name will this ex amtrak car be when completed? Larry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bart Posted March 15, 2014 Author Share Posted March 15, 2014 The pan is #85014 Fiberglass Nesting Box from US Plastics. Pricey but perfect. One bottle of Scalecoat just covered the bottom ribs enough to immerse the car body sidewall. Its a long shot for a beginner but I'm hoping to end up with a baggage/RPO car for my MTH Northern Pacific passenger train. Here is the color goal: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Miller Posted August 21, 2014 Share Posted August 21, 2014 Real nice. What did you use fro the striping?...............Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bart Posted August 24, 2014 Author Share Posted August 24, 2014 Oh no.. that's not my work. My goal is to make something that won't look too out of place next to it. My other expensive and time consuming summer hobby (an old sailboat) has dominated my time this season. I'll be looking for more advice when I do get back to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scottychaos Posted August 25, 2014 Share Posted August 25, 2014 very nice! has anyone ever used the "scalecoat rinse away" on Aristocraft shells? Scot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scottychaos Posted August 25, 2014 Share Posted August 25, 2014 I just googled for info on this product... there are other model railroad forums that discuss "scalecoat rinse away".. but the actual product seems to be called "scalecoat wash away".. although perhaps there are both? Bart, did you use "rinse away" or "wash away"? Scot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markoles Posted August 26, 2014 Share Posted August 26, 2014 I'm curious why folks try to remove paint. I used some super fine sand paper to remove lettering and high ridge paint lines, and then put on new primer and had at it. Actually, I don;t even use primer, I use aluminum spray paint. Sticks to everything and dries fast. New paint sticks to it well. Just my experience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xl_special Posted August 26, 2014 Share Posted August 26, 2014 Here's my "two cents worth" on why I remove the MTH paint. They put so much paint on the model that it covers up all the small detail. When I stripped my first F-7A, I was shocked to find some of the best detail I had ever seen on a plastic model. They must have paid a ton of money for that tooling, only to be covered up with several coats of really thick paint. After you remove the factory paint and airbush a thin coat of whatever paint you use, you have a model that has tons of correct detail you can not find anywhere else. Most plastic models of any scale, do not even come close to the detail on the MTH models. The caboose is another example of a really fine model covered up by tons of paint. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Posted September 7, 2014 Share Posted September 7, 2014 4 - 8 hour soak in 91% Isopropyl alcohol (from Wal-Mart) will safely remove MTH paint. I also use an old electric toothbrush to help scrub away soft paint that's around the details and in the nooks/ crannies. For a soaking container I use a Tupperware like plastic breadbox that way can cover it to help keep the evaporation rate down. Once I'm done I filter the alcohol and store it in the original container. Nice thing about alcohol is it won't harm your skin. MTH boxcar MTH caboose Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Posted September 16, 2014 Share Posted September 16, 2014 Lately I'e been soaking a USA Trains F3 AB set for re-painting into Milwaukee Road orange, maroon & black. My alcohol "tank"... About time to turn it end for end... A unit is done Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YoungCR Posted September 16, 2014 Share Posted September 16, 2014 How often do you have to change our the alcohol? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Posted September 17, 2014 Share Posted September 17, 2014 Chris, That's a good question and I don't have an answer. Some of that alcohol is over 3 years old and on it's 8th car stripping. When I'm done I strain it thru a paint strainer and it goes back into the original bottles. When in storage any sludge that made it thru the strainer settles to the bottom. Next time I use it I pour it slowly thru a coffee filter and leave the sludge in the bottom of the bottle and then rinse it out with water. I also burn wood in the winter months in the garage and use any real dirty alcohol to help start morning fires..so I'm always adding "fresh" alcohol to the mix when I go back to stripping. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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