Need a stripper (paint from plastic)

WZ JUNK · January 04, 2006, 11:14:30 AM

I am nearly finished building a 1970 Mustang Mach 1 for a customer. He decided to redo the instrument cluster and dash himself and bring it to me. When he painted the plastic parts, he made a mess of everything. The paint attacked the plastic some but it also bubbled and crazed. I need to strip the paint off of the plastic and start over. I have been unable to find a paint stripper that can be used on plastic. Do any of you know of something that is safe to use and will not harm the plastic?

jaybee · January 04, 2006, 05:56:39 PM

Quote from: "WZ JUNK"I am nearly finished building a 1970 Mustang Mach 1 for a customer. He decided to redo the instrument cluster and dash himself and bring it to me. When he painted the plastic parts, he made a mess of everything. The paint attacked the plastic some but it also bubbled and crazed. I need to strip the paint off of the plastic and start over. I have been unable to find a paint stripper that can be used on plastic. Do any of you know of something that is safe to use and will not harm the plastic?

Believe it or not I've used brake fluid on Polystyrene in the past and it worked well.

WZ JUNK · January 04, 2006, 06:11:04 PM

Quote from: "jaybee"
Quote from: "WZ JUNK"I am nearly finished building a 1970 Mustang Mach 1 for a customer. He decided to redo the instrument cluster and dash himself and bring it to me. When he painted the plastic parts, he made a mess of everything. The paint attacked the plastic some but it also bubbled and crazed. I need to strip the paint off of the plastic and start over. I have been unable to find a paint stripper that can be used on plastic. Do any of you know of something that is safe to use and will not harm the plastic?

Believe it or not I've used brake fluid on Polystyrene in the past and it worked well.

I had not thought about trying brake fluid but I know it will remove paint. I will try a little on a spot or two later this evening. I guess the trick will be cleaning all of the bake fluid off after it has removed the paint. Thanks. I have heard that there is a paint stripper for model cars but I have not had a chance to go to Wal Mart and see if they have such a thing.

Dave · January 04, 2006, 06:51:30 PM

Quote from: "WZ JUNK"I am nearly finished building a 1970 Mustang Mach 1 for a customer. He decided to redo the instrument cluster and dash himself and bring it to me. When he painted the plastic parts, he made a mess of everything. The paint attacked the plastic some but it also bubbled and crazed. I need to strip the paint off of the plastic and start over. I have been unable to find a paint stripper that can be used on plastic. Do any of you know of something that is safe to use and will not harm the plastic?

I used to do a lot of honda motorcycles and i sand blasted the plastic. If the dash stuff can be removed id bet that would work. You said it was messed up to begin with so if you just want to remove the paint try it.
Dave

flamefink · January 04, 2006, 08:22:06 PM

This may sound strange, but I use this Concrete and Driveway Cleaner/Degreaser that can be found at Home Depot. I use it to strip automotive paints (laquers and enamels) off of model cars. This stuff ususally works over night with the part submersed in it. I use it strait out of the bottle and it's never harmed any of the styrene plastic I use. Best of all its designed to be diluted with water for pressure washers so it can be washed clean with plain ol soap and water after it's stripped. I'm not sure what the exact brand name is, I'll have to check when I get home (at work now) and I'll post it.

Another alternative is what the guys who build model railroads use. It's called Scale Coat and it's formulated just for stripping paint from styrene plastics. You should be able to find it at any train or hobby shop. The only set back is the price, it usually runs about 10bux a pint and that adds up when you have to have enough to submerse an object the size of an instrument cluster.

The stuff from Home Depot comes in a gallon jug and was under 10bux.

I'll post the brand name as soon as I get home...

WZ JUNK · January 04, 2006, 09:54:43 PM

Quote from: "flamefink"This may sound strange, but I use this Concrete and Driveway Cleaner/Degreaser that can be found at Home Depot. I use it to strip automotive paints (laquers and enamels) off of model cars. This stuff ususally works over night with the part submersed in it. I use it strait out of the bottle and it's never harmed any of the styrene plastic I use. Best of all its designed to be diluted with water for pressure washers so it can be washed clean with plain ol soap and water after it's stripped. I'm not sure what the exact brand name is, I'll have to check when I get home (at work now) and I'll post it.

Another alternative is what the guys who build model railroads use. It's called Scale Coat and it's formulated just for stripping paint from styrene plastics. You should be able to find it at any train or hobby shop. The only set back is the price, it usually runs about 10bux a pint and that adds up when you have to have enough to submerse an object the size of an instrument cluster.

The stuff from Home Depot comes in a gallon jug and was under 10bux.

I'll post the brand name as soon as I get home...

I might give it a try. I tried the brake fluid tonight and it seemed to work without attacking the plastic. I also tried the sandblaster and it seemed to work. I will leave some brake fluid on it tomorrow for a longer period of time. I did not leave it long tonight as I was watching the plastic close.

Another strange thing happened when he was sloppy painting. Some of the paint got onto the clean plastic lenses. The paint ate its way into the lense. I sanded the flaw with 1200 then 2000. I took it to the buffer and tried some fine compound. It seemed to do a pretty good job but not flawless and you have to have a light touch or the plastic will start to melt.

rumrumm · January 05, 2006, 08:47:52 AM

You might want to get some of the plastic lens polish from your local parts store to finish out the lens.

Elmo Rodge · January 05, 2006, 09:03:08 AM

Don't forget EZ-OFF Oven Cleaner. Works like a champ on styrene. Try it on an inconspicuous place first, of course. Wayno

ram-rod · January 05, 2006, 09:28:26 AM

there is a guy over here stripping paint off cars using bicarbonate soda
as the medium for the sand blaster

they say he can take the paint of layer by layer

WZ JUNK · January 05, 2006, 02:54:51 PM

Quote from: "WZ JUNK"I am nearly finished building a 1970 Mustang Mach 1 for a customer. He decided to redo the instrument cluster and dash himself and bring it to me. When he painted the plastic parts, he made a mess of everything. The paint attacked the plastic some but it also bubbled and crazed. I need to strip the paint off of the plastic and start over. I have been unable to find a paint stripper that can be used on plastic. Do any of you know of something that is safe to use and will not harm the plastic?

I tried a lot of your suggestion but in the end I went with the sandblaster. It took about an hour of slow work to keep from eating away the plastic but I think it will be okay. He must have put on so many coats and so much paint that it actually ate into the plastic some. We will see how it looks when I have it painted. Thanks for the help.

flamefink · January 05, 2006, 06:04:24 PM

Sorry for not gettin back to you last night... if you still might be interested in trying it for another project in the future, the brand name on that concrete cleaner is Zepp. It's a light yellow in color and it comes in a container similar to the gallon jugs washer fluid is sold in.

The price tag on the bottle from about a year ago was 7bux, so it's not a major investment to expirement with... besides if it doesn't work the way you want it to, you can always clean up a neglected oil spill in the driveway