Seeking recommendations for substitutes for Scalecoat Wash Away.

[nickelplate759]

It seems that Scalecoat Wash Away is now made of refined unobtanium*.   It's been the only paint stripper for plastic models that I've used for a great many years - now  I need something else.   What are folks happy with?


I just got a can of Testors/Rustoleum ELO to try - any advice on how to use it on plastic models?


It costs 2x by volume what Wash Away did, but that may not mean much.


* Along with all other Scalecoat products, but that's not the topic here.

[craigolio1]

I know it’s not what you asked about, but @CNR5529 got me onto acetone free nail polish remover. Works very quickly and I haven’t damaged a shell yet. Recently stripped about a dozen Rapido passenger cars. It’s pretty inexpensive and available at pharmacy’s. And reusable.

Craig

[nickelplate759]

I know it’s not what you asked about, but @CNR5529 got me onto acetone free nail polish remover. Works very quickly and I haven’t damaged a shell yet. Recently stripped about a dozen Rapido passenger cars. It’s pretty inexpensive and available at pharmacy’s. And reusable.

Craig

Well, yes it is what I asked about.  I asked two questions, and you responded to the first one.  Thank you.  Got a recommended brand and technique?

[robert3985]

I know it’s not what you asked about, but @CNR5529 got me onto acetone free nail polish remover. Works very quickly and I haven’t damaged a shell yet. Recently stripped about a dozen Rapido passenger cars. It’s pretty inexpensive and available at pharmacy’s. And reusable.

Craig

Thanks for that.  I didn't know an acetone-free nail polish remover was extant since I'm not exactly into painting nails (putting it mildly).  Seems that nail painting now has at least a few tools/products that can influence model railroading positively which include your aforementioned acetone-free nail polish remover, UV curing stations (for curing UV resins used in 3D printing), and acetone itself.  Maybe there are more?

My bottle of Scalecoat Wash Away is only half full now, and it, along with my slowly diminishing bottles of Scalecoat II paint, stare at me forlornly from their shelf in my paint room... 

Cheerio!
Bob Gilmore

[CNR5529]

Got a recommended brand and technique?

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My technique is inspired by how my wife removes her nail polish* (go figure). Wrap the finger shell with paper towel, soak in the blue mystery goo, then wrap all that in cling wrap to prevent evaporation. Check in ten minutes, rub off what ever you can with cotton swabs or a brush, and repeat as needed. You can also target areas by just applying a small bit of paper towel on specific lettering, or dip a cotton swab and gently work at an area.

Fair warning: I have had some suboptimal results with this stuff stripping resin kits (it softenend the resin), but so far it has worked well on all the commercial models I have tried it on. Test on your model in an inconspicuous spot and all that...

*Edit - I have just been reminded that this technique is for removing extra stubborn nail polish with glitter in it, and she uses aluminum foil rather than cling wrap as the vapour barier...   

[craigolio1]

@CNR5529 got me on yo this stuff (same stuff he posted in his reply). I applied it a little differently, albeit likely more wasteful and harmful to me.

I got a long Ziploc container and filled it with almost a whole bottle. Then I bathed my passenger car shell in it for a minute or so. And then with a tooth brush say  et Ed scrubbing to loosen the paint. I kept at it until all the paint was gone and then washed the shell in water. The remaining polish remover I poured back into the bottle.

It was Rapido N scale passenger cars that I was stripping. IPA wasn’t working well.

Craig.