Advice (Again) on Stripping the New MTL Paints

[TrainCat2]

No, you have not gotten rid of me yet. I'm still working, albeit slowly, on the Delaware Branch. I have access to a couple of dozen 8K tankcars that I can strip to make a fleet for Publicker Alcohol. They were shipping dozens of tankcars daily into the 70's.

I searched the site and could not find any recent comments on stripping MTL paint & lettering. Scalecoat's Wash Away is long gone and it did not sound like 91% did not work very well from an earlier thread. What about 99% ??  I do have that available. Anything new info on this subject ??

Thanks, I can't wait to see how fast this threads drifts   

[peteski]

Did MTL change their paint formulation lately?

While I was lucky to acquire and stash few bottles of the Wash Away paint remover before Scalecoat's demise, it appears that Testors (ex. Floquil) ELO is still available.  These paint strippers seem to be similar.

https://www.hobbylinc.com/testors-easy-lift-off-paint-and-decal-remover-542143

99% IPA might also work for you, and it is easy to find.

Speaking of Scalecoat, there was a thread here about someone possibly reviving the line. I wonder what happened to that effort?

No TD yet. 

[Chris333]

Thought Joe always says to use Coleman lamp fuel (denatured alcohol).

EDIT: oops someone else corrected that it is naphtha

[peteski]

We can always get it from the horse's mouth. Calling @JoeD !

[thomasjmdavis]

I think that Coleman lamp fuel is  a petroleum distillate, not alcohol.

It's components, according to its Canadian safety data sheet- https://www.btps.ca/download/360569

Chemical CAS Number EC Number Conc. % OSHA Australia Canada EU
Light Hydrotreated 68410-97-9 270-093-2 100% --- --- --- ---
Distillate
Cyclohexane 110-82-7 203-806-2 300 ppm 100 ppm 100 ppm 200 ppm
Nonane 111-84-2 203-913-4 not set 200 ppm 200 ppm not set
Octane 111-65-9 203-892-1 500 ppm 300 ppm 300 ppm not set
Heptane 142-82-5 205-563-8 500 ppm 400 ppm 400 ppm 500 ppm
Pentane 109-66-0 203-692-4 1000 ppm 600 ppm 600 ppm 1000 ppm
This is a commercial product whose exact ratio of components may vary slightly. Minor quantities of other non
hazardous ingredients are also possible.

[Scottl]

Coleman fuel is naphtha.   I had some success removing letting on MT cars with it.  It was slow to remove underlying paint.

[peteski]

Yes, I believe it is Naphtha, and IIRC, it was for removing just the lettering, leaving the paint intact.

[bbussey]

The paint is lacquer enamel, if that helps.

[peteski]

The paint is lacquer enamel, if that helps.

Bryan,  that makes no sense to me.  Lacquer and enamel are different types of paint, using different chemistries.  Enamel is enamel and lacquer is lacquer. It cannot be both.  Seems that whoever advised you did not understand paint chemistry or misused the terms (not that I'm a chemist, but I know enough to be offering critiques in online forums). 

@muktown128 is our local resident paint chemist.  Maybe he can offer his input here?

EDIT: Scott (muktown128) actually explained the lacquer/enamel paint chemistry in this post. Rest of that thread has some more useful info.

[Scottl]

I can confirm from my experiments last year that lacquer thinner strips MT lettering and paint like a hot knife through butter, but also reacts with the underlying plastic. 

[peteski]

I can confirm from my experiments last year that lacquer thinner strips MT lettering and paint like a hot knife through butter, but also reacts with the underlying plastic.

LOL!  I think most of us know that lacquer thinner is "hot" enough to  remove pretty much any lettering (decal/Tampo/ink jet printed), the actuall paint layer, and also mess up the plastic. So, you are correct.

[Rivet Miscounter]

I would try 99% IPA.   I've even used 91% with success for MTL, but I think it depends on the color.   (e.g. alum/silver just falls right off)   

If 99% doesn't work, I would try "Simple Green" cleaner/degreaser, and then "Purple Power" cleaner/degreaser.   I've never had either damage plastic, and Purple Power is almost batting 1.000 with getting paint off model trains...in my experience.   One or two Kato's held on to a few areas.

The camp fuel is for removing the lettering only. (hopefully, it does break through the paint eventually)

[muktown128]

Bryan,  that makes no sense to me.  Lacquer and enamel are different types of paint, using different chemistries.  Enamel is enamel and lacquer is lacquer. It cannot be both.  Seems that whoever advised you did not understand pain chemistry or misused the terms (not that I'm a chemist, but I know enough to be offering critiques in online forums). 

@muktown128 is our local resident paint chemist.  Maybe he can offer his input here?

EDIT: Scott (muktown128) actually explained the lacquer/enamel paint chemistry in thsi post. Rest of that thread has some more useful info.

Peteski is correct - lacquers and enamels are different chemistries.  I believe the paints MT used were acrylic lacquers.  Due to confidentiality
 / non-disclosure requirements, I am not permitted to provide details about the formulation of the paints MT was using.  I know the person who formulated the products.  I worked for the company that supplied the paints to MT and also had access to the MT paint formulas.  However, I retired from the company at the end of June this year and no longer have access to those formulas. 

[peteski]

Peteski is correct - lacquers and enamels are different chemistries.  I believe the paints MT used were acrylic lacquers.  Due to confidentiality
 / non-disclosure requirements, I am not permitted to provide details about the formulation of the paints MT was using.  I know the person who formulated the products.  I worked for the company that supplied the paints to MT and also had access to the MT paint formulas.  However, I retired from the company at the end of June this year and no longer have access to those formulas.

Talking about a small world! I knew you worked for a paint manufacturer but did not know it was the actual company supplying paints to MTL.  Retired or not, your paint chemistry knowledge is vastly superior to most (or all) of TRW members. Nice to have you on-board.   

[Sokramiketes]

I agree with the acrylic lacquer descriptor and believe that's what Bryan Bussey meant to say.

We used to have access to the paint company at Des Plaines Hobbies.  Ron Sebastian had a couple RR colors run and they arrived in pint cans.

My impression is that Tru-Color is a similar formulation to that stuff... if not from the same source as well.