Stripping Paint Off Atlas and Micro-Trains Cars.

[Kisatchie]

I'm having a paint stripping session tonight, stripping Atlas FGE boxcars and MTL PS Plug door boxcars. I'm using 91% alcohol, and it takes most of the paint off easily enough... soak for 15-20 minutes and scrub with a toothbrush.

However, I have a number of cars that have lettering that just won't budge on both brands of boxcars. Does anyone have any suggestions for getting the impervious printing off, short of sandblasting the cars?

I have 9 more cars to strip in alcohol, then I can try using Scalecoat "Wash Away" to see if that works on the remaining lettering. I have little hope, though.


Hmm... Kiz's motto:
Abandon hope, all ye
who work on trains in
St. Joseph, LA...

[Denver Road Doug]

If 91% doesn't work, I usually go to Purple Power.

[Scott Lupia]

I have had a fair amount of success with the Wash Away. ELO used to be good but lately it seems weaker. Frequent scrubbing with the tooth brush will help the stripper along. I am still waiting for the miracle stripper that takes all paint off and won't hurt your plastic either. Leaving your hands moisturized and tender wouldn't hurt either!

Scott Lupia

[OldEastRR]

"ELO"?

[peteski]

"ELO"?

Not Electric Light Orchestra. 

Easy Lift-Off paint remover which used to be sold under Floquil name but I think it is now sold as a Testors product.  It contains a chemical related to the DOT3 brake fluid with few more ingredients.  In my experience there is no single universal paint stripper.  I have about half a dozen in my strippers arsenal.

Also, strippers work more aggressively when they are warm. If my workshop is in low 60 in the cooler months I warm up the stripper to about 80-90 degrees to make it work better.

[Scott Lupia]

In my experience there is no single universal paint stripper.  I have about half a dozen in my strippers arsenal.

Hmm, I thought I was "weird" because I like to have 2 of every kind of stripper on the market. I am hearing the Homer Simpson voice in my head "mmmmm warm strippers".

Scott Lupia

[peteski]

Hmm, I thought I was "weird" because I like to have 2 of every kind of stripper on the market. I am hearing the Homer Simpson voice in my head "mmmmm warm strippers".

Scott Lupia

Well then, we're both weird.    As for those warm strippers, I have an entirely different picture in my mind, if you know what I mean (with a happy ending).    Yeah, I know...

[w neal]

In my experience there is no single universal paint stripper.

Don't bring me down. 

[Scott Lupia]

Our testing indicates that 75% of Railwire members don't know what ELO is, either of them.

Scott Lupia

[wazzou]

I use ELO quite a bit.  I also have had success with a tip from Brian Banna, using 91% Alcohol and a Dremel with a plastic bristle brush for the stubborn areas. 

It's Strange Magic! 

[mark.hinds]

http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/11/t/216310.aspx

[Kisatchie]

Well, I'm going to quit using 91% alcohol.

It removed all of the lettering and underlying paint on only a few of the Atlas FGE box cars. More than a dozen other FGE cars still have the underlying paint layer (if a bit rough) and some lettering.

The Micro-Trains cars pretty much lost the underlying paint, but some lettering remained, almost untouched.

I may give Microscale Micro Sol a try.

Next, though, I'll be resoaking the cars in Scalecoat's Wash Away.

This has been quite a tedious undertaking.


Hmm... it's better than
going to an undertaker...

[peteski]

This has been quite a tedious undertaking.

In my experience stripping paint off anything usually is.  That is why, whenever possible,  I prefer undecorated models for custom paint jobs.  But I have also ran into an undecorated model (IIRC, from Life Like) where it actually had a thick coat of . . . gray primer!  So much for undecorated - it was so thickly applied that it had to be stripped.

[peteski]

I use ELO quite a bit.  I also have had success with a tip from Brian Banna, using 91% Alcohol and a Dremel with a plastic bristle brush for the stubborn areas. 

It's Strange Magic! 

But watch out - if the alcohol vapor/air mixture is just right and the Dremel prushes are sparking then you will have Fire on High! 

[JMaurer1]

First concert I ever attended was ELO. At a IL county fair just after Eldorado had come out. Left the concert without a spot of paint on me (other than the T shirt).