Beginners Guide to Rescuing Warhammer Miniatures

[@eBayMiniatureRescues]

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[@benives254]

Displate! If your checking he did his ad, make a poster of the blanche black templars!

[@RyanEdwardsVA]

Hey Casey! This video sent me down memory lane, remembering that you and Brent were the first mini painting KZbinrs I started watching in 2019 that convinced me I too could paint minis (and that I could do it on the cheap!). I don't think I can properly place how much I've learned from you two and how deeply it's impacted my painting journey, and as a result, my life. Thanks so much for sharing your knowledge with us; it probably sounds weird (and a bit cheesy), but it has more of an impact than you can know. Four years after I first put paint to model, I'm now hundreds of rescued minis later, and hopefully will have the chance to rescue many thousands more over the course of my life. The power of sharing your passion, eh? Wishing all the best to you and yours.

[@eBayMiniatureRescues]

That's amazing, it's definitely been a journey over the last few years! I am glad to have shared this hobby with you and I hope there will be many more years of excellent minis to come. Thank you for hanging out and painting with me :)

[@grahamfowler7017]

The Reddit forum miniswap has been a God send for me.

[@benweinberg3819]

In the US/Canada I'm a big fan of Fenris Workshop's secondhand mini collection. Usually snag models thst are built or even primed for half off! The selection can vary but the deals are worth it

[@uriance88]

Also Boutique Bastion has a pretty good selection at prices a bit lower than Fenris Workshop

[@leforestierdamien877]

your "yes this is the same mini" at 7:59 killed me ^^ good job

[@briw4647]

To rescue a mini, I find isopropyl alcohol and clean off the paint. Easy. I buy my models from ebay I stay away from kitbash , as I paint custodes. I have purchased bits and extra weapons for magnatized swapping. In many cases, I don't need to strip the model, just a quick colour change top up for my scheme

[@mx-0163]

Me and a friend probably 15 years ago were cleaning a place we were going to move into and had to go to a Dollar General to buy cleaner. We found this super cheap stuff called Totally Awesome. On the bottle it says it cleans blood stains and we thought that sounded pretty metal so we bought it. It cleans everything.

[@HalianTheProtogen]

I use that to strip paint off my minis, too! You can also get it from Lowe's nowadays.

[@Snivy121ee]

Blood I see? Thanks for the tip

[@Wijkert]

I can attest that knowing I can easily strip a paint job (fresh paint jobs are even easier to strip), does lower my anxiety for messing up.

[@robinblackmoor8732]

I can't believe I never thought of it myself. eBay is great for getting painted models that you don't want to paint, or don't have the time to paint, but still want use. It is also great for getting a whole painted army to try, that you never used before. You can try playing it, and get rid of it, if you don't like it, or paint it the way you want if you want to keep it. I now play any painted model I want, thanks to eBay and this channel for giving me the idea.

[@brionl4741]

A pickle jar is my goto for stripping minis too. I think I even used to have that same brand.

[@eBayMiniatureRescues]

Those Costco pickle jars are the best :)

[@c.russell2315]

I bought myself an eBay ork lot for Christmas! It has been an awesome canvas to try techniques and challenge myself. I’ve been kitbashing them to make cursed sword wielding space orks, and it has been an amazing jumpstart for a passion project that I’ve been thinking about for forever.

[@AtomskTheGreat]

little tip for the ultrasonic cleaner: instead of filling the whole vat with cleaner, fill it with water. then put the mini in a small jar/beaker (made from steel or not too thick walled glass) and fill that with the cleaner.

[@footrot17]

That is actually a pretty good idea

[@Chazzmingle]

I find that a Ziploc bag works really well for this

[@MrGBH]

Stuff I need to know, not just to get cheaper figures, but also to rescue my own mistakes

[@magnusmillerwilson]

truth. Genius 😂

[@oktalley99]

I thought the same too but now I like to see my painting progress, I can see my progress even in just a months time

[@woosix7735]

Yeah same xp

[@Trashhobbies]

This is something I only just realized I need but now I know I realy need it.

[@FigurativelyArtistic]

A great guide for people just getting started, and some good reminders for more experienced people as well!

[@Motorcitynights]

I just acquired a ton of old models for my first csm army. This video popped up while i finished soaking them in totslly awesome. Hobbying is 90% of why i got into this and I'm so glad to have found your channel!

[@terryG420]

Thanks to you, I got myself an Ultrasonic cleaner and some supplies and rescued my own Custodes Blade Champ and Trajann that I waffled on the color scheme with, and repainted too many times. Keep it up!

[@jasonwright6657]

This is actually going to be helping me a lot! I've just started rescuing an army of old pewter Grey Knights. (35 regular Grey Knights, 19 Terminators, Brother Captain Stern and a Dreadnought). I tried to get into Warhammer back in the day, and I remember having some Grey Knights Terminators. I let my friends paint them for me. Not anymore. This is going to be my hobby project for I'm not sure how long.

[@metajock]

First time viewer, love what I'm seeing so far. **subscribed** I've been painting forever, got my first minis in 1972 (Chainmail player, before D&D came out), so I've got a huge batch I want to clean up and redo. Keep up the good work.

[@magnusmillerwilson]

Dude, welcome! Casey’s channel RULES! He’s really chill and down to earth and has a ton of variety for what he works on and how he does it across a great range of skill levels. It’s very approachable and fun.

[@ona9638]

try putting your painted miniatures inside a small ziplock bag with some paint remover then put it into the sonic bath. you can use a medium like water. cuts down on the mess and cleaning the cleaner

[@eBayMiniatureRescues]

I've heard this works very well!

[@deqobot9389]

this video came at the perfect time, I have some lightly painted minis coming in the mail through ebay and was wondering about how to best go about stripping and repainting them

[@danielcannon9893]

LA's totally awesome lives up to it's name, fantastic for cleaning up plastic minis. i mainly metal minis so cheap acetone does the trick for those.

[@poilaaliop]

Thank you so much for this, Casey! I've recommended your channel on other websites several times, but now I have a specific video to link beginners to. This is perfect ❤ I'm still a beginner myself, but it's thanks to you that I actually let myself give this hobby a try. Six months in, I'm still having a blast!

[@jimcravich]

Tbh the monologue at the end was worth my subscription. A great inspiration, thank you.

[@LoyalWatcherX]

Hi Casey, loving the channel! Returning to Warhammer with a limited budget and no Warhammer Empire in the current range for The Old World, rescuing minis has become pretty much my only way to get up and running. And you're right - it is super-satisfying and rewarding. From experience, the only thing I'd add to your advice is this: Obviously won't apply to you because you make videos but I wish I'd taken more photos as I went along... Once something's finished it's really good to have a record of where it came from and how I rescued it. Keep up the good work!

[@daemoncline6571]

Super useful video- amazing tips and honest advice. Thanks for making this hobby more accessible for those who can't afford buying new!

[@roryhatfield6696]

Thanks Casey, your experience with this type of project is invaluable.

[@johnclarke25]

Great and interesting vid again,have rescued figures for a number of years from g.w. but the last 3 or 4 years iv gone old school and started repairing 54mm britains hollowcast figures by repairing broken limbs and heads on infantry and things like horses tails and legs by either sculpting from milliput or casting replacements from toy soldier moulds....love the smell of molten lead in a morning😊

[@Amberpawn]

Oh hey! Exactly the video I need right now!

[@TheAtomicSpoon]

LA Totally Awesome and an Ultrasonic has let me fix so many painting mistakes. I've repainted my Iron Warriors so many times as I've found ways to improve my painting schemes.

[@WarmongerForge]

This was a fantastic video, thanks for making it Casey, love watching your work, always am inspiration.

[@luvhippo4415]

Thanks for posting this. I am just starting out to learn how to paint mini's. This will allow me to practice over and over with the same mini's and buy cheaper ones off of ebay to practice with.

[@Andrew-fr1tp]

Thank you for recommending the degreaser. Just bought some today and giving it a try in a mason jar over the next week or so. Hard to beat that price and Im not in a rush 😁

[@isisnmagic1812]

Great video and loads of helpful tips going forward, thanks so much.

[@peterwitczak3124]

Thanks for the vids! Im rescuing my own ebay purchased minis now thanks to you! I couldn't agree more on it making your skills better! I have 2 plague marines now who are test subjects that are constantly painted and restripped for paint ideas! Thanks a million!

[@Acrasyne]

Great video! Watching your videos was part of the reason I paint and aim for a high standard look. I even look for old models to repaint. Painting something old can feel like an interesting project that feels rewarding.

[@WilliamMatthewRobertson]

I watch most if not all of your videos as they come out, but for some reason this particular one got me inspired to finally paint the rescue models I have been putting off. Cheers!

[@Daedricsoulslayer]

Greenstuff cleaner. Pretty sweet and safe. Accidentally had some in my eye and no burn at all. We used it all the time in the car shop

[@fearlessfreep3962]

It was interesting you bringing up the 10% that don’t get repainted. I just picked up a 2nd/3rd ed Khorne army. I usually repaint everything just to give it my own look and most of the army needs it but there are a handful of Rogue Trader models in it that I will likely leave alone. Great vid!

[@galtshobbycorner]

Your tips have help me rescue minis i have messed up myself when i started painting, i am happy to see this little guide too, i have been wanting to find some different minis to paint from the past!

[@eBayMiniatureRescues]

Glad I could help!

[@Wijkert]

11:21 Even though cost savings is probably the biggest motivating factor for most people, there other reasons, minimizing waste is another big one for me.

[@MortRotu]

Nail varnish remover also really weakens superglue and has a much more limited affect on plastic parts compared to acetone. Another dollar store type purchase that may be useful

[@sazrainbow]

Nail polish remover is almost always just diluted acetone

[@masalps]

In Sweden the best options are facebook and tradera (basically ebay but Sweden only), a lot of the time buying from abroad is too expensive because of conversion rates.

[@magnusmillerwilson]

Yes! Thank you for making this video! I really appreciate you making this guide, Casey!

[@candykain2041]

If you ever do something like this again I'd highly recommend Bartoline Clean Spirit, I've basically replaced my usage of iso, methylated spirits etc with it as it's considerably nicer to deal with and does the exact same job. It also doesn't evaporate nearly as quickly! It's still bad for you to get on your skin but I think that's just always going to be the case.

[@alejandropena5750]

You talking about the models and the history they carry makes it feel like I'm on par with someone in a museum restoring varnish on a 250 year old painting

[@Avller]

I bought my first metal mini a few years back and wanted to strip the thick primer so i could see all the details. Did not know acetone would melt the base :( thankfully i had few extra but had to get fancy with the basing to help support the model since I did not have any slotted bases

[@corychase2851]

It’s all about the rescue. Love the channel Casey can’t get enough of your videos thanks!

[@jcabonjr]

Smart and Final has the Totally Awesome cleaner in 1 gallon jug for $6.99.

[@EpicDanny01]

I currently have some old school Space Marines bathing in LAs Totally Awesome in a tupperware container. Good times. LOL

[@justinrussell5250]

Thanks for sharing your craft.

[@grognozzle4916]

hell yea! spotted some Relicblade!

[@OkieDokieCreations]

Yo Casey you inspired me to eat a jumbo sized jar of pickles and strip some old half finished space marines! Thanks!

[@eBayMiniatureRescues]

Perfect, enjoy those Dills!

[@gthippie]

Love the footage from adepticon! Excited to get back there this year.

[@eBayMiniatureRescues]

Can't wait!

[@zenicwhite1918]

for stripping minis i always go for methylated spirits its basicly alcohol l but you should NOT drink it thats bad. ive found it to be an amazing way to strip minis and you can buy large 2l bottles of it if needed for pretty cheap

[@ericsplittgerber5154]

Love the video, AND the Mastodon shirt

[@4trialsin]

Awesome cleaner is a great product!

[@Smushed001]

Great video Casey, I really love these informative videos

[@jamestarbet9608]

Suspicious... I just bought my first actual 40k minis off ebay job-lots yesterday.

[@eBayMiniatureRescues]

haha, perfect timing, good luck with those minis!

[@reddogterrain]

This is a great beginner video.

[@PocketPigments]

Awesome video Casey, great stuff! I really need to get me an ultrasonic cleaner someday soon...

[@wonderboy2402]

Awesome video. I feel the same way! The search, the journey and the result keep me eBay hobbying.

[@Arides2010]

The one thing the pandemic is known for is for, is the near endless supply of expired hand sanitizer. I managed to get about a gallon of the stuff for free because it was past its expiration/ save to use date. I mean it is not the end all be all of paint strippers but what works works right? I used floor cleaner for PVC flooring… until they changed the formula; still works but is way to slow now. Love your content Casey, keep at it.

[@ChaseDaOrk3767]

I might have to look into getting some LA's Totally Awesome

[@FairPlayGaming]

When it comes to stripping minis, anything that contains a high level of denatured alcohol will do the job.

[@arachnon4785]

I need to rescue some of my old minis so the paintjob matches the rest of my stuff

[@cerostan]

That’s a pretty big jar you have here…😮

[@Wijkert]

12:38 fair warning. Have destroyed plastic wheels on a metal warmachine myself. Never did that again.

[@cjshelley14]

I have a shoebox full of miniatures… not sure what they are but there are a lot of them

[@AVspectre]

How did you obtain them? A collection sold 2nd hand online?

[@EternalDM]

This is so great

[@chilledpepsi9411]

I'm sure Riptide is on the way.

[@eBayMiniatureRescues]

I have 2 of them now

[@chilledpepsi9411]

@@eBayMiniatureRescues You cant delay them forever...

[@3picdermis223]

So according to the jar there are now kosher orks? Does that imply, that there are non-kosher (trefe?) orks? What do I need to keep in mind when searching for kosher orks?

[@Fox01313]

While they separate units out on used stuff, Noble Knight games online is a good source of used minis.

[@eBayMiniatureRescues]

They are a great shop, I've gotten quite a few minis from them over the last few years.

[@dankvu]

I cant emphasize enoufh the need for gloves. LA's totally awesome cleaner will leave a micro burn/hands feeling funny. Stuff is amazing though!

[@MapleMcIntyre]

I’ve got lots of minis I’d love to rescue, this is a great resource

[@TwinSteel]

Great advice 🙌🏿

[@simonmonk7327]

Can we get a specific video on the ultra sonic cleaner? Never used one and want to know more before I possibly invest.

[@eBayMiniatureRescues]

I use mine every week, although I am always on the lookout for models to put in it, so mileage may vary. I don't think I could go through as many projects as I do without one though. In terms of investment there are some relatively inexpensive options that work exactly the same as the larger ones. I started off with a $30 no name one from Amazon and that worked really well for quite a long time. It's hard to say whether or not it would be worth it for you but I know that for me It has saved many hours of waiting for minis to strip in degreaser and given me the ability to save quite a bit of money simply because I have been able to salvage some pretty gnarly eBay armies and get them back on the table without having to buy them brand new. Here is a similar model to the one I started with: a.co/d/07L31WFf

[@trajanthegreat2928]

Quick question, what's the best way for stripping resin models?

[@yuribroda]

I'm wondering about the LA's Totally Awesome - is it a one-and-done kind of thing, or can you re-use the liquid a few times? After running it in the sonic cleaner, or leaving it in the jar, can you use it for another batch of minis? When does it lose effectiveness? While it is cheap, would also be nice not to need to re-buy as often!

[@rickyrivera5316]

Any suggestions on what paint stripper to use on 3d printed resin models ? Some of my first marines were 3d printed and I feel I’m a better painter now to go back and give them the paint job they need . 😢

[@ilProde]

Unfortunately, after Brexit it is a lot more expensive to find great deals here in Italy. All the best stuff is in UK and the shipping cost are crazy right now.

[@eBayMiniatureRescues]

For sure, I have had a hard time getting anything out of the UK since then. Sometimes you get lucky and the price is right to justify it, but less and less anymore.

[@dderajj2166]

Unfortunately I have death guard that just won't go down to grey, always some rough texture on them. I've tried isopropyl 91%, la's for a month, isopropyl again, la's for another month, and a few days ago 3 days in simple green. Games workshop primer is so harsh when applied thick

[@eBayMiniatureRescues]

I've definitely come up against minis like this. In those cases, If I really need the minis to get down to bare plastic I will use a real paint stripper for minis. Something that is just made to strip the paint down to bare plastic and not hurt them. It doesn't happen that often but you can get unlucky sometimes :(

[@dderajj2166]

@@eBayMiniatureRescues I want them to be my showcase army that I paint very slowly over the next few years so honestly, I think biting the bullet might just be it. It's okay though, I got 3k points for a 1/4th of a price so I don't mind paying for the paint strippers

[@eBayMiniatureRescues]

@@dderajj2166 very nice! I’d say it’s definitely worth it if you want it to look it’s absolute best. Good luck with the project!

[@charlesdobbs7989]

Have you tried brake fluid for stripping? I'm not kidding it works really good as well!

[@eBayMiniatureRescues]

Still haven't tried it, but I've definitely heard it's pretty amazing!

[@Gobberfactory]

Wanted to say I love your channel so much watch lot of your videos I started but second hand minis 1 I love the old sculptures the goofy charm they have and history they hold But I got some second Ed yellow plasic fine cast bid warrior I love them so much but they need to be stripped I am terrified that they will get ruin can some helpful people advise here

[@BrotherCaptRob]

Hi Casey, I recently got a similar sonic cleaner and I'm curious what temperature you normally use?

[@eBayMiniatureRescues]

Nice! I never turn on the heater. The machine gets hot all on its own, generally not overly hot, but after 15 minutes it can be pretty warm. If the mini needs to run again I let it, but I don't like to get the liquid so hot it hurts, I feel like that could lead to some burns and issues for most minis, so it's best to try and keep the temps lower. That being said, the heat does help strip the paint, so a little won't hurt. Just don't burn yourself lol

[@crudgamers2672]

Recently I got a necron spider from ebay and I normally strip the paint and repaint it as they normally have a bad paint job and don't go with my army's color scheme. This time however the paint job is very good. I'm struggling with wanting to strip and repaint it as it really is painted good. But, it's color scheme doesn't go with the rest of the army. What would you do?

[@EpicDanny01]

Hey Casey, when you have your mini's in the jar, do you pull them out and brush them off just on a towel, do you use a tub with hot water. Inquiring minds want to know :::: Stares at a group of space marines soaking :::::

[@dutchflyfisher]

Hello overthere, Can you tell me about the ultra sonic that you use. Time and temperature? Is it only a degreaser that you use? When the paint is off you put them in a jar for extra cleaning? Thank's for sharing this info.I want to repaint my army. Greetings from the Netherlands.

[@eBayMiniatureRescues]

Sonic cleaners change all the time, they come in so many brands but are all basically the same unit out of China. It's best to get one on Amazon just in case you need to return it, I have ordered several and only ever had 1 that was broken, but it does happen. Just find one of the larger metal ones with temperature and time settings, they seem to be the best ones. I personally like the 2L model, it's not too big but you can still fit a lot in it, including tanks, which is great. The time settings depend on the model. Sometimes you can get away with 15 minutes, sometimes you need to run it, scrub it off, and run it again to really cut through the old paint. The LA's totally awesome is the only degreaser I use, but anything similar should do a pretty good job, whatever you can get locally should still work! Hope this helps, good luck on the army!!

[@wwezombiegod]

Putting a model made with super glue into a freezer can help break it apart? I just won an eBay auction for a rough looking Ghazkull the old metal one so I'll try doing that when he arrives

[@eBayMiniatureRescues]

Throw the model in the freezer for a few hours and the super glue should become really brittle and just snap apart at the joints! That old Ghaz mini is so good too :)

[@klac4916]

How does that LA's totally awesome cleaner react with something like Forgeworld resin?

[@matthewdavenport4030]

Has he ever linked or discussed those cabinets he has? I can never seem to find good wide glass cabinets like that.

[@eBayMiniatureRescues]

I got them from Home Depot of all places, I have 4 of them now and they were all easy to build and feel pretty sturdy. A little on the expensive side unless they are on sale. I think I paid $170 for each and they are normally like $250ish. Could be worse, but just a heads up! www.homedepot.com/p/Black-Wood-Display-Cabinet-With-Tempered-Glass-Doors-and-3-Color-LED-Lights-KF020275-01-c/323740685

[@matthewdavenport4030]

Thank yo sir @@eBayMiniatureRescues

[@maskineerproject4911]

I have a question about the sonic cleaner. What is the Most minimal size of a sonic cleaner that is good for model stripping? I tend to paint GW sized models and bases. And I do 1 to 3 at the most. I’m also looking for one on a budget. Thanks for everything.

[@eBayMiniatureRescues]

Amazon has quite a few that are smaller and more affordable. I used to use one like this for a few models at a time and it worked great! a.co/d/9XQij8O

[@maskineerproject4911]

@@eBayMiniatureRescues thanks for this information

[@GabrielX80]

I've been struggling to strip white Army Painter Primer from two miniatures I ruined while priming. I've had them soaking in LA's for a day, done some scrubbing, a bit has come off but not much. Worried that 2 of my Ork Kommandos are ruined, do you have any advice? I've tried to soak them in 99% ISO as well to no avail. Fantastic video which gave me hope to save my miniatures! Thank you

[@eBayMiniatureRescues]

Primer can be stubborn sometimes. Keep soaking it in the LA's, keep scrubbing, it might be slow, but it should come off! If you can get your hands on a sonic cleaner then that will do a lot of work too, and going a step further, get them in a bag or jar of 99% iso and put that into the sonic cleaner, sealed, in water. That will get maximum results. Still, soaking them for longer should do the trick, it just takes more time. If you need them cleaned sooner than later or can't get to a sonic cleaner it might be time to pick up some branded mini paint stripper. Testors, Ak, brands like that, have mini paint stripper in a bottle that really cuts through, it's just more expensive. But you gotta do what you gotta do!! They aren't ruined though, they will be alright :) Hope that helps!

[@GabrielX80]

@@eBayMiniatureRescues I really appreciate your reply! After just one more day of soaking in LA's A LOT more came off, so I'll just keep repeating the process. This video has been a godsend, amazing introduction to your channel!

[@Moto-411]

What would you say is a good uk version of la totally awsome 😝 coz iys not cheap in uk £10 a bottle 😮

[@eBayMiniatureRescues]

I'm not sure, I wanna say that Simple Green is available there, maybe Purple Power. Anything that is labeled as a concentrated degreaser should do the trick though.

[@kuraitenshiv]

How does the de-greaser work on warmachine models? Im not sure if they are resin or a soft plastic...

[@eBayMiniatureRescues]

I've used the degreaser on resin and plastic, from all sorts of companies. I haven't ever had any issues with it damaging anything.

[@kuraitenshiv]

@@eBayMiniatureRescues awesome, Thank you!!

[@KrisTomich]

Mt Olive pickles are best pickles.

[@TheRobSti]

Perhaps a stupid question but do you need to be careful of container material if using isopropylalcohol? Will it soften/damage takeaway containers for example?

[@eBayMiniatureRescues]

I know that ISO can melt some plastics, but generally not the stuff we work with in the hobby. It is great for trying to get paint off though, the real problem is that is evaporates really quickly so you need to soak a mini for a bit and scrub it in the cleaner before the paint dries on the model again. It does work though and should be ok in most containers. I've used it in plastic takaway containers that I got some soup in, seemed fine for a long time, no leaks or melting! Hope that helps :)

[@TheRobSti]

@@eBayMiniatureRescues really helpful thanks! And scrubbing it while still in the ISO is a good tip thanks, might be where I'd been going wrong!

[@whizbang4794]

How many Liters is the GT Sonic, and is it enough for bigger things like say a Greater Unclean One or

[@CzesDev]

i have that degreaser, how long should i leave plastic models in a jar before i start scrubbing?

[@unf0ld]

Out of interest, is there a particular way to strip resin/finecast models

[@eBayMiniatureRescues]

I use the same method for resin, the only thing to watch out for is how hot the sonic cleaner gets. Resin will get bendy, although it's a great way to straighten stuff out too, you just need to be careful is all.