The Pitfalls of Stripping

[@starkey75]

click bait you didn't even take your top off, 😉

[@tabletopminions]

It's not that kind of video. Thanks for watching!

[@synapris]

thats the joke, loosen up dude :) (pun intended)

[@Eddneton94]

@thedudeaboveme i think he got that tbh

[@philippelegault3928]

That joke takes on a whole new sense with the de-monitisation

[@Adi031978]

Philippe Legault True, makes the whole title somewhat ironic

[@innapropriateshow]

haven't been able to find videos like this. for some reason when I type in "stripping models", in KZbin I get a large selection of attractive half naked women, not a single video about wargame miniatures

[@rogzombie1]

Actually I get those pix no matter what I type in. Best to try miniatures instead of models.

[@CarnivorePaul]

Roger O'Dell ok I tried searching for stripping miniatures instead and got 10 pages of dwarf pornstars

[@MrSmithers]

I cant imagine why.

[@djigsup]

I tried using Simple Green, Super Clean, and a few others, until I found my holy grail! LA's Totally Awesome. It is sold at all 99 cents stores and dollar trees in the US and I've read in some other countries as well. I've stripped over 100 models with it now, no loss of detail, no weird plastic issues. Ot cleaned to grey plastic on everything, even stuff the other two couldn't touch! I have left it for various time lengths. 1 day, 2 days, 1 week and 2 weeks. Never had any issues. Bonus was that after 2 weeks, it broke down super glue bonds and I was able to rebuild 4 tac squads how I wanted them! TL:DR. LA's Totally awesome strips better for a dollar...

[@tabletopminions]

+djigsup I've heard of that stuff and I keep meaning to try it out. I appreciate the reminder, and thanks for watching!

[@dlvnmedia]

djigsup I have a dollar tree two blocks away and never heard of that until now. going out now to grab one.

[@djigsup]

Dylan Wheeler it's yellow, comes with or without a spray top.

[@ValexTheGobbo]

The 64,000 dollar question is: Do you dilute it at all or just plunk it in?

[@AvgJoeCrowe]

I just bought near a gallon of the stuff for some smothered dreadnoughts I picked up. I'll let you know how it goes.

[@Wild1chevy]

I came for stripping and was not disappointed.

[@MrMarkb68]

"The pitfalls of buying second-hand miniatures."

[@Illiadofmalorne]

The Forbidden Grape Juice versus the Nurgle Sprite.

[@GeraudRulz]

I once stripped house spray paint that had been primed on some models I bought using turpentine. They were old metal Games Workshop models and it worked pretty well. I then tested it on a plastic model I didn't care about to see what would happen. The model dissolved and became a sticky mess so conclusion: for metal models you can remove almost anything with turps but do not put plastic models anywhere near it...

[@jasondunbar7434]

I know this is an older video, but for any who read this... My first army was painted with testors enamel paints. I placed them into both super clean and simple green. The models in the super clean after 5 days soaking came about 95+% clean. The simple green models after 4 weeks came about 75+% clean. I pulled one out each day and the results mentioned required the stated time. I have up on the simple green.

[@freman007]

I do have some Redemptionists that I sprayed with Blood Angels red (the 2nd edition can) that have been soaking in Simple Green for a couple of months. I've scrubbed them once, and got rid of much of the paint, but there is still a fair bit left. I have had models that when I stripped them had a strange sticky white undercoat on that I had to pick out of the crevices with a needle. People, please. Automotive matt black spray is all you need. Don't make it complicated.

[@tomjensen2572]

Brake fluid. let sit for a week or so. Should dissolve even the thickest paint, without damaging plastic miniatures

[@sharpiesfishandphantoms]

another vote for brake fluid, eats lacquer and enamels without damaging styrene.

[@Ivok94]

yeah i also use break fluid works perfectly

[@tabletopminions]

I gotta try that stuff. Thanks for watching!

[@TheSupremeDiggity]

I have the same problem. I've soaked my models for ONE YEAR in Purple Power. With no effect. Please PLEASE, do a follow up on this video if you have the solution to this problem.

[@samsterling8015]

Tom Jensen ive heard it works very well

[@theminakins815]

'i'm not a dark angels model' i mean i would hope not, that would be really weird.

[@alexchatter692]

Lol

[@RgVeda23]

Nail polish remover will remove that, use the one without acetone, as the one with acetone will eat the plastic. The Nail polish remover without acetone will remover any paint and keep the plastic intact. try it.

[@leslieshafer6343]

Leon Delgado Acetone-free Nail Polish Remover doesn't work on metal miniatures. I know, I bought some by mistake once & couldn't figure out why it wasn't working until I looked at the label on the bottle. I never thought to try it on plastic minis.

[@nimeryaspawnbrd1049]

for those you can use simple rubbing alcohol (90vol works a tad faster than 70vol) and a little more patience or, since the problem with acetone comes when stripping plastic, just simple acetone nail polish remover (to which lead, tin and basic modeling alloys are generally quite tolerant) :P oh, and I will recommend a mason jar, with a good lid, so to shake (gently) the mini every now and then, it really helps paint to detach note that very old minis, as well as stuff painted or with improper or poor quality colours/sealant may be way more tricky and challenging ^__^ but nothing one cannot overcome, eventually

[@constantinekorkousky3363]

Do you coat it with nail-polish remover, or dunk it? also, how long do you leave it on?

[@rustedbeetle]

Easy Off Oven Cleaner. Place the models in a sealable container and spray them down with with Easy Off, which is non-reactive with styrene plastic. Leave them to sit for 2 - 3 hours. Pull them out and clean them with a toothbrush. It may take a couple applications to get everything. We did this to strip car models, including removing the factory sprayed chrome parts so they can be covered in bare metal foil.

[@tabletopminions]

+rustedbeetle Huh. I've never even HEARD of using Easy Off Oven Cleaner Spray before! And who says you don't learn something new every day? I'll have to try that, and maybe make a follow up video. Thanks for watching!

[@juggerg101]

+rustedbeetle use the lemon scented easy off... it works even better. dont even have to wait 3 hours.

[@rustedbeetle]

+Jugger G Sounds like a fresh tip!

[@rustedbeetle]

+tabletopminions Many of the tricks that car modelers use are applicable to miniature painters and vice versa. Painting dashboards is much easier after spending time trying to detail capes and clothes on minis. There is a synergy there I've been able to use to my advantage in increasing my skills in both hobbies. Thanks for the video, by the way. I don't have an unltrasonic cleaner and haven't seen one used to clean minis before, just brushes and jewelry.

[@tabletopminions]

+rustedbeetle I especially love my ultrasonic for cleaning my airbrush. Works great!

[@MrJimTea]

I use Dettol for plastic miniatures. Had some tau that had been coated in a weird spray, had to leave them in for a couple of days before it would budge. On metal miniatures I use Nitromors, a really aggressive paint/varnish stripper - this will get anything off and only needs a 15-30 min soak but it does undo superglue.

[@Cyntax3rr0r]

Using run-of-the-mill 91% isopropyl alcohol has worked fine for me. Far less brushing than Simple Green.

[@kereminde]

I'm curious, I'm working on stripping some of the Catalyst Game Labs BattleTech minis (the Introductory Box Set which is 'recent, but not the most recent plastic run'...). Is Isopropyl still a good choice?

[@garrettcolas]

For really stuck on paint, I like to dip the model in alcohol, scrub for a minute or two, then rinse in water. Repeat 4 or 5 times as needed. You won't want to soak the models in alcohol, that might melt the plastic, but I haven't noticed any damage as long as you brush and scrub briefly and rinse often. I've gotten off multiple thick layers of paint this way. I'm talking straight up double primed models that have been painted and then painted again overtop the old paintjob.

[@TheJankmaster]

Fairy Power Spray in the UK, Dawn Power Disolver in the US...are great and don't harm plastic. These products are becoming scarce, as they were duscontinued.

[@Da40kOrks]

I'll give you another product to try: LA's Totally Awesome degreaser from the dollar store. I find it works better overall then Simple Green and each bottle is well, $1.

[@tabletopminions]

+Da40kOrks It's literally called 'Totally Awesome' degreaser? I should look into this, as it sounds totally awesome. Thanks for watching!

[@Da40kOrks]

"LA's Totally Awesome" is a brand name of a line of cleaning products at Dollar Tree. The degreaser is a clear yellow in a spray bottle.

[@bartekkucharski3880]

Stripped Wracks and DE bikes 2 days ago. Used Dettol mixed with water. Wracks were primed with GW primer and painted with VA and citadel paints, bikes sprayed with Montana graffiti spray and weathered with enamels. Wracks were swollen in just 10 min, bikes no visible reaction. Brushed Wracks but melted paint were gooey so submerge them again overnight. After an hour bikes were untouched and no visible swollen paint. After 24 hrs check it out and whole paint and primer from bikes was flaking off nicely in the bath. after brushing almost everything was gone with random spots on. Another 24hrs and everything is clean. Metal models. Used brush restorer liquid. after 3 moths of soaking ( forgot about them:) and scrub with dremel and brush bit, some paint left but was a lot harder to remove it.

[@TheRunesmythe]

The only two things I can think of to try (and I hesitate to even mention them for reasons that will become clear momentarily) are possibly white spirits and/or enamel thinner. The big problem is that you won't be able to soak the miniatures in them since both chemicals will more likely than naught melt the styrene. You'd have to use cotton swabs and maybe some disposable brushes and work away at the paint one section at a time, making sure to rinse off the miniature thoroughly before moving on to another section. If the original owner did use enamel paints, I can't criticize too much; when I first started painting (a long time ago, in a state far away) all I had were Testors enamel paints from when I used to build models, so I figured they should work for metal miniatures as well. Now I don't even use that stuff for painting models because acrylics are - on my opinion at least - better and certainly easier to work with.

[@tabletopminions]

+TheRunesmythe When I was a little kid, I painted model airplanes with the square bottles of Testors enamels. Makes me shudder to think of now. I might try some spirits or thinner and see if that helps. Thanks for watching!

[@JoySynthesis]

Model stripper showdown? I am now picturing Sam Lenz dancing provocatively to Bolt Thrower and I DID NOT WANT THIS

[@winterzee]

:)

[@krzto]

I do prefer the Simple Green, but it HAS to be the CONCENTRATED stuff. The normal diluted spray doesn't work well. I had a similar problem with some really old space marines I won on ebay. They had a quite glossy, green 'shell' on them. I assume this was several coats of a testors model car enamel. Also, I've never gotten a tooth brush to work well enough, I bought a small cleaning brush with stiffer plastic bristles (ie: a tile grout brush), and that's usually good enough to get rid of most of the paint. Sometimes you need it to break that 'shell' so the cleaning solvent can get underneath to the model. This is also why I don't recommend people use 'the dip' method of shading...-_-

[@nrdsutton]

For those of you in the UK who can't get "Purple" or "Green" I recommend any brake fluid. It works overnight and I've left models in it for over a year with no melting or damage.

[@tabletopminions]

+Eurisko I've been meaning to try brake fluid, but I've never had a problem that my beloved Purple Drank couldn't solve, until now. Maybe I'll try it out. Thanks for watching!

[@juggerg101]

+tabletopminions dont use DOT 3... it eats plastic and resin like the plague... nom nom nom

[@nrdsutton]

+Jugger G Odd, I've used all kinds of brake fluid, including DOT3. Never had any issues. I'll have to keep an eye on that :)

[@dramaticrodent541]

+Eurisko I used brake fluid before I knew about simple green. It came in a can with a resealable plastic lid. I would just drop the mini in there and leave it for a couple days. When I took it out the paint would just slough off.

[@nickerickson2424]

I recently started using a product called "Mean Green" up here in Washington. I was starting to strip a wild mix of enamels (including Testors) and acrylics from an equally wild mix of plastic/metal miniatures, mostly older plastic Battletech and pewter Ral Partha pieces. I had tried Simple Green, and it just didn't do the job. Failed completely on the enamel. I let the Mean Green soak for a few days, shaking occasionally, and it did the job. It still took some scrubbing, but even the thick enamel came right off for me. Ironically, the stuff also put a shine on the screws holding my workbench together...

[@tabletopminions]

I'll have to check that out. Thanks for watching!

[@FerreusVir]

Dollar stores across the country (USA)carry a brand of cleaner called LA's TOTALLY AWESOME, 3 bucks for a gallon and within 12 hours it WIPES out most any paint, even primer and glue (not plastic cement because...y'know melted plastic). Not as toxic as break fluid (which can get you fined if you just pour it down the drain and can damage all sorts of things given how terrible it is), and cheap. Edit: Additionally, it's a standard cleaner (like many of the others recommended)so you can wash the models off in the sink. Edit 2: Resin is unaffected (not damaged).

[@tabletopminions]

+FerreusVir Several people have mentioned it before. I need to look for it. Thanks for watching!

[@COMICBOOKJEDI1]

When I was painting models on the old days we used to use Ovenoff oven cleaner to strip models , I think it is just powerful enuff to strip that green paint right off , any way very interesting video...

[@jamesnye4134]

The reason it won't come off is that it's not water based like GW paints, I had to use white spirit to get that kind of paint off mine, but if you let them sit too long. it will melt the plastic and make it look awful.

[@jizburg]

I use 99% denatured alcohol. works like a charm. even primer comes of. i dunno about that lacker or enamel tho.

[@tabletopminions]

I should try it on plastics to see how it works. Thanks for watching!

[@jizburg]

Would be fun to se the results

[@ToHVids]

Although I mostly use Simple Green, when it is being a pain, I have definitely gone for the Methylated Spirits. Easy for metals, a little caution is required for plastics/resin (have never wanted to touch Crapcast) as it can break the plastic down at a rate dependant on tenperature (cooler = less model damage, no noticable effect on strip speed though). Have heard of Brake Fluid/Oven Cleaner, but honestly just not bothered as SG/Metho + Toothbrush has taken care of everything so far. Of course, rinsing and drying the models after is essential xD

[@kainkirby]

I use denatured alcohol when I strip my car models works alright with a little scrubbing and it doesn’t hurt the plastic at all

[@Martyntd5]

@@tabletopminions In the US there is a product called Heet that you get from auto stores, comes in a yellow bottle. It's a fuel line antifreeze. That's denatured alcohol or Methylated spirit as we call it in the UK.

[@cscherbarth1622]

I've had limited success with one of those water dental picks. I soak em in the green stuff then blast it off with water pick.

[@christianoliver25]

Pickle jar, I use a pickle jar for stripping. I use either Purple Power, which is an industrial strength degreaser and, I'm assuming, the equivalent to you Super Power. Although sometimes I use Mean Green, which is dirt cheap and works slightly better than Simple green (for me at least). I have read online where folks claim to use Pinesol. I think they're making that up. I've tried it twice. Left the minis in for a week like usual and neither time did it do anything but make the miniature wet. Both times I ended up soaking them in Mean Green to strip them.

[@ghaul111]

Personally almost every model ive ever got was from ebay. Naturally they're cheaper than retail, unfortunately people tend to paint these models with strange primers and use strong bonding paints. I have used various cleaning chemicals, and car brake fluids and although they are effective they can take hours (especially if you can't get all the paint off in the first attempt, and have to redo the process) the fastest method I've found (although most risky) method is acetone. I used to use acetone only as a last resort if the paint was stubborn to come off the model but now i use it all the time because I have gotten a lot more comfortable with it. *caution - do at your own risk What you need: 1) find a VENTILATED space 2) get a respirator mask (if you can smell the acetone while using your mask, then get a better one), and some safety glasses 3) thick rubber gloves, have more than a pair on you just in case 4) 2 plastic containers you will eventually end up throwing out 5) slightly larger paintbrush (probably won't use this for painting again) First I fill water in one of the containers. Then I put on my mask, glasses and gloves, imo these are all a must. After I carefully pour a SMALL amount of acetone into the other container. I dip the paintbrush into the acetone in the container and start brushing the model.(do not put your model into the container with acetone) If it is a small model I brush it until the paint is stripped, I then quickly place the model into water and leave it in there. If it is a larger model like a tyranid mawloc I will usually strip it by sections. example. strip the tail of paint then dip it into water, strip the body of paint then put it in water , strip the headpiece of paint and put it into water. The reason i put it into water is because acetone is corrosive, ive had times where the acetone has destroyed some small details on the models because i left the acetone on the model for too long so the water just cleans the acetone (the acetone gets corrosive fairly quickly so try to work fast). Also the water is important because when you strip the model the pigments will break and if you let the fragmented pigmented dry on the model they will stick to the surface causing the surface to roughen. other tip* the paint pigments also frequently get into the acetone container which can get annoying if you're stripping a lot of models. This gets annoying because you end up spreading all the pigments that were stripped (that are now in the acetone) onto the model. So my tip for this use small amounts of acetone so if the acetone gets too dirty you can dispose of it and clean the container (or get a new one). Also i always hold the model with my hands wearing gloves but after a while the acetone starts burning into my gloves so i always make sure to have an extra pair in case it burns into the glove. I just replace the glove. Please if you have any suggestions I would be happy to listen, if any questions ask away.

[@renegadejibjib8676]

Odds are he used Krylon or something similar, something that bonds with plastics.

[@tabletopminions]

Could be right, certainly. Thanks for watching!

[@callingallbears]

Atom I sent you a PM regarding this but I figured it would better to share it since it really does work. I had a very similar experience with an unstripable mini. The paint just would not come off, oven cleaner, 2 weeks in super clean, nothing. The solution came when I picked up an US cleaner from harbor freight. Not the one you showed but the Ship To Shore branded one with the heater built in. The heater gets the water to about the temperature of a piping cup of coffee. This was the answer. If you turn on the heater and run it through about 6-9 cycles (with super clean as the solution) the paint will release itself and come right off. What ever is left will come off with a brush. Hope this helps any one who has had this issue! As a side bonus it works on failcast AND forgeworld as well, though it will turn the resin purple.

[@designatedTuber]

I use LA's Totally Awesome. Can leave stuff in there for a couple of hours or a month with no degradation to the model material but it makes the paint (acrylic is all I've used it on) come right off with a bit of residue that is removed with a brush. PLUS, it's cheap. Can get a small bottle (window cleaner size) for about a buck or a gallon for about three.

[@fallenswan1670]

Since in this part of world only green stuff you buy is for your salad, I tried to search what people use here to rip off acrylic paint. Well, it seemed first that most of people think you cannot rip it off at all... but then I found that actually... liquid soap made out of pine is effective (and cheap, and ecological and it is sold in every shop. People usually use it to clean floors and surfaces on house, but it can be used for lot of other things too). It should rip off paint from miniatures in few hours (but you still need brush and maybe toothpick). It seems cost something like 2 euros per litre (in expensive grocery store). Some people say, that it probably rip off most if not all paints, question is just how long it takes. What we learned from this? Pines hate paints and rip them all off? (I do not have experience for such. I never used it for such porpoise, nor without thinning it with water.)

[@DanyAshby]

I've tested paint thinners and on chunks of sprue or spare bits that I don't want to make sure that the plastic won't melt. I've never had any problem with model paint thinners like Testor's, since it's made to be used on plastic models, so it won't Warhammer minis, but you might want to test it on some scrap GW plastic first since not all plastic models are made of the same kind of plastic.

[@tabletopminions]

+Dany Ashby That's a good point, I hadn't thought about testing on pieces of sprue. Excellent, and thanks for watching!

[@Dustpuuppy]

Mineral spirits has roughly the same properties as paint thinner but is less harsh to plastic and rubber. You might consider it a diluted form of paint thinner. Not chemically accurate but it's a good description of how it works for your purposes.

[@tabletopminions]

I should try it. Thanks for watching!

[@robolizard222]

Lacquer paint isn’t effected by purple power. Only thing I’ve heard which can strip lacquer is lacquer thinner which melts styrene plastics. Only method I’ve seen (which still isn’t safest) is by thinning lacquer thinner down using rubbing alcohol (like a mix of 1-10 lacquer to alcohol or even less) and let the parts sit for as short a time period as possible. The lacquer will attack everything, but since it’s been thinned out it won’t be as harsh. Thus the paint will react first and can be removed faster before your plastics melt away. Hope that helps some people, but stripping beware!

[@DrDeathmonger]

I also use Super Clean, but I sometimes leave the models in it for more than a day. It seems that there is always a bit of paint that won't come off. Sometimes I let them soak a few days so that the glue loosens and I can pull them apart.

[@yakkyuu12]

Try using COMET-- it is NOT toxic, I GUARANTEE it will work. Hot water first , use the tooth brush and start with a little more than a table spoon amount of comet-- add more if you need to! The serious bonus-- the Comet is abrasive like a sand paper and as you use it--- you might( only slightly) will ADD etches into the piece( so minimal YOU WON' T notice it) the spray paint WILL come off( might need some elbow grease!) --- now when you prime the clean piece, that primer--- will stick much better! I have gotten off enamel paint and all kinds of Rustoleum, krylon and the metallic comes off easy--- I HAVE gotten off ALL the "clear" top coat on pieces! Good luck!

[@DadsAPleb]

you start doing cocaine and you never end up going to college like you said you were going to... oh wait... I got confused...

[@ryanshaw2937]

What's funny is I was a horrible coke head and stopped doing cocaine by picking up 40k.

[@harrisonsnellgrove8843]

Ryan Shaw trading one drug for another

[@floorbored3128]

@@ryanshaw2937 I quit heroin 10 years back and got into Warhammer soon after haha

[@Toddfather788]

Was partying heavily, heavy alcoholic, and whatever drug I could find...then my bro said "here is half of my shadowspear box set, vanguard space Marines. Clean and sober for 6 months. I just spend more for a better addiction lmao

[@sirrathersplendid4825]

Amazing stories, guys. I knew wargaming was addictive, but not that level of addictive!

[@CaptMytre]

Denatured alcohol. It's cheaper than every other option, and works better than them as well. It will melt resin models however, plastic and metal are fine.

[@tabletopminions]

+Capt. Mytre I'll have to follow up. Thanks for watching!

[@JoeXTheXJuggalo1]

I use Purple Power which is I guess the name brand version of your Super clean. it works amazing for me and I would not recommend simple green to anyone but I will recommend purple power.

[@DaytonaRoadster]

its enamel spray paint, had the same issue. The gun paint came off because he used acrylic paint there. Enable "burns" into the paint, and its very hard to get off. Brake fluid would work, but nothing will get all of it off

[@tabletopminions]

I keep needing to try brake fluid. Thanks for watching!

[@DaytonaRoadster]

just wear gloves...or if you dont, dont have any cuts...trust me

[@johndiffley6390]

It could also be Krylon Fusion, which bonds on a chemical/molecular level with plastics. They are fairly inexpensive, available at any hardware store, and, if you aren't expecting to strip the mini. forms a great base/primer color. Not sure you could ever strip them given that bond.

[@katocmd]

I had this same issue with a land raider where all the colour came off but the undercoat stayed. Ended up using 99% isopropyl on it at the suggestion of a friend of a friend who works restoring museum pieces. The plastic had stains but the paint did come off. Wouldn't recommend dunking as it works real fast but spraying, scrubbing and rinsing worked a treat.

[@tabletopminions]

+Mark Katalinic I've had people mention it. I should give it a try. Thanks for watching!

[@vasilmirchev4555]

I just landed on your great channel. Isopropyl is the stuff I use and I think its better than any other chemistry. It strips down paint from metalic or plastic model within 1 hour and it does not matter if its acrylic or enamel paint. It also dissolves varnishesh...

[@tabletopminions]

I need to check it out, as a few others have mentioned it as well. Thanks for watching!

[@vasilmirchev4555]

No problem. Your channel is the reason I use wet pallette. But I do suggest Isopropyl Alcohol (known also as rubbing alcohol). A consistancy of 99% will do just perfect.

[@trenthackenberry574]

had the same problem with Simple Green, even let the models soak for a week in it with no results. then I read the bottle and realized I'd have to cut it with water. (half water/half Simple Green)... after that it worked great! might be worth a retry

[@tabletopminions]

+Trent Hackenberry Making it LESS concentrated made it work BETTER? Hmm, that sounds odd. I'll have to try it. Thanks for watching!

[@brigandboy1425]

Well... since you have a toothbrush (and gloves and glasses handy) in this video, if anyone is watching this, you *CAN* use brake cleaner on plastic. It will strip pretty much anything off of a surface, but it is best used on metal (pewter, for instance). The caveat is that you *MUST* wash it off directly after scrubbing the plastic model with a brush. Do not dunk the model in brake cleaner. Instead, simply spray it with the can the brake cleaner usually comes in, and then scrub with a toothbrush (or brush of equivalent stiffness). The problem with brake cleaner is it will eat through the plastic if it stays on the plastic for too long. It won't be immediate, but it will happen over time. The other problem is that it is really not good for you, so you need to wear gloves and eye protection. Also, don't breath the fumes in. Finally, the brake cleaner has a tendency to eat through glue (far faster than plastic) so you may have to re-glue parts if you are either unlucky or not careful. Afterwards, just run the model under a hose or faucet, and then soak it in a plastic cup of clean water. Repeat the process as necessary.

[@shponglefan]

I've had good success with Pine Sol in stripping paints, including enamels. 24 hour soak followed by scrubbing and the paint comes right off. I've only ever used it with metal minis, though, so I'm not sure how it affects plastics. Easy Off is another option, but I've generally found Pine Sol works better in my experience.

[@kiblams]

I bet a lot of people have never considered this, good find! and thanks for sharing.

[@josiahchua628]

I use this stuff called Dettol. It's sold as a disinfectant, in large bottles and in concentrated form. It works on just about everything and doesn't damage plastics. For best results, use concentrated. I have yet to encounter anything that Dettol can't take off. The downsides are that Dettol smells really strong and if you strip enamels with it, as I have found with Testors and Tamia enamels, it reactivates the paint, so it can get messy. But it will take the paint off.

[@subversive1219]

I bought a couple of metal minis off of ebay. The pic showed grey primer on them,when they arrived I noticed they had used a grey gloss spray paint to cover their old paint job. I soaked them in Mean Green(can be be bought at walmart) for a week,and had no issues getting them clean.

[@PauloOliveira-oy9uo]

A trick i found out is when you really need something stripped and you notice your models don't strip good or fast in your paint stripper of choice, you can(for example on space marine legs or chaos warrior shield) take your hobby knife and scratch a little bit of the paint off. The paint stripper goes under the paint and tears the whole series of paint layers off in one thick layer.

[@tabletopminions]

+Paulo Oliveira I'll have to try that. It makes sense. Thanks for watching!

[@justtrolin]

goof off, took spray paint off a bust model within a day. very strong odor. the stuff I used was water based. recommended using gloves.

[@sellersgarner]

as always, lot of info and just enough dry wit in a relatively short video - thanks

[@Karloss00]

Plastic has always been an issue for me when it comes to stripping, I used Detol for a while but for big flat areas like vehicles I used Nail polish remover, but you can't soak it in because it softens the plastic so it's more of a job to do right away. Never stripped resin as the stuff is always either brittle or way to expensive to risk stripping but with metal I use Nitromors which comes with a label warning of "Skin contact may be cancerous" so it's not something for newbloods to play with.

[@Andrew-hj6qx]

If all else fails, I've used Dettol imported from the UK, it is quite expensive and you have to make sure your in a VERY well ventilated area, (I did it outside, it's that bad) It took everything off within a few hours of it being in the solution. If you do go that route make sure you get chemical gloves, (the thin black latex won't cut it) and a mask.

[@bartekkucharski3880]

+Andy Arendt We use Dettol every day at work so we are use to it:) its safe for skin ( might dry it out a bit) and fumes are not toxic. just smell might be too much for some people.

[@ironjaw333]

+Bart Man Yep, I bought some 40K vehicles off ebay which had been stripped with dettol. 3 years later they still smell awful, will probably throw them out.

[@Aerix]

Also super fun when you get a model second hand with a subpar paint job. Soak, start scrubbing, and find a better paint job underneath. Got some Devilfish that went from black with white highlights (thick has heck). After stripping i found a tan-ish/yellowish atypical tau color scheme with red accents underneath. I eventually got close enough to the plastic with the original black primer, but that was an experience.

[@tabletopminions]

It's like peeling back old wallpaper, you sometimes find weirder stuff underneath. Thanks for watching!

[@christopherwalton9283]

You should use a sand blaster with baking soda. I tested it with 5 models of different types of materials (i.e resin, fine cast, plastic, etc.) and it worked. It did not destroy the models.

[@nrais76]

I've had Simple Green work fine on Testor's enamels, globbed on, metal and/or plastic, various paints and primers. Of course, I've also had two identical miniatures with identical enamel paints used on them and had one of them that I literally just sprayed with Simple Green and started brushing paint off, while the other wouldn't budge after 48 hours of soaking (I tried at an hour, six, 24, and 48). So performance is really all over the map. It may have been because the only way I could get it was in the spray bottle ready to use (which I unscrewed and poured out for soaking, obviously), as opposed to a concentrated formula. The stuff I use now is Minuteman Models Scalecoat II Wash Away Paint Remover S56. Ten minutes and a toothbrush will get most anything. Some models you may have to do a second time. It may discolor slightly, and I had the pole attaching a Legion Vexilla to a backpack turn into silly putty almost, so be careful with it, but I haven't had any actual damage occur to models. With the Simple Green I was soaking a day and then scrubbing hard with a super stiff nylon brush (sometimes I would break out a copper brush!) and getting results all over the map. Oh, and lots of colors end up turning black, it wasn't necessarily a black undercoat. I think it's more how the medium is interacting with the solvent than anything to do with the pigment. But I'm not a chemist.

[@septymesk7721]

So, I had a couple models I bought from a guy (plastic) that he used a silicone based paint on, and the regular stuff was not taking it off. The solution Infound: *set up next to a sink. *spray tue model with "good off", a cleaner with a small amount of acetone in it, but not enough to instantly melt plastic. *spray it on the model or dip the model then immediately take a cleaner brush to the model. *ALL paints come off in literal seconds. The biggest problem I've had is, it will start to break down the glue holding them together, but I'm usually going to re-glue them, anyway. *as soon as all the paint if off, immediately hold under water and rinse thoroughly. I havent had a problem with this process, yet.

[@HellhoundNL]

I live in the Netherlands and I use medical dettol desinfectant, 20 euros for a litre I believe it is around 23 dollars or something that cleans everything even metal miniatures and all kinds of paint. After 15 minutes you can get most of it off and on top of that it smells nice. I soak it for about 12 to 24 hours and it works wonders. Loved the video!

[@dtrainacomin]

Used to use Simple Green... now for pure plastic i use oven cleaner spray, and metals is acetone. Both work in about an hour, better after 24 hours though. Cleanest I've ever gotten a model, and I use Vallejo primer, which gets kind of weird due to the resin otherwise...

[@tabletopminions]

+dtrainacomin I've never used oven cleaner spray. I'll have to check it out. Thanks for watching!

[@theGiantAngryRobot]

my favorite is detol, will even strip primer

[@tabletopminions]

I finally just ordered some from Amazon. Should get here on Monday. We'll see how it works. Thanks for watching!

[@theGiantAngryRobot]

Tabletop Minions just don't rinse your minis with water after you remove them from the detol. work the detol to remove as much paint as you can as I noticed when you mix the broken down paint with water it turns into a sappy sludge

[@cyborgbadger1015]

After stripping minis with Dettol, soak minis in hot water and detergent over night and say goodbye to any sticky residue.

[@Erelyes]

So how'd the dettol go?

[@snickdesnick]

Use metholated spirits, cheap aswell. No gloop like dettol. Only need to steep it in a container for 4 or 5 mins, bit of a brush so you break the paint a bit then a little while longer

[@eskhaphey2873]

Hey Atom, 40k fan and find your videos fantastic, absolutely love them. Iv'e found a general all purpose paint and varnish remover works extremely well. The bottle I use is 500ml for around £3 which is less than $4, and I've been able to strip around 37 infantry models, 16 terminators, 1 land raider, 1 rhino, and 1 dread knight and I'm just reaching the half way point with the bottle Oo I usually only strip around 5-10 models at once, leave them for about an hour, and then toothbrush them. All the paint tends to come off very easily including, though enamel takes a bit of time, but does come off. However it does break glue down sometimes, like with my 16 of the infantry model they all broke into pieces; as in all the pieces they were made off separated, not broke in half, which was fine as I wanted to reposition some anyway. Oddly enough the terminators and larger models didn't break apart. The stuff I use is a thick gloopy white juice... Watching this video got me a thinking. The main pitfall that you mentioned was trying to strip unknown paint, like enamel or varnish. The main pitfall I've found is minis collapsing into their pieces. And I'm also interested in how much stripper people use, and whether it's value for money with what they use. P.S. no detail lost on my minis :D P.P.S. Praise the four armed machine emperor I have found your videos XD

[@Rosstafa]

I use acetone-free nail polish remover on plastic models, and it works pretty well.

[@tabletopminions]

Doesn't melt the plastic? Thanks for watching!

[@Rosstafa]

Tabletop Minions As long as it's acetone free, it won't melt the plastic!

[@HazielBlack]

I think a good alternative would be try the solvent on the sprue bits. if it doesnt damage the sprues, wont damage the model. SCIENCE!

[@AltairAlphonse]

This might sound weird, but try to use car brake fluid, it´s cheap and it´s great for removing ANY kind of paint

[@tabletopminions]

Does it eat plastic much? I'd worry about that. Thanks for watching!

[@AltairAlphonse]

I haven´t had any problem so far, In my experience only eats the paint, but i didn´t tried this metod in resin figures, so try it in an old miniature that it does not matter to lose first,just in case!

[@DeadGators]

For one of the first minis I painted (a Reaper Bones mini), I used really cheap acrylic paint (as in $2 for a set) because that's what I had at the time. I soaked that mini in Simple Green for a month and the result was something I haven't been able to figure out the answer to. The green paint came off fine. The orange and red stained. I'm not sure what pigments are used in the cheap warm paints that stain Bones plastic, but there you have it.

[@tabletopminions]

+Aritê Yeah, I'm becoming more and more skeptical of those Reaper Bones figures. I'm actually thinking about doing a video about it. Thanks for watching!

[@tri5556]

LA's totally awesome - full strength soak for 8 hours and gentle toothbrush scrub... I've used on GW and reaper multiple times

[@edwardpapartis7029]

Hello Atom Smasher. Did you every try to use Brake Fluid on plastic to strip. Works good even on tough to remove paints and doesn't harm plastic. Metal models go into a acetone dip. The acetone will dissolve plastic so don't try with plastic models

[@tabletopminions]

I haven't tried it yet, but I'm hoping to soon. Thanks for watching!

[@michaelsmith235]

Very timely for me. Just pulled a small lot out a tub of LA's and only half the models would come clean. Thanks for the heads up, past-Atom!

[@darrylpark3146]

I've found that the brand of paint used affects how quickly the model is stripped. The sealer used also impacts things. In my case I've found that Vallejo Game Color metallics are so durable that the primer was eaten out from under it, leaving a skin. Models that were sealed with Dullcote also end up with skin.

[@tabletopminions]

Wow, I never knew that about the Vallejo metallics. Thanks for watching!

[@sololobos6969]

Super clean is fine with finecast. Used it to clean plenty of FW models. Brake fluid works on metal, resin, and plastic.

[@ManuelOrtizification]

use mentholated spirits for metal/plastic and Brake fluid for resin, simple.

[@sirrathersplendid4825]

Meths did absolutely nothing to some Zvezda plastic figures I’ve been trying to clean. Had to use oven cleaner, which leaves a weird smell.

[@karstenseiz7337]

Brake fluid works very well 4h - 6h pre soak then use ultrasonic in clear warm water and the mini is clean Plastic or Matal

[@tabletopminions]

+Karsten Seiz I really need to try this. Thanks for watching!

[@sim2570]

I use MeanGreen! It's the same as simple green, but canadian! Work great on acrylics and latex paint! For lacquer and enamel, try to use Kytex ( the fingernails remover stuff) or you may try lacquer thinner or simply a paint thinner! but be careful. Nice vid by the way!

[@tabletopminions]

+Monte Cristo Wouldn't nail polish remover damage standard plastics? I should do a test. I know that stuff works great on metals. Thanks for watching!

[@Darkvoidninja]

i use isopropyl 100% for plastic and the paint is ready to come off in a few minutes and it does not eat the plastic

[@kristiaand]

I tend to use regular paint thinners to strip metal models, no hassle at all with a toothbrush to clean them. i quickly learnt that paint thinners are really bad for the plastic ones :) not tried anything else yet.

[@TheCrimsonFist501]

Regular Dettol, not scented, it'll clean plastic, I've used it on finecast and it went rubbery for a month then hardened back up.

[@tabletopminions]

I'm not sure we get that over here in the US. Maybe Amazon. Thanks for watching!

[@inhumanbookworm]

I assume it will work with metal ones as well?

[@KingFluffs]

The regular Dettol works wonders. £3 for a bottle, you could have a miniture that's been painted years ago, just plop it in a pot, cover with Dettol, and leave overnight, then put on some rubber gloves and gently brush the paint off with a toothbrush.

[@k1ngcarrot]

Can't dettol make you sick if used incorrectly?

[@TooTallGaming]

KingCarrot As long as you don't ingest it, you should be fine. It's a general purpose hard surface cleaner meant for kitchens and the like, so even a small amount from contact with a surface wet with it won't you (just don't drink it). Of course, wear gloves, as it's an irritant.

[@TWenforcer]

It's probably army painter primer. I bought a can of green army painter primer recently that sprayed on a very thick layer so I wanted to scrub and respray but the stuff has been insanely hard to clean off. Superclean and a ton of scrubbing managed to get very small amounts off but not much.

[@tabletopminions]

+TWenforcer Yeah, I'm wondering if that's the case. A few people have mentioned that, and I'm wondering if that might be the case. Thanks for watching!

[@rioploon]

I use L.A.'s Totally Awesome all purpose cleaner that I get at the Dollar Tree. It doesn't melt plastic and it works even better in a sonic cleaner. I have used it on Finecast and it does no damage to the model, however, I noticed that not all Finecast resin is made equally. Some are weaker than others.

[@tabletopminions]

+Tolemykus I've been hearing a lot about this L.A.'s Totally Awesome cleaner. I should really look into it. Thanks for watching!

[@redtippedthrobrobin6053]

Commenting at 4:00 I have the same problem, its from people using autozone primer and non acrylic paints. Typically, I dunk them in brake fluid for 2 hours at a time and take them out to scrub on them then let them sit for a day in super clean before giving them a last once over.

[@alexx86hater]

As mostly airliner modeler I've occasionally done paint stripping (b/c it is occasionally hard to get it right for airlines which use fine pearlescent colors (cough...Aeroflot) or candy color (cough.. Etihad)). Usually I go with the "nuclear" option of either wiping with or soaking model in Tamiya Lacquer Thinner. It is important to note that it is Tamiya, not the normal paint Lacquer Thinner from the place like Home Depot: Tamiya is some sort of mix of alcohol, mineral spirits and something else and is so delicate that even after an hour of soaking even none of your clear parts would for out, however regular lacquer thinner would melt the plastic to a goo. Expensive option though and has to be done in a good respirator and well ventilated area.

[@BladeRunner21577]

I think this video is thee single best advert against plastic models. It is without doubt the best reason why metal is better. Plastic models especially used, can be a one shot deal, so if you make a mess of it or it doesnt turn out how you wanted it to its already to late. I stripped a load of old Sisters of Battle models I bought back when Sisters of Battle were new, I was never very happy with the way they turned out and 20 years later I decided to do something about it. I used a specialist solvent called RPDE which is a green alternative so acetone... it will melt your plastic and your skin off but it wont kill the fish when it gets into the local water supply. Once a plastic model is painted its painted. which is why they are not as good as metal models.

[@miniaturemayhem9295]

Important little tip : If you dilute either super clean or simple green with regular tap water... don't forget your minis in their baths, especially if you have hard water. Your minis will develop a hard outer shell of calcium rather quickly (A couple of days is enough). CLR will solve that problem.

[@YourRealBestFriend]

I'm watching this while painting minis using revell enamels, which work beautifully if you can deal with the fact that they're oil based. And this fact makes this video enormously more entertaining. So if you run into this problem, just use model brand thinner, it's super quick, easy and wont hurt your plastics (unless you keep them submerged for hours obviously)

[@ste5f]

Try Dettol disinfectant. Has to be Dettol. It's safe. It removes acrylic, enamel etc. And it works on Finecast without damaging them. I've tried it on all. However, when you take the model out, clean the paint off with a toothbrush only. No water. Make sure every bit of paint and Dettol is off before washing it with water. If you get it wet before removing the paint it will go like glue and not come off.

[@deadshotfan1467]

Remember that some paints (krylon amongst others) may release lead dust when scrapped sanded or removed

[@Winterydee]

As long as you're doing your scrubbing either in the solvent solution or using small of the solvent solution on your brush(enough that it is leaving a thin layer of liquid on the model), you should not have to worry about any lead(which is highly unlikely to be in most paints made in the USA, UK, EU & Japan, being as it's been banned in those areas since at least the 1980's) becoming airborne and inhaled. Once you're done with the scrubbing, wash the model in soapy water solution, it help remove any leftover paint residue. Then rinse the model in just water, to remove any soap residue any possible remaining paint residue.

[@Interstate_78]

I had the same problem recently. I made a mix of 50% purple stuff / 25% isopropyl alcohol / 25% nail polish remover (without acetone). it managed to remove most but not all of the paint. I let them sit for days

[@VoragBloodytooth]

I'll second rusted beetle's reply. I've used dollar store oven cleaner on a couple of tau piranhas that were painted with enamel. In a plastic bag, spray and seal. You can leave them in the bag for days.

[@thebaldgm882]

You could try breakerfluid (yes, the fluid in cars for their brakes). It is not as cheap as the cleaners you tried, but I use it with old models that are painted with paints that are white spirit based.

[@georgedebleu]

Decades ago (literally) we used Pine-sol. Comparatively, it worked better than Green.

[@tabletopminions]

+georgedebleu Hmm. I have some Pine Sol under the sink. Maybe I should try that out. I wish I had more of these weird Dark Angels models to test on. Thanks for watching!

[@TheVexinator]

+tabletopminions Be aware that pine-sol, as well as some of the other methods mentioned earlier, can cause some plastics to soften up. If that happens, it usually reversible by letting the mini sit and de--gas for a few days.

[@georgedebleu]

+tabletopminions You might try it on the control for a comparison? Perhaps try it on the others that are still green??

[@douglasvandall7084]

I know this is an older video but this just blew my mind. I emptied a spray bottle of Simple Green in a 5 gallon with about 4 gallons of water and would use it to clean my resin models. After about 6 month I noticed my floor was wet . The stuff melted a hole in the 5 gallon Lowes paint bucket.

[@soul_vicex]

I had this problem with the red paint job I gave my old Saint Celestine, I was scrubbing and scrubbing and all my miniature was doing was foaming up. Eventually I had to use a toothpick and a Citadel modelling file, the one with the sharp point, to gently chip and scrape away the paint. Now I have a clean model, but in the fine recesses are some black and red paint that just wont budge. Very annoying but I guess it's just hit and miss?

[@Cherokie89]

Just a note to let people know that Walmart "Color Place" flat black rattle can spray paint will prime fine and come right off with the purple cleaner. I've done it loads of times. I always prime with 98 cent flat black rattle can from walmart. I can't comment on other brands or colors, but the flat black Color Place brand from walmart is fine. Don't go on with it super heavy in one coat, though, or it will soften the plastic.

[@danielwiggins97]

I found methylated spirits to work the best, dunk the model in for a few minutes and brush it off on a piece of paper towel. Paint comes off on the towel and brush and toucan re use the spirits for the other models you may have!

[@tabletopminions]

I'll have to try that. Thanks for watching!

[@davidmuir6603]

I normally use methylated spirit to strip plastics and some metal stuff, strips the plastic first time you just have to scrub it of and rinse it off, on metals sometimes you have to put it in a couple of times and the superglue comes away but apart from that you get no residue or gloop on it like other plastic stripping chemicals I've tried. You can even reuse it, though always use rubber gloves not your bare hands, it removes the oils in your hands and your hands will dry up and the skin will start to peel.

[@tabletopminions]

I'll have to look into it. Thanks for watching!

[@TableTopPainting101ReddingCa]

I have learned that the army painter spray colored primers has a plastic bonder in the paint that makes the paint very hard to remove so the green paint mite be that i hope this help's

[@cloudmastr8105]

That’s what makes it a primer and not just a paint

[@DustyTheKitty]

Having some great results with Detol, though the paint you take off the model turns into a sticky sludge when its out of the liquid, rubber gloves and an old electric toothbrush makes the job nice and quick, though it;s only good for plastics and metal from what I;ve tested as i don;t bother with resin and finecast. Only downside I've found is Detol turns any greenstuff into a brittle, rubber-like material, completely destroying what it was. A quick scrubdown after the Detol and those minis are usually ready for repainting.

[@michaelwade6086]

One thing I found when stripping models is that old citadel paints don't react as well. I recently stripped some of my old pewter and lead models, some of which had 1st/2nd gen citadel paints (which I believe contained lead or some other substance that was subsequently banned in the UK.) I had a very tough time getting the paint off. Ultimately, I had to let some of the oldest models soak for around 2 weeks and was able to get a lot of the paint off, then soaked them again for another week to get the rest off. I finally got everything off, but it took far longer than any of the newer models I have stripped.

[@johnpmchappell]

Seconding the oven cleaner suggestion. With metal miniatures, alkaline drain cleaner will work well - my best result were with a gel based on that took off some very heavy overpainting on a Terminator squad. Do not try this on anything but metal and be sure to wear gloves, eye protection and ventilate.

[@tabletopminions]

I've never thought of trying that. I'll look into it next time I need to strip metal models. Thanks for watching!