Paint removal....Whoops!

Okay,
So I've got Rustoleum, primer and silver paint on my styrene armor (MB). Paint thinner wasn't strong enough. Someone suggested leaving the pieces in Pine-Sol over night. Tried that, nothing. I was fearful of using anything like laquer thinner.
As always, I'm constantly working on my P.O.S. VW van and I stubled onto my new friend....Carb cleaner. If it'll remove carbon buildup on a piston, grease from an engine case what will it do to styrene? Not much short of removeing the paint! It didn't hurt it at all.
I actually ran out about halfway through the endevor but I should be able to finish paint removal (note: I will not say stripping in a public forum for fear of never ending jokes at my expense) by the weekend. I have yet to take a picture of the partially finished stuff but it looks like it came out of the back end of the Sarlacc right now. It's all different shades of green and silver, looks all chewed up... It kinda looks neat.
Anyways, thought it might help anyone in need of it.

Geoff

At this point you might ask why I didn't just sand and repaint, Because I still had the stupid liquid mask the guy sold me, it never peeled off so I have to start from the beginning.

I never thought of using carb cleaner... We use it to clean the M-60 and m-249 machine guns, so I know it's potent. Great idea!

An overnight soak in "Castrol 'Super Clean' tough task cleaner * degreaser" it's in a purple jug in the auto dept. about $6 a gallon. Paint will fall off after a 24 hour soak leaving the part in almost a virgin state

For a quick fix, DOT 3 brake fluid then clean up with soap and water. You can also use spray on oven cleaner (lye) but it is nasty stuff

Geoffett wrote:
Okay,
(note: I will not say stripping in a public forum for fear of never ending jokes at my expense) by the weekend.

Click to expand...

Damn Geoffett, and I was gonna be the first to lay one on ya :love

I really don't know about the carb cleaner..if it removes the paint, that's good.. but it leaves a residue so just make sure to wash everything (hot soap and water) good before you even think of painting. I have used it in the past to clean firearms when I was active duty but in my profession now I have also used it but switched to brake cleaner because it cleans up great and doesn't leave any residue. As for stripping paint with brake cleaner.. I haven't tried it yet but I think it may work. I just sand it down.. re-prime and paint... but that's me and my circumstances were probably different.

Isopropyl alcohol is a cheap alternative that will remove most paints pretty easily, and I've never had it damage plastic. There's always a first, though.