Stripping and breaking down super glue.

[kturock]

I found out by accident a way to not only strip models, but to break down super glue.
I had some plastic eldar gaurdians I got in trade from a friend. He got them cheap at a convention. they were poorly painted and it looks like testors paint was used.
not a good combination for stripping. He, as a professional painter, said try denatured alcohol. It thinned the paint, but didn't really completely strip them. He said that's about as good as you can get and just reprimer them lightly and that's it.

well, I recalled someone's long and exhaustive post about his tests with different strippers. he used several different things and had mixed results.
I usually use pine sol on metal, and simple green on plastic.

I've found that pine sol doesn't always work well on some paints. They get sticky and redry almost instantly.

So, I threw these now, probably worthless models into Purple Power [PP}. After sitting in the containers for several days, I started to check the models. The paint not only came off the models, it even came off the toothbrushes i was using. This was some of the stuff dried on from the pine sol. So, I started throwing all my models into PP.

Well the guardians had to go in a couple times to get the small bits of paint out of the cracks and crevices. I checked back a couple days later, and while scrubbing, the models came apart. They were glued together with super glue, instead of model cement. They actually started to fall a part.

So I tried it on some metal models, to get more paint off, and to breakdown the super glue. SOme of these models were glued recently, within 1 year. Others were built years ago. Old and new glue. Different brands. They all came apart. The only place I couldn't get rid of the old paint, was on the plastic models where the glue was dried on the model.

I have a resin Dystopian Wars building. I wanted it part to try to paint it. I got it in a deal and it was built, using super glue. I put it in Simple Green and after 24 hours, the model got soft. The glue didn't break down, but the resin started to. I took the model out, rinsed it off and let it reharden and dry for about a week or two.

I then put it in the PP. Overnight, about 6 hours later, i checked it. it mostly popped right apart. no softening, no damage.
But, Spartan Games, uses different resin than GW's FC. So, as an experiment, I took a piece of plastic sprue from a FC model, cut them in half, and then glued them together. I let them dry for a week. That was the middle of Novemeber. I checked back at 24 hours, then 48 and 72. Then 1 week later. then 2 weeks.. and then finally at 4. The FC has thick & thin spots. I glued the main parts of the frame together, but left the thin parts on to test the PP.

The sprue parts pretty much popped apart with no effort. There was no damage to any of the sprue. The little thin branches are still like when they went in.

My next test I just started. I'm primering the 2 halves with cheap walmart flat white paint. then i'll slop some different types of paint and see how well the PP strips them.

I'll update then.

Purple Power is available at walmart, for about $10 for 1 gallon. The bottle is white and shaped like antifreeze bottles. It's reusable. I've stripped most of the models reusing the PP multiple times; 3,4,5 or more. I usually only replace it when iI need more in the containers. I store/strip in cheap, but air tight containers. they're stored in my den/workshop in the air conditioned house. I rinse the models in the kitchen sink, since it's stainless steel and easy to clean. I scrub them under running water. Also I always put the strainer in, since I always drop pieces. Gloves should be worn since PP is a degreaser and can dry your fingers/hands out. I sometimes remember to use the cheap disposable gloves I've bought, but not always.

[MagickalMemories]

Do you have any Forgeworld Resin bits?
If not, and someone sends you some, would you test them?

Eric

[kturock]

I don't have any forgeworld anything.

And yes I'd test them, but for $10, you can get a great stripper and test them yourself. [actually, you could buy and use just a little. if you don't like it, return it.]

[YoungWolf777]

That was likely my article: Stripping Products Showdown.

Purple Power / Castrol Super Clean makes super glue bonds brittle and easier to break. I've had a few things that I still couldn't get apart, but it works the vast majority of the time.

[kturock]

yup..that was it..
what couldn't you break apart?
how long did you let it soak?

[YoungWolf777]

I've got some plastic CSM figs that soaked for over a week and still didn't come apart completely. Some joints did and they were superglue, so I doubt the original owner mixed glues and used plastic glue on some areas. Not that big of a deal though.

I've had many a metal fig literally fall apart after retrieving it from the tub, especially if it wasn't pinned.

[kturock]

Just a week? I left the guardians in for almost 2 weeks, checking and scrubbing them every couple days.

The FC sprue test was almost a month. At one point it sat 2 weeks straight without being touched.

[YoungWolf777]

I've left stuff for over a month when I get busy with school. I've found there's no real change either in the stripping action or the breaking glue bonds after the first 48 hours or so. Kind of like charging a battery. A steep curve at first that flattens out at a certain point.

[kturock]

HMM... well like I said.. the Fc came apart after a month.
The testors paint took awhile, with scrubbing in between.

but.. it's good to know.