Federation Commander

I picked up some mini's from a friend and they were painted. I needed to strip the paint off.

Malleman recommended brake fluid and while that may have worked, Malleman said that it was messy. I didnt think my wife would have wanted me to do that in our kitchen sink.

I remembered the Scoutdad had used lemon scent easy-off. I put the mini's in a glass and sprayed a good amount of easy-off to cover them. I covered the top of the glass with saran wrap to stave off any fumes.

I thought I might have to wait over night and make a couple of attempts to get all the paint off.

It only took an hour and all the paint came off. I used an old tooth brush for some stubborn bits.

So if you need to strip a mini, I highly recommend easy-off.

"I really appreciate the suggestion, MAlleman. I really do, its just that the Misses doesn't like petroleum distillates in the kitchen sink."

Good to know.

If she doesn't know already, I wouldn't let the misses know about the caustic lye that is in the Easy Off. What she doesn't know won't hurt your domestic tranquility.

My wife banishes me to the far corner of the backyard when I use it, but it really does do a trick for stripping.

Just beware when using it on plastic (Zochii) minis, they will start to dissolve in it, without much notice. You can use it, but you need to watch them like a hawk.

"OWWW!"

That's what I get for trying to pat my own back...

I'm glad it worked.

I've tried a lot of things...

Acetone, MEK, TCE, Brake Fluid, Simple Green, ELO, etc... but I've never found anything as quick and easy as Easy-OFF!

Scoutdad wrote:"OWWW!"

That's what I get for trying to pat my own back...

I'm glad it worked.

I've tried a lot of things...

Acetone, MEK, TCE, Brake Fluid, Simple Green, ELO, etc... but I've never found anything as quick and easy as Easy-OFF!

Haven't been around any MEK in years. I can feel the headache coming on just remembering that smell....

MPK isn't all that much better. Nasty, nasty crud.

Pine Sol leaves a strong smell also --

And if you leave it a bit long it will melt plastic minis ---

djdood, that must be the reason my skin felt like it was burnin'. While using the toothbrush, I spritzed myself a little. I didnt feel it right away but after a while it was annoying and I had to wash up.

Yup. Easy-Off will give you quite a chemical burn (and it is excruciating in eyes).

I always wear rubber cleaning gloves and eye protection while stripping with it and have an old GladWare/Tupperware container that is dedicated strictly to stripping (and is marked as such) to prevent any food accidents later.

wedge_hammersteel wrote: "I really appreciate the suggestion, MAlleman. I really do, its just that the Misses doesn't like petroleum distillates in the kitchen sink."

All I have to say is whimp. What she doesn't know won't hurth her .
Seriously, I do al of my work in the Matt Cave, so my wife does not even notice.

I can gurantee that Easy Off will burn...been there, done that.

To add to the conversation from a safety view:
Acetone: Colorless, Flammable, common use is as thinner and nail polish remover.
MEK: aka methylethylketone attacks central nervous system leading to unconsciousness; noncarcinogenic but is mutagenic.
TCE: aka trichlorethylene or trichlorethane: absorbed thru the skin, gets into blood, travels to liver, liver cleans blood, TCE stays in liver and turns it into rubber. Get enough of this and the liver dies...then you die.
MPK: aka methylpropylketone: this is a neurotoxin and a liver toxicant.

From a professional stand, I'm telling you...these items should NOT be in your shops!

I see enough of those nasties at work that I don't want anything to do with them at home. Just the smell of MEK is enough to give me an instant headache too.

My stripper of choice is good old fashioned undiluted Simple Green and soak-time. If Simple Green can't do it (which is rare) I move up to Easy Off. The final escalation for me is paint thinner (acetone) but I've only had to do that once (and it was a complete failure, partially melting the plastic mini [but leaving the paint - what the heck?!?]).

Hod K'el wrote:I can gurantee that Easy Off will burn...been there, done that.

To add to the conversation from a safety view:
Acetone: Colorless, Flammable, common use is as thinner and nail polish remover.
MEK: aka methylethylketone attacks central nervous system leading to unconsciousness; noncarcinogenic but is mutagenic.
TCE: aka trichlorethylene or trichlorethane: absorbed thru the skin, gets into blood, travels to liver, liver cleans blood, TCE stays in liver and turns it into rubber. Get enough of this and the liver dies...then you die.
MPK: aka methylpropylketone: this is a neurotoxin and a liver toxicant.

From a professional stand, I'm telling you...these items should NOT be in your shops!

Just for clarification:
When I was using the MEK and the TCE... it was done at work. I was working as a medically-monitored HazMAT / HazWOPR technician. The chemicals were contained inside sealed fume cabinets and all appropriate PPE was employed.
Hod is correct - these are subtly dangerous chemicals with chronic effects adn should not be used on a whim!!!
SAFETY FIRST!!!