Stripping paint off Bandai/Matchbox Joke Machine

[aaajin]

Hi MW-ers,

Maybe this has been discussed before; tried looking for paint stripping method online and on the board but could not find one specifically for Bandai's Joke Machine. So far Ive only found the following soaking methods :

1) Detergent/Industrial Cleaners (Pine Sol / Dettol / Simple Green / Purple Power)

2) Brake Fluid

3) Isopropyl Alcohol 91%

Ive disassembled the JM parts and soaked it in Pine Sol for a week, but seems like its not strong enough to strip the paint.

Tried brushing the paint off using a toothbrush after soaking it for a week, but somehow the paint was really hard to come off and some smeared on neighboring areas. Maybe the paint used on the JM is not suitable to be removed with Pine Sol?

Ive seen many JM custom before, so I was wondering if any customizer could share a method to strip the paint off a Bandai/Matchbox Joke Machine specifically? Or there is no way/very tough to strip it and therefore, Im left with priming/painting over the old paint?

Thanks in advanced!

[modelglue]

I've run into the same problem with pinesol smearing the original coat.

I actually immerse my model in pinesol and use a tooth brush to gently scrub away the unwanted paint. A little time consuming but worth it.

[Jefuemon]

I've heard that if you spray Easy Off oven cleaner in a bag, then seal the parts in the bag overnight, the paint will come off easily. Test before trying, though, since I have no practical experience with that.

[MechTech]

That's some good paint! I've cleaned real aircraft parts with it and that's how I found out about Pinesol being, well, a solvent (like the name). If the plastic is ABS, it should be safe to use on. Soaking for a week and then nothing, I'm astonished! - MT

[aaajin]

Thanks for all the replies. MechTech, yes, it seems that soaking it in pinesol for a week doesnt really help at all. I only barely managed to get about 50-60% off the yellow paint on the chest, and only 20-30% off the black ones (legs, cockpit & chest). And thats after cleaning it with a toothbrush. I'll try modelglue's immersing & brushing technique and see how it goes.

[AcroRay]

Those are solvent-based paints. They attack the plastic itself, the paint particles invading the plastic surface and binding into it. Pigments like black & red & yellow will actually dye the plastic material. You'll have a heck of a time removing these paints, especially in a manner that won't require priming & repainting those areas, because you'll have to scrape or sand down the 'invaded' surfaces below the paint.

Your best bet would probably be masking & repainting them with something like MonsterKolor, which is a hobby version of the same sort of solvent paints.

http://www.monsterkolorstore.com/

You might also try working it over with acetone, after the PineSol and other degreaser-style cleaners do their work. That may clear away some of the paint in the plastic surface that the degreasers won't lift. However, you're unlikely to get rid of all the pigment.

Edited March 31, 2014 by AcroRay