Safe Paint Stripping with LATA for $1.00!

[MechTech]

I recently bought a vintage model that was pre-painted on the sprues. It wasn't the color scheme I wanted to go with so I researched some common types of paint strippers safe for styrene. For several years I've said to use Pine Sol and 50% water, but heard mixed reviews about it being safe for styrene. Doing a search, the miniature RPG guys say that LA's Totally Awesome General Purpose Cleaner works great. So I gave it a try.

It is only $1.00 at most dollar stores in the U.S. In Canada ($3.00 for a jug). It looks like you can get it through Amazon. Here's LA's store locator link: http://www.lastotallyawesome.com/store-locator/

First the parts. These were painted with Tamiya paints. The miniature guys say this will take other paints off too with more time (like 8 to 12 hours) overnight.

The parts were then covered up with the cleaner UNDILUTED in a glass pan. Then allowed to soak for two hours. In a few minutes you could already see it begin working.

I then scrubbed the parts with a brush to get into recessed areas, but really didn't need to. The paint was coming off with a rinse of water like melting butter. You're not done yet. The cleaner leaves a residue on your fingers and parts. No problem! A bath in a basin of dish washing detergent cleans you and the parts off. Then just a rinse in warm water and then dry with a towel or air dry. The important part is this stuff is non-toxic and of course, won't mess with the styrene. I've seen cleaners ruin styrene before. They break down the plasticizers and weaken the bond. You can feel and hear it when you tap the plastic. The plastic parts now look new - Mint In Box! No damage was done to the finish or to the styrene makeup as far as I could tell. This stuff worked so good, I thought I'd share it with everyone here.

The de-greaser works so good, you may need to use some hand cream afterward or your hands will get chapped and dry. - MT

 

Edited August 17, 2020 by MechTech

[Gabe Q]

Thanks for taking the time to post that. It looks like a really useful technique.

[David Hingtgen]

Will it strip the underlaying clear lacquer layer, off of chromed parts?  (getting the chrome itself off is easy, it's the stuff between the plastic and the chrome, that is often incredibly stubborn)  

[MechTech]

Thanks, Gabe! It was so easy I just had to share it.

That's a good question, David! I do not know. That may be a good job for Pine Sol. I would test some out on sprues to be safe. I know Pine Sol got sap off of Christmas glass balls, then stripped off the gold color too! The lacquer coatings on styrene can be a challenge. Cars guys I know say oven cleaner works. I've heard Walmart's Great Value heavy duty oven cleaner works in a bag over the parts. I personally don't use oven cleaner because of the fumes, but I hear it's great as a paint stripper and of course, chrome and chrome/lacquer cleaner. I hope that helps! - MT

[Anasazi37]

40 minutes ago, MechTech said:

Thanks, Gabe! It was so easy I just had to share it.

That's a good question, David! I do not know. That may be a good job for Pine Sol. I would test some out on sprues to be safe. I know Pine Sol got sap off of Christmas glass balls, then stripped off the gold color too! The lacquer coatings on styrene can be a challenge. Cars guys I know say oven cleaner works. I've heard Walmart's Great Value heavy duty oven cleaner works in a bag over the parts. I personally don't use oven cleaner because of the fumes, but I hear it's great as a paint stripper and of course, chrome and chrome/lacquer cleaner. I hope that helps! - MT

Oven cleaner in a bag does work, but the fumes can be difficult to deal with and the coverage on the parts can vary, so you often have to apply it more than once. For acrylic paint, I just drop the parts in a container filled with classic Windex for a few hours and it does a great job, but it only works on acrylic. That's been fine for my projects, where I might screw up on a part and just want to strip it back down to the primer and start over. I generally use acrylics because they are much safer to work with and much easier to clean up.

Hadn't heard of LATA before, will have to give it a try.

[big F]

Ive used Mr Muscle oven cleaner but as Anasazi says you get a lot of nasty fumes and mixed milage from it.  

Car dot 4 brake fluid works also, but I have not done that so much as you have to submerge the parts and once done there are disposal issues, as its toxic, which where I live is a PITA as the local tip wont take it, and garages dont want it as its contaminated and the reclaimers dont like that.

Both  those methods usually require a fair but of scrubbing and after care.

Your method sounds much more appealing, thanks for sharing.

 

just gone onto Amazon and its £8.99 plus £4.30 postage to the UK for a 32oz bottle. Ouch.... now I know how the Auzzies feel buying Future floor polish.  Write ups on Amazon seem for the most part to be from model and miniature builders..LOL

 

Edited August 17, 2020 by big F

[peter]

I'm going to have to try this.

 

I have a bucket of K'Tingas I. We'd to try it on.

[MechTech]

Anasazi - This stuff tore through the Tamiya acrylics. I've known about oven cleaner for paints, but hate using it on ovens because of the fumes - so never tried it on models.

Thanks Big F and sorry! After being in the UK for a few years, I know what a pain it can be to get certain chemicals. It's sad that what costs us $1.00 (about .75 P) costs so much to get to you. That's funny that most write-ups are from modellers! An alternative that may work for you is Simple Green. There's videos out there on using it too as a paint stripper. I'm sure you're heard of it, but just in case you haven't: https://www.simplegreen.co.uk/

Peter - Looks like you're gonna need the big jug! - MT

[peter]

Haha, Simple Green works too?  I have that stuff at home, maybe I'll try that first because LATA is kind of a rip off in Amazon, hahahahahha!

[big F]

Im fairly sure at that price someone on MW could set up some kinda deal at 50% of that price and sell direct, Amazon prices some times are just plain stupid.

 

Its like the massive mark up for Future in Australia due to it being not sold there. Its more expensive than good Burbon.

Simple Green looks good and write ups are favourable, but its £15 per litre.  So pre postage is more than LA Awesome, as a litre is 35 fluid oz.

somebody is getting rich and its not me.

Edited August 17, 2020 by big F

[TMBounty_Hunter]

amazon.ca has always been a horrible disappointment and only a fraction as useful as either .com or .co.jp

If you're in Canada definitely check your local dollar stores for this stuff instead.

[MechTech]

Peter - $48.30!!! You'd think it was booze or something! Yeah, a lot of the cleaner/degreasers may work too.

Big F - Sorry man! The markup on Future IS horrible! Like I said, sometimes living in the UK is tough in terms of some hobby stuff

TM Bounty Hunter - I agree! Not living there, I wouldn't be familiar with what's around. I was hoping you guys could get it there too since I saw it up on Amazon. - MT 

[David Hingtgen]

Simple Green has a LINGERING smell.   Like, even after thoroughly soap/water scrubbed, and an alcohol bath, and scrubbed again, then painted, then you wait a year----you might STILL get a little whiff of that distinctive odor coming off the parts.  I refuse to use it any more for that reason.  

[big F]

6 hours ago, MechTech said:

Peter - $48.30!!! You'd think it was booze or something! Yeah, a lot of the cleaner/degreasers may work too.

Big F - Sorry man! The markup on Future IS horrible! Like I said, sometimes living in the UK is tough in terms of some hobby stuff

TM Bounty Hunter - I agree! Not living there, I wouldn't be familiar with what's around. I was hoping you guys could get it there too since I saw it up on Amazon. - MT 

I think the advantage of the US, is although, modelling as a hobby is in decline supposedly, the size of the left over community, is still massive compared to the UK. Add that to the US mentality of anyone can make it, business wise, you have, a price driven consumerism, that keeps your prices low. Those companies have no need to send product outside of continental USA, so don't really care about the price, as your population size keeps them busy. So if you want to pay $40 for a thing they sell for $2 then they are gonna win, and can justify the man hours used to special expedite your purchase. 

A few years ago when the $vs£ was better for the £ buying in the US and shipping it over was preferable for a lot of items, now its more equal not so great. 

Oddly I can still DHL an item from the US, cheaper than the same item going the other way. Apparently this is not entirely due to tax, as DHL just use the highest numbers and change the currency sign.

 

That said we do have cheap stuff here, just not things that clean paint from models someone messed up years ago.

 

A few years back, I did try and set up shipping Future out to my cousin in Australia, she lived near a model shop and when I told her about the mark up, she spoke to the shop who were interested, as I could send it out in bigger bottles, make a mark up and they’d still make a profit and be cheaper than everyone else.  My cousin would get items she cant buy in Oz packed for free. So everyone wins. Didnt work out in the end and she has now moved to some where that doesn't have a model shop.

 

Edited August 18, 2020 by big F

[MechTech]

Yeah, the differences between country's products and shipping can be crazy. Too bad your Future scheme didn't work out! - MT

[peter]

On 8/17/2020 at 6:20 PM, David Hingtgen said:

Simple Green has a LINGERING smell.   Like, even after thoroughly soap/water scrubbed, and an alcohol bath, and scrubbed again, then painted, then you wait a year----you might STILL get a little whiff of that distinctive odor coming off the parts.  I refuse to use it any more for that reason.  

Lol, I think the alternative is far worse.  The K'Tinga's have been sitting inside a box outdoors for around 30 years for so, and they've developed this funky smell that resembles a bad case of B.O. after feasting on raw garlic and onions for a week.

[big F]

9 hours ago, MechTech said:

Yeah, the differences between country's products and shipping can be crazy. Too bad your Future scheme didn't work out! - MT

So back in the day I used to fix mobile phones. I bought screens and other parts from a company based in Sydney, they’d ship to the UK in a couple of days. The service was awesome. One day Im talking to my account manager who asks why I buy from them,  turns out they get their parts from a supplier, whos about 10 miles away from my house. I had approached them in the past but they were more expensive.

Bonkers to think the carbon footprint those parts had. Made in the far east sent to the UK then to Oz then back to the UK.

[big F]

2 hours ago, peter said:

Lol, I think the alternative is far worse.  The K'Tinga's have been sitting inside a box outdoors for around 30 years for so, and they've developed this funky smell that resembles a bad case of B.O. after feasting on raw garlic and onions for a week.

I wonder how many of us have half baked kits from 30 years ago stashed in the garage or attic waiting for a second chance.

[Duymon]

This is a great tip. I've been looking for a new cleaner as up until now I've been using 'Super Clean' (the purple jugs) from Wal-Mart.

Also, hope that vintage big-foot turns out well

[peter]

1 hour ago, big F said:

I wonder how many of us have half baked kits from 30 years ago stashed in the garage or attic waiting for a second chance.

It would be cool to see other restoration/refurbishment projects.  Would be awesome to see what @MechTech and @wm cheng could do with a couple of old kits

[big F]

3 hours ago, peter said:

It would be cool to see other restoration/refurbishment projects.  Would be awesome to see what @MechTech and @wm cheng could do with a couple of old kits

Yes it would be great to see what they did with a plastic kit from the eighties that’s been butchered by one of our 9 year old selves. A double challenge on how to make it both look good and to be built well.

[peter]

5 hours ago, big F said:

Yes it would be great to see what they did with a plastic kit from the eighties that’s been butchered by one of our 9 year old selves. A double challenge on how to make it both look good and to be built well.

I'm even close to those two in terms of skill, but I am in the middle of resurrecting a few builds from over 30 years ago, lol!

 

[peter]

Btw, simply spraying on Simple Green doesn't work, I think the parts have to be completely immersed.  I was too cheap to try it, so I just sprayed it on, left it to soak overnight, scrubbed with hot water and though some of the paint came off, it wasn't like with LATA.

 

[peter]

After spraying them with Simple Green and letting them soak overnight, I scrubbed them down and this was the result:

It took some of the paint off.

But still left a bunch.  Took the decal off of this one.

This one was poorly brush painted.

Left the decal on this one.

So I'll try more.

Submerged the parts in undiluted Simple Green, let's see if it's easier to get the paint off tomorrow.

 

[Duymon]

I used to love simple green but not after a ton of space marines still smelled minty permanently 

[peter]

Paint is starting to come off after soaking for 24 hrs and a bit of scrubbing.  Will let it soak longer and scrub again later

[MechTech]

Big F - Why do you remind me of the TV show "Only Fools and Horses?" Do you have a Reliant Robin parked next to your VW Bug?

Thank you guys, I am very honored and humbled-really. The oldest -whole- model I think I have is from 25 years ago. My 1/100 Monster. It needs a new paint job after traveling around the world with me.

Let us know how it goes Peter after more soaking. It's looking good so far!

Duymon and Peter - I wonder if a light scrub/soak with baking soda would remove the smell? Can't have the Klingon's smelling minty fresh - it would ruin their reputation! - MT

[peter]

2 minutes ago, MechTech said:

Big F - Why do you remind me of the TV show "Only Fools and Horses?" Do you have a Reliant Robin parked next to your VW Bug?

Thank you guys, I am very honored and humbled-really. The oldest -whole- model I think I have is from 25 years ago. My 1/100 Monster. It needs a new paint job after traveling around the world with me.

Let us know how it goes Peter after more soaking. It's looking good so far!

Duymon and Peter - I wonder if a light scrub/soak with baking soda would remove the smell? Can't have the Klingon's smelling minty fresh - it would ruin their reputation! - MT

Lol, never thought of that....probably should have left it what the BO smell, hahahah!

[peter]

Some progress.  Scrubbed the hell out of these, but I'll probably let them soak another day or so.  Raining here anyway and I want to sun dry these parts after I wash the crud off.  

I guess I don't need to get them down to bare plastic, I just wanted to remove the paint with visible brush marks.  I'll sand whatever the Simple Green missed and try to get started on these guys soon.

[MechTech]

It's too bad that's as far as it stripped down. I would have hoped even more judging by the bubbles, like down to the plastic. At least all the sanding will build up your arm muscles - MT

[peter]

Haha, I think I was being overly optimistic.  The jug of Simple Green I had is at least 10 years old, the Testor's paint on the battlecruisers is at least 30 years old.  Those might be contributing factors?  Maybe if the Simple Green was a fresh jug, it might be more potent?

The grey stuff is sprayed on, and I can't even recall if it was Testor's gray, engine enamel primer, or something else.  The rest of the colors were all Resorts enamel, all brushed on.  If anything, I hope that this process at least got rid of most of the paint that was brushed on to hide the brush marks.

This morning:

One of the K'Tingas is mostly stripped.  The one on the right is still pretty stubborn 

I just gooped on that bronze didn't I?

Since it's raining, I'll let the parts sit in the bath a bit longer.  I'll rinse this stuff off when the sun comes out then let the parts dry under the sun.

 

[MechTech]

I'd let it soak another day! Then wash it with soapy water and some baking soda (to get rid of the perfume). It's looking much cleaner! - MT 

[peter]

35 minutes ago, MechTech said:

I'd let it soak another day! Then wash it with soapy water and some baking soda (to get rid of the perfume). It's looking much cleaner! - MT 

Will do, thanks for the tip.  This is the first time I've seriously tried to remove paint to refurbish a model.  

[Gabe Q]

7 hours ago, peter said:

Will do, thanks for the tip.  This is the first time I've seriously tried to remove paint to refurbish a model.  

We should start a thread about refurbishing old models. I guess it would be similar to the "what's on your workbench" thread. 

[MechTech]

That sounds like a great idea! Who's up for it? - MT