I have quite a few old models, that one way or another, need to be repainted. Now, having looked at the internet, alot of websites suggest using simple green. The problem is that its a product found in the US rather than Ireland.
So instead I've tried using other disinfectants for the task.
In the picture slideshow below is a bottle of dettol. The one in the green bottle. After leaving models in it for a week, the only difference was the smell, clean and fresh.
So that one is no good for me (except for cleaning the rest of the house).
Next I got dettol proper. I call it dettol proper, but its just the neat disinfectant with the pine smell, coloured brown until you add water and then goes white.
I popped the models into this and within an hour I noticed some paint 'bubbling'. After 24hours all the paint was bubbling.
Now for the hard part, removing the paint. I removed as much of the paint 'skin' as i could with a needle. I then soaked the model in hot water. In the hot water, using an old toothbrush I scrubbed the paint. In some cases it worked, but in most the paint 'melted' and left the colour on the model. Annoying. However all the detail can be seen so its not too bad.
The hot warm stops the model from having a sticky touch. I popped the models back into the dettol and have now left them for about a week, hoping that the more stubborn paint will now be easy to remove.
Also, use very old toothbrushes that you're willing to dump after, th paint tends to built up on the bristles in a tar like form. I let it soak in dettol neat between models and stir it in the hot water to help refresh it.
Seems to help a little.
Just a small update, but long overdue. Hope you enjoyed it!
