Weaver paint formulations

My 2nd pick when alcohol does not work is cheap brake fluid. Some folks say it will eat all plastics......been using it for 30+ years with out an issue....use at your own risk!!! 

I stripped five Weaver E8s. 

 

With one A-A set (factory painted SP 'black widow') one of the units stripped almost completely in 91% alcohol over 2-3 hours while the black on the other unit took three days to loosen.  Even then it required hard scrubbing with a toothbrush to get it cleaned up.  

 

On another A-A set (I'm pretty sure it was factory painted NYC lightning stripe) it took almost a week to get the paint off.

 

Don't give up it eventually comes off.

 

Thanks guys.  I want to avoid using the brake fluid or similar solvents until I have no other choice.  I have heard the same thing about it affecting the plastic, but have no experience one way or the other.  

 

So far the stubborn cars have been soaking for 24 hours.  I have gotten after them with a toothbrush, resulting only in the lettering coming off.  The base paint adhered to the shell doesn't yet seem to want to budge.  Which is ok.  They can sit there for as long as need be as long as I know it should lead to success.

 

Thanks again,

Jim

One that works on some paints is Pine Sol (the genuine stuff as opposed to the knock-offs). Takes about 24 hours to loosen the paint without attacking the plastic. Less volatile than alcohol. The one thing it doesn't seem to work on is MTH products. Rumor has it their paint is electrostatic bonded.

don't take this the wrong way, but it may be possible what you think is paint is actually colored plastic. Weaver had been known to cast body shells in various color plastic.

 

Another way to strip paint is to us a strong alkaline chemical like caustic, sodium silicate or bleach. Be careful and test but it shouldn't affect the plastic.

The problem is the old lettering showing through the new paint.  Once the lettering is removed, you can paint over the old paint.  

Ed

I've found that a Magic Eraser works better than a tooth brush.  I've also use Simple Green to strip paint but usually use Alcohol.

For the past 30 years i've been using Castrol GTLMA brake fluid on plastics with good success and no harmful effects.

 

jackson

I am with Ed Kelly on this one.

Thanks for all the replies so far.  I did a double check already to see if the shell was cast in colored plastic.  It doesn't appear so.

 

For the near term, I am going to let these shells continue to soak to see if that produces the desired effect.  Failing that, I will move on to some of the other alternatives suggested in this thread.

 

Thanks again,

Jim