I’m looking for some help on cleaning-up/ungluing/regluing and removing paint from some old buildings I’ve picked-up.
Most are solid, well assmbled, but some looks as if they were built by a 3 year old (sloppy glue application and painting, even some misaligned corners, roofs, porches, etc.) The majority are in nice to really good condition but I need some help on the few that aren’t. What is the best way to remove parts that weren’t aligned accurately (gaps, crooked) and also to remove the occasional sloppy painting? These are all plastic, most having been built from kits (a few kitbashed). Lastly, what is the best method to remove the base, (the area around the building {phony grass etc.} not the base/foundation).
A lot depends on what glue and paint was used that you’re trying to remove. Try a liquid plastic cement (from the inside) on a joint you want to open. Apply and allow it to soak a few seconds, then apply pressure to separate it. If you can get the building apart into flat wall sections, you can try paint removal with brake fluid of one of the commercial model paint removers.
The foundation, again, it depends on what was used to attach it.
The “phony grass” is usually part of the foundation/structure base/alignment. Cutting it off with a Dremel is probably the best solution. Try the previous response from Tom for glue/paint. My [2c]
Toss the buildings in your freezer overnite,then disasemble them right after removing them from the freezer. This should work on any joint except MEK and it might work in that if your freezer is set cold enough.
Actually if the better half doen’t object leave them in the feezer for a whole day,this will virtually guarentee that the glue will be brittle enough to break loose.Either way do the disasembling while the buildings are still very very cold.
“repainting” over he old is probably best - after they’re re-assembled. Too many paints soaked into the wood or ‘crazed’ the plastic. Cardboard I’d forget.
Depends on the glue. Waterbased ‘Elmers’ come to mind.