Hey Guys–
I searched the forum (which I don’t think I’ve quite mastered yet, so forgive me) for this and didn’t see it. I picked up an Athearn Blue Box SD-40 (Soo Line), and I’d like to strip it, repaint it for my shortline, and get it running again. I’d just like some tips on getting the paint off, and keeping the plastic and the fine details intact. Thanks for the help
kyle
Hello, Kyle.
The best stuff I have found for paint stripping is 91% Isopropyl rubbing alcohol (at any local pharmacy)
Remove the shell from the frame, and remove any electronics (if any are mounted on/ in the shell, such as LED lights that may have been added) and remove the window glazing.
If possible, try to break the shell down into it’s individual components (i.e. hood/walkway assembly, cab, and Dynamic Brake housing) to make it easier to work with.
After that, place the shell (or pieces) into the airtight tub full of the isopropyl alcohol, close the lid, and let it sit for 30 minutes- 1 hour.
After that, take a cheep brush with stiff bristles, and scrub the shell to remove the paint. It’s that easy.
If you keep the isopropyl alcohol in a sealed, air-tight container, you can use it many more times for many more shells before you need to replace it.
I hope this helps
Ditto above. 91% alcohol. I use a tennis ball sleave as the container, but the snout of your SD will likely stick out and require you to turn it over.
If you’re going to do this more than once, some folks build there own container out of PVC, likely about 2-3" diameter with one permanent end cap and another being removable.
I havn’t heard of that type of container before, but it sounds like it would work better than my container.
91% {rubbing} alcohol works the best.
Please note: “regular rubbing alcohol” at the pharmacy is 70%…look carefully to make sure you get the 91% variety as the other doesn’t work like the 91%.
Both should be available at any pharmacy and are definitely in the pharmacy section of Wally world {Walmart}.
any container that allows you to submerge your shell will be fine, though some other examples are given here.
Use an old tooth brush to gently “help” the paint off on stubborn spots or areas of lots of details.
I’ve found methyl hydrate to work well on Athearn BB paints. It’s available at paint stores, home improvement centres and hardware stores. Wear rubber gloves when using it and work in a well-ventilated area. Kept in a sealed container, it can be used repeatedly.
Wayne
I’m also in the 91%, mine’s in a sealable Rubbermaid tub sized that I can even drop in a trio of Superliner shells, so multiple projects can be stripped. Most it’s held was a whopping 32 20’ containers. I toss mine in at night and come back the next moring, but you don’t always need that long. Be sure to wash the shell before you repaint it.
I’m not a big proponent of reducin gto pieces. It may help ya, but it’s amoot point and thingscan get lost. . I do reccomend a cheap toothbrush, if you have one spare from the dentist, grab one with a tongue cleaner on the back. (Rubber thing). It’s a good helper to start removal of stubborn paint. Most of the time, the bristles will do the job of scrubbing, and it’s a simple cakewalk after a good soak. but you may need someting firmer but not abrasive to scrape paint and not model. Once there’s a hole in the paint layer for the Isopropyl to get into and under, it’ll work pretty quickly.
Also remember too: alcohol evaporates quickly, and it WILL sap the heat out of your hand if the room your in is not well insulated. (Liek say, a garage with the bay-door open) Mine were almost numb the other daym and it was 60s out.
Hello
Kyle I don’t mean to hijack your post but I would like to know if the 91% alcohol will work on any shell or just the BB shells or any paint ? I have a old Varney caboose my dad painted it green in the late 40’s or early 50’ . the shell looks to be red. And I think the paint was High Ball I found some old jars with the caboose. Thanks Frank
Kyle, you can use the day old Coffee from Elliot’s Dinner as well.[:D]
Ken
While I haven’t tried the 91% alcohol approach, I have successfully stripped several Athearn Blue Box loco shells (and one old Tyco shell) using cheap DOT 3 brake fluid (I already had it on my shelf). Place the shell in a quart size zip-lock baggie, pour in enough brake fluid to cover most of the shell, zip closed all but the very corner of the baggie, squeeze out all the remaining air, then finish closing the baggie. Leave the shell overnight and the old paint will wash off with water next day. None of the shells were damaged or softened by the brake fluid, nor did any become brittle. Wash with soap and water, dry and repaint as desired. This worked for me on Blue Box shells but maybe others have had different results.
Isopropyl will work on any shell as painted by the factory or painted with acrylics. With one possible exception in a set of Athearn 20ft containers I own, but those may be custom runs I don’t know for sure.
Here’s the thing: Isoprpyl is not strong enough to lift enamel paints, such as what comes in airbrush and rattlecan bottles most often. Then you need to resort something stromnger, like Scalecoat or Easy Lift Off.
Brake Fluid: It does work on some shells. Some however can be easily relduced to powder, or slivers. The common advice here is do’t do it until you know for sure that that shell is safe, and what in the caboose you are doing. as it is, ELO is potent enough to ruin a plastic shell if left to soak too long.
Hello, Frank. I’m not 100% sure, but I think the 91% isopropyl alcohol will work with that caboose. Even if it doesn’t work, there will be no harm done to the model, so you can try and see.
The 91% Isopropyl alcohol that others have suggested ought to work. To strip a plastic shell, you want a solvent strong enough to soften the paint but not so strong it eats the plastic. Trouble is, plastic and paint are fairly simular chemically speaking, so solvents that eat paint often eat plastic too.
Leave the shell in the solvent no longer than necessary to soften the paint. If you give the solvent enough time, it may eat the plastic shell too. Get the shell out of the solvent as soon as the paint is soft enough to remove with an old toothbrush.
Alcohol is a fairly benign solvent, it won’t eat most things. It’s worked for me. I’ve also had some good luck with Pinesol, full strength from the supermarket. Others have used brake fluid, although word has it that brake fluid can make the shell brittle. I’ve never used it myself. Nor have I tried Easy Liftoff. When using a new (new to you) solvent try it on a small, preferably expendable, piece just in case something goes wrong. Keep an eye on it . Don’t leave the piece in the solvent any longer than necessary.
Keep notes on what worked, what it worked on, and how long you left it in the solvent, and what it was. Different paint, (different manufacturers used different paint at various times) will require different solvents and different soak times.
If we were really brisk here, someone would start a topic on paint stripping and note down what worked for them. Others could add comments about what worked for them. We could keep it going for years. I’d kick it off except I haven’t stripped anything for a few years and I didn’t keep notes, so I don’t really remember what I used, and how long I used it.