Stripping Rust-Oleum Automotive Primer

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

I have an old Eastern Carworks Northeast Caboose kit which I think is styrene but I’m not sure. Seems to me that Cody did a video on paonting a while back in which he primed a model with Rust-Oleum gray automotive spraycan primer.

So I did. When the primer dried it had a surface that looks a bit like a dry lake bed – cracked. Is there anything I can use to strip the Rust-Oleum?

Thanks,

Ed

2

I get the best performance from Denatured Alcohol. Make sure the Rust Oleum Automotive Primer is new, an old can of primer will not do good over Styrene.

Mel

Modeling the early to mid 1950s SP in HO scale since 1951

My Model Railroad
http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/

Bakersfield, California

I’m beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.

3

Mel –

Thanks very much. Maybe the age of the primer can had something to do with it. I’ll try the alcohol.

Ed

4

Use the 90% alcohol, not the70%.

5

That’s isopropyl alcohol and probably won’t even put a dent in it…Like MEL said…use Denatured Alcohol for better results. It has a solvent in it…but will not harm plastic. I use it all the time to strip paint completely from CMW model trucks/trailers and that is baked on.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denatured_alcohol

http://www.essentialhardware.com/sunnyside-83416-denatured-alcohol-157961.html?utm_campaign=google&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&gclid=Cj0KEQjw57W9BRDM9_a-

You may of had better luck with the rattle can primer, if You gave it light dust coats, with a drying time between each one. Too much paint on it, all at once, nothing for it to grab on the other paint, made it crack, when cured. Hard to get a fine spray coat with rattle cans…period.

Tamiya makes about the best rattle can spray paint…so I’ve been told…that includes primer…has a finer spray…probably cheaper than the Rustoleum. I use a lot of Tamiya paint…but I use an air-brush, in all My painting.

Take Care! [:D]

Frank

Then there’s the Big Stuff!

6

Stripping rattle can paint is not easy. 90% drug store alcohol won’t do anything, as others have said. I have used mineral spirits and a lot of scrubbing in the past, but it is a lot of work and it might harm the styrene if left too long. You might have better luck if the paint is cracking since it will allow the stripper to get under the paint.

I’ve never tried denatured alcohol, so I’ll go that route next time.

I’ve had great success with Krylon primer. It is safe for styrene and goes on thinner than most rattle can paints.

7

I have had good luck removing rattle can paint with Scalecoat.

I have also used Draino.