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UP1259
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 Posted - October 16 2013 : 9:53:23 PM
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I saw a tread on here where someone did a phenomenal job redoing a TYCO 4301 century as an accurate Penn Central engine. How do you strip a TyCO locomotive? HO websites say rubbing alcohol soak but I've also read that some are stubborn. Are TYCOs the type of plastic to handle nail polish remover? If so how long to soak?
Mike
Huron Locomotive Works
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Posted - October 16 2013 : 10:38:45 PM
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I usually use alcohol and soaking times vary. Then I use a toothbrush to get off the paint. Then I take some toothpaste and go over the whole thing until the paint is gone.
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Posted - October 16 2013 : 10:40:45 PM
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I'm pretty sure that nail polish remover is acetone. Acetone melts plastic. Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I'd be really careful about this!
Carpe Manana!
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Posted - October 16 2013 : 10:46:42 PM
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You do have to be careful with acetone/nail polish remover. I've never tried acetone on a Tyco shell, but I did manage to melt an Athearn shell in under an hour... 
I've used Pinesol on a few Tyco shells (trains and slot cars) with varying results. The worst that can happen is that it won't quite lift all the paint. I've never had an issue with Pinesol damaging the shell. You do have to take your time though and scrub pretty hard.
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Posted - October 16 2013 : 11:01:55 PM
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if you can find it, testors makes a plastic safe paint remover called ELO I usually get a dozen cans, more or less, and just drop the shell in a plastic spaghetti container....then when I remember after a week its still in there  I take a toothbrush and run the shell under warm soapy water...poof undec shell!
just me Ray... and just because I have Tyco doesn't mean I am not a model railroader
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Posted - October 16 2013 : 11:30:49 PM
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I've used automotive brake fluid. Give it about half a day and the old paint just floats off. I recently used it to strip a Tyco GP-20.
Using a toothbrush helps. for grills and other deep details. Just make sure that you wear eye protection and gloves.
-Thomas
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Posted - October 17 2013 : 03:11:13 AM
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NO! Nail Polish remover is acetone based will ATTACK plastic!!!!!
USE 91% Alcohol OR Poly S "ELO "Easy Lift Off" and a Q-tip.......WORK slowly, you don't want to remove the paint, JUST the lettering.....
You can also use NON-ACETONE Nail Polish remover its pretty much safe for plastic and whats to be used on plastic nails glued to the real thing for those who wish to have mile long finger nails in about 20 minutes.....
AGAIN WORK SLOW, you want to leave the paint, and remove just the decal or lettering!!!!!
~John
Many have tried to, and failed, ya just can't repair stupid...
Do NOT try to Idiot-Proof anything!!!! God, will simply create a better......IDIOT!
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Posted - October 17 2013 : 10:23:09 AM
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Mike,
I have used brake fluid for a number of years. It is affordable, and usually provides good results.
On the older American plastics [before 1980] it will usually not harm the model. There are cases where the fluid attacked the plastic and softened the model and the details. This has usually been on some of the import models. If you use this technique then limit the exposure time and watch the process closely. Until you have used this on a specific model, be very very careful. The newer import models vary in materials form production run to production run, so if it works on a certain brand one time, it may not be safe the next time.
Brake fluid will remove paint from your prototype car fender if you spill it and do not remove it quickly.
Regards, John ***************************
I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work. <> Thomas A. Edison
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Posted - October 17 2013 : 10:59:51 AM
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You may also want to try a product called "Super Clean", available in a spray bottle or larger gallon container at WalMart in the automotive supplies aisles. It comes in purple container color. It is a mild (to human hands) biodegradable grease-cutting detergent that I have used successfully on many old plastic swap meet cars I rebuild and repaint. I start with a 24 hr soak and then use a stiff parts brush (or toothbrush) to scrub the paint, then resoak for another 24 hrs to get at stubborn areas.
I use (otherwise) 91% alcohol for paint removal on plastic, but monitor it carefully and wash off (dish soap and tap water) the residue after scrubbing, as allowing the alcohol to air dry may weaken the old plastic- particularly with older-than-30-yrs styrene.
The Super Clean is rinsed the same way, but does not affect plastic.
Ron
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Posted - October 17 2013 : 8:34:17 PM
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Brake Fluid is the best! It strips paint of plastic beautifully.
Doesn't harm the casting.
I buy, repair, and collect
http://scvr.weebly.com/
http://seyboldlocomotiveworks.weebly.com/
http://www.youtube.com/user/TheDeputation?feature=watch
Hyde.
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Posted - October 17 2013 : 10:50:48 PM
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I use something called Chameleon. It's made to strip plastic models. I have not seen it harm any but, the stuff ain't cheap. Some TYCO paint falls off the model in sheets with this stuff, in about 20 minutes. Some paint are more stubborn.
Brake fluid does fine.
Easy Off oven cleaner has worked for me.
With any of these cleaners, I have found that as you try to rinse off the paint residue with water, the paint stripper is neutralized and some of the gooey paint re-adheres to the model. Scrubbing and dunking and scrubbing and dunking in the stripper is required for stubborn paint. Rinse with denatured alcohol helps. Be careful not to contaminate your stripper with the rinse.
P.S. I have some old tyco and athearn junker plastic shells that I use to test various paint strippers before I attempt it on a nice model.
A RailPower GE C32-8 before and after pictures. Two applications of Easy-Off.
Unspoken expectations are premeditated failures.
Edited by - NC shortlines on October 17 2013 11:00:23 PM
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babuff
Little Six
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Posted - October 20 2013 : 11:08:58 PM
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| I have great sucsess with 91% alcohol that you can pick up cheap at walmart. I soak in a one gallon can for a day or two. I then scrub using a toothbrush made for dentures. It is a stiffer bristle type and has a large brush and a smaller pointed one which is perfect for getting into corners and grill detail. After it dries I use ELO and q-tips for the remaining spots. TESTORS ELO is available from micro mart tools. some of the tyco paints may require more than one soak and scrub. It took 4 or 5 times to remove the silver paint from a silver streak and santa fe engine. As far as tooth paste DO NOT use any that are for whitening or polishing teeth. I ended up with scratches and even some very fine details being removed. remember paint doesn,t hide defects, it makes them more noticeable
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Posted - October 21 2013 : 12:09:47 AM
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Leo,
Your right paint doesn't hide details, if applied correctly, THICK paint hides details.....
~John
Many have tried to, and failed, ya just can't repair stupid...
Do NOT try to Idiot-Proof anything!!!! God, will simply create a better......IDIOT!
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Posted - October 21 2013 : 04:52:32 AM
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quote:Mike,
I have used brake fluid for a number of years. It is affordable, and usually provides good results.
On the older American plastics [before 1980] it will usually not harm the model. There are cases where the fluid attacked the plastic and softened the model and the details. This has usually been on some of the import models. If you use this technique then limit the exposure time and watch the process closely. Until you have used this on a specific model, be very very careful. The newer import models vary in materials form production run to production run, so if it works on a certain brand one time, it may not be safe the next time.
Brake fluid will remove paint from your prototype car fender if you spill it and do not remove it quickly.
Regards, John ***************************
I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work. <> Thomas A. Edison
Originally posted by JRG1951Â -Â October 17 2013Â :Â 10:23:09 AM
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I've heard, but not tried, that oven cleaner does a good job, too. After seeing what vandals did to an automobile by spraying it with oven cleaner, I tend to believe it. DISCLAIMER! I've never tried it, so what I say is only speculation. I'd try it on a scrap body shell first
RBNicholson
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Posted - October 21 2013 : 1:53:10 PM
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Well here are some others I've heard of and some, I've tried....
91% Alcohol. (I've heard it works, NEVER tried it)
Brake Fluid. Tried it and it DOES Work, and will remove paint.
ELO. works GREAT if allowed to "work" on the paint coating(s).
Pine Sol. DOES work but you MUST allow it to "Attack" the paint coating(s)....
Berkie-Bow 2+2 "Degreaser" spray on, rinse off....does work! BUT use twice, more then that and your shell will just go limp in your hand. Used to use it exclusively, till I relocated away from the 2+2 area....
Oven cleaner. does work I've heard, but never tried....
My first posting, I thought someone was merely trying to remove a decal to reapply another one in the old one's place.
ANY of these cleaners, I'd BE SURE to wash the shell when done in water and dish liquid soap to remove as much if not all Petro based "removers" finger prints, and anything else that's on the shell that may interact with the paint, oddly, when sprayed. To insure this a quick brushing of 71% Alcohol will work AFTER a washing of dish liquid soap! Allow to dry and then off to the paint booth you go.....
~John
Many have tried to, and failed, ya just can't repair stupid...
Do NOT try to Idiot-Proof anything!!!! God, will simply create a better......IDIOT!
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Posted - November 06 2013 : 11:15:59 PM
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The best paint stripper I have found is a product called "Wash Away", a Scalecoat Model Paint product that you can order directly from Walthers. This stuff is supper fast, most Tyco paint softens up and slips off the plastic after being submerged for about 15 minutes. More importantly, this product will not harm plastic! This product is also re-usable, after stripping a model, I simply pour this stuff back into it's bottle and save it for my next product. I was the modeler who made the Penn Central C430 model you mentioned and I used this product when I stripped the Rock Island paint off of the shell.
Scott
Proudly keeping Tyco Pluggers out of landfills since 2016
Edited by - Srenchin on November 06 2013 11:19:44 PM
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Posted - November 26 2013 : 1:29:33 PM
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91% Alcohol did the job on one of my engines. I found out the hard way - was using alcohol to clean the wheels and got it on the paint - PRESTO! - ruined paint job. But learned alcohol works and is cheap.
ArtSkull.com: Graphic Design & Illustration
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MikeK
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Posted - December 19 2013 : 9:48:07 PM
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I'll try to post before and after, using Easy-off. 
It's an AHM, runs ok. I found Floquil spray at the hobby shop, will try some.
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