Stripping models using Green Nitromors
- Thread starter Rob_A
- Start date
Dredd Times
Administrator
If you are planning on using any solvent based strippers to clean paint from miniatures there are a few very simple things you really need to take into account that are none the less very important.
1. Confinded spaces: Many solvent based strippers such as Nitromorse give off very powerful fumes that can be overpowering very, very quickly, so always make sure that you use any such products in a well ventilated area, preferably outdoors (ie garden, garage, etc) if you can.
2. Health: If you suffer from Asthma or any other chest infections or illnesses DO NOT use these form of paint strippers as they will seriously damage your health, even in a well ventilated area! Very important.
3. Spillage: Nitromorse is a pretty nasty substance to use when you strip models as it eats away at the layers of paint with comparative ease, so when you do handle your miniatures always make sure that you wear protective gloves (the rubber ones used for washing dishes will work as they wont melt unless you are very, very unlucky). Also avoid getting Nitromorse on your clothes as this stuff can burn through them onto skin again not nice. If you do get any on your skin wash it off immediatly and if problems arise go to the nearest A&E taking the product with you!
Method and tools need.
There are several ways of stripping miniatures with Nitromorse but most of them revolve around the same principal.
You will need the following:
Nitromorse: (available from most hardware stores though if you are under 18 you may have to get an adult to purchase it for you!)
Sealable jar: Old coffee jars or jam jars will work great for this, but make sure that it is made from GLASS as over time nitromorse will eat through almost anything.
Long Nose Pliars:Make sure that they are not the kind with plastic sleeves.
Toothbrush: An old toothbrush will do or a very cheap one, failing that use a small nail brush.
Procedure
Step One: First place the miniatures you wish to strip into the glass jar and make sure that any plastic parts are removed as they will most likely melt or become damaged. Fill the jar about half way with miniatures rather than all the way to the top as this makes sure that all the models will get coated with the Nitromorse.
Step Two: Pour Nitromorse into the jar so that it just covers the miniatures and anything that is painted is submerged completely. Make sure that you use Nitromorse as detailed above in a well ventalated area. When done put the lid on the jar and leave it in a safe place where it cant be knocked over.
Step Three: The time that you will need to wait depends on a couple of factors, namely being how heavily coated the miniatures are and what they have been painted with. Enamels and Oil based paints will take a lot longer to strip than those models that have been painted using acrylics, as acrylic is basically plastic. Leave the models for between 1-2 hours for lightly painted miniatures (painted with acrylics) or for up to 5 hours for heavy paint jobs with acrylics or enamels. Rule of thumb DO NOT leave models in the Nitromorse for longer than a day as over time the chemicals can affect the miniature, leaving it pock marked or very difficult to paint on even when cleaned.
Step Four: Wearing your gloves remove the miniatures using the long nosed pliars and carefully place them on an old non porous surface such as an old dinner plate or tile, shaking any excess fluid off the miniature into the jar. If the miniatures were superglued together the glue with have dissolved and the parts will come away from each other when you get to this step. Make sure that you get all the parts of the model out and then transfer the whole pile to a sink and put the COLD faucet/tap on to run, open a window if possible. On NO account should you use the hot tap as this could give off toxic fumes.
Step Five: Rinse the miniature parts under the running tap to get rid of the goop that has now collected on the miniature and gently using the toothbrush/nailbrush scrub the paint away to reveal the bare metal beneath. Again make sure that you aviod getting the fluid on your skin.
Step Six: Don't forget to make sure that you replace the lid on the jar and store it away safely. The contents of the jar should last for ages and allow you to strip at least 30 models maybe more depending on the paint on them. Always store the jar in a safe place away from heat sources and direct sunlight.
If you need any more help or advice just mail me.
Marc
1. Confinded spaces: Many solvent based strippers such as Nitromorse give off very powerful fumes that can be overpowering very, very quickly, so always make sure that you use any such products in a well ventilated area, preferably outdoors (ie garden, garage, etc) if you can.
2. Health: If you suffer from Asthma or any other chest infections or illnesses DO NOT use these form of paint strippers as they will seriously damage your health, even in a well ventilated area! Very important.
3. Spillage: Nitromorse is a pretty nasty substance to use when you strip models as it eats away at the layers of paint with comparative ease, so when you do handle your miniatures always make sure that you wear protective gloves (the rubber ones used for washing dishes will work as they wont melt unless you are very, very unlucky). Also avoid getting Nitromorse on your clothes as this stuff can burn through them onto skin again not nice. If you do get any on your skin wash it off immediatly and if problems arise go to the nearest A&E taking the product with you!
Method and tools need.
There are several ways of stripping miniatures with Nitromorse but most of them revolve around the same principal.
You will need the following:
Nitromorse: (available from most hardware stores though if you are under 18 you may have to get an adult to purchase it for you!)
Sealable jar: Old coffee jars or jam jars will work great for this, but make sure that it is made from GLASS as over time nitromorse will eat through almost anything.
Long Nose Pliars:Make sure that they are not the kind with plastic sleeves.
Toothbrush: An old toothbrush will do or a very cheap one, failing that use a small nail brush.
Procedure
Step One: First place the miniatures you wish to strip into the glass jar and make sure that any plastic parts are removed as they will most likely melt or become damaged. Fill the jar about half way with miniatures rather than all the way to the top as this makes sure that all the models will get coated with the Nitromorse.
Step Two: Pour Nitromorse into the jar so that it just covers the miniatures and anything that is painted is submerged completely. Make sure that you use Nitromorse as detailed above in a well ventalated area. When done put the lid on the jar and leave it in a safe place where it cant be knocked over.
Step Three: The time that you will need to wait depends on a couple of factors, namely being how heavily coated the miniatures are and what they have been painted with. Enamels and Oil based paints will take a lot longer to strip than those models that have been painted using acrylics, as acrylic is basically plastic. Leave the models for between 1-2 hours for lightly painted miniatures (painted with acrylics) or for up to 5 hours for heavy paint jobs with acrylics or enamels. Rule of thumb DO NOT leave models in the Nitromorse for longer than a day as over time the chemicals can affect the miniature, leaving it pock marked or very difficult to paint on even when cleaned.
Step Four: Wearing your gloves remove the miniatures using the long nosed pliars and carefully place them on an old non porous surface such as an old dinner plate or tile, shaking any excess fluid off the miniature into the jar. If the miniatures were superglued together the glue with have dissolved and the parts will come away from each other when you get to this step. Make sure that you get all the parts of the model out and then transfer the whole pile to a sink and put the COLD faucet/tap on to run, open a window if possible. On NO account should you use the hot tap as this could give off toxic fumes.
Step Five: Rinse the miniature parts under the running tap to get rid of the goop that has now collected on the miniature and gently using the toothbrush/nailbrush scrub the paint away to reveal the bare metal beneath. Again make sure that you aviod getting the fluid on your skin.
Step Six: Don't forget to make sure that you replace the lid on the jar and store it away safely. The contents of the jar should last for ages and allow you to strip at least 30 models maybe more depending on the paint on them. Always store the jar in a safe place away from heat sources and direct sunlight.
If you need any more help or advice just mail me.
Marc
CheesyRobMan
Mongoose
In the UK, Dettol antiseptic liquid (the brown stuff) is a very good equivalent to Simple Green and does much the same thing. Smells a bit but is completely non-toxic. The only slight drawback is that it does not mix with water so you have to be a bit creative when actually washing things in it!
LaranosTZ
Mongoose
One thing I've noticed about products like simple green, and from what I'm hearing 'dettol' is that they don't really strip the minis, they more 'loosen' the paint on the minis. Often times when I've submerged models in simple green, I had to apply a toothbrush in order to get the paint off, though the paint came off in rubbery, almost latex-like sections, 'peeling' off as the brush passed over it.
The advantage is though that I've left metal and plastic models in simple green for days at a time and not suffered any more damage then simple discoloration on the plastic components. I -have- noticed though that the composition of the plastic can make a pretty big difference in how well the paint comes off the surface. Some of the older GW plastic minis bonded pretty heavily with the paint at the time, and no amount of soaking could really get rid of all of it.
The advantage is though that I've left metal and plastic models in simple green for days at a time and not suffered any more damage then simple discoloration on the plastic components. I -have- noticed though that the composition of the plastic can make a pretty big difference in how well the paint comes off the surface. Some of the older GW plastic minis bonded pretty heavily with the paint at the time, and no amount of soaking could really get rid of all of it.
I was... Mongoose Adrian
Mongoose
Always use outside...
Get yourself a pair of Nitrile gloves (blue chemical resistant Marigolds essentially) or other chemical resistant gloves.
Get some White Spirit.
Glass or ceramic containers to hold the stuff. I used to use a jam jar for the Nitromors and a small bowl for the White Spirit.
Soak for a couple of minutes in Nitromors, now scrub the model in the palm of your hand (wearing the gloves obviously) first just with Nitromors then dip the toothbrush in White Spirit and scrub with that as well. The mixture really shifts the paint. Just Nitromors goes gooey with the paint, evaporates and doesn't come off very well, White Spirit stops this. Repeat as necessary. When clean wash in soapy water.
As said if the model has been painted in purely acrylic the paint will fly off, if not longer soaking will be the order of the day...
NOTE. White Spirit dissolves Nitromors and makes it MUCH easier to clean off afterwards... In fact I normally wash the fig in White Spirit then in soapy water.
I've found trying to clean off Nitromors just with water is a pain, it tends to blob up. If cleaning in a sink the residue could melt the U-Bend even. The Spirit puts the Nitromors into suspension then the soap can do it's detergenty thang much easier.
Don't get the Nitromors on your skin it burns like buggery.
(Umm just reading the outside of a Nitromors can could have given all this info though :wink: )
Get yourself a pair of Nitrile gloves (blue chemical resistant Marigolds essentially) or other chemical resistant gloves.
Get some White Spirit.
Glass or ceramic containers to hold the stuff. I used to use a jam jar for the Nitromors and a small bowl for the White Spirit.
Soak for a couple of minutes in Nitromors, now scrub the model in the palm of your hand (wearing the gloves obviously) first just with Nitromors then dip the toothbrush in White Spirit and scrub with that as well. The mixture really shifts the paint. Just Nitromors goes gooey with the paint, evaporates and doesn't come off very well, White Spirit stops this. Repeat as necessary. When clean wash in soapy water.
As said if the model has been painted in purely acrylic the paint will fly off, if not longer soaking will be the order of the day...
NOTE. White Spirit dissolves Nitromors and makes it MUCH easier to clean off afterwards... In fact I normally wash the fig in White Spirit then in soapy water.
I've found trying to clean off Nitromors just with water is a pain, it tends to blob up. If cleaning in a sink the residue could melt the U-Bend even. The Spirit puts the Nitromors into suspension then the soap can do it's detergenty thang much easier.
Don't get the Nitromors on your skin it burns like buggery.
(Umm just reading the outside of a Nitromors can could have given all this info though :wink: )
Rob_alderman said:
Sweet Zombie Jesus! I've never met a mini that wouldn't submit to the will of Simple Green. What the hell are your minis painted with? And did you dilute the SG? That can make a difference, too. I use mine straight.
And, to address someone's earlier point, yeah, SG doesn't really strip the mini so much as it loosens its hold on the fig so you can pull it off w/ a toothbrush or something.
On the upside, it's completely Non-Toxic (had a buddy of mine accidentally take a big swig out of a glass) and safe (so far as I've discovered) on plastics. It <i>can</i> loosen superglue, though, so be careful on custom assembly.
-Ken
Shallowain
Mongoose
On the matter of Simple Green, Does anybody know where I can get it or an adequate substitute in Germany? I need something that is harmless to resin and plastic.
You can get Simply Green in the UK but you have to buy it from the importer. I forget the details but I found it a year or two back using Google.
For metal miniatures another rather unpleasant but quite effective paint stripper is cellulose thinners which is amazingly cheap if you buy it quantity. It will strip the moisture out of your skin so wear gloves though as the cracked skin you get can be painful.
For metal miniatures another rather unpleasant but quite effective paint stripper is cellulose thinners which is amazingly cheap if you buy it quantity. It will strip the moisture out of your skin so wear gloves though as the cracked skin you get can be painful.
Jiraiya
Mongoose
What he said.Bostich said:
Also (at least here in the States), there is a device called the 'Sonic Scrubber' which works great in conjunction with Simple Green.
It is a cleaning device that looks like a Electric oscilating toothbrush, except is is used to clean things around the house. After soaking your minus in SG overnight, this will remove ALL of the paint from it.
I know because I too just purchased a ACTA army off EBay.Jiraiya
Silverback
Mongoose
I've recently used Mr Muscle Oven Cleaner on a resin model. Placed in a resealable plastic bag, sprayed it until fully coated, sealed bag, left for 36 to 48 hours. Peel off paint.
