I have been experimenting with stripping paint by putting metal and plastic parts in a crock-pot full of plain water and running it on high for 24 to 48 hours. They are then scrubbed for a few minutes with an old toothbrush. The results are dramatic. The main advantage is that no toxic chemicals are used.

A full and on-going description of the results can be found here.

https://cibolalmrr.com/back-shop/stripping-paint-from-metal-and-plastic-parts/

Some before and after pics of a pair of Hubley cars I have used this on.

More to come on this process.

So the thin plastic parts warped and/or melted.

Its an interesting method. But since most of what I have that was “gobbed up” by a “paint monkey” is plastic…

Maynard I have done three different types of plastic. Yes the Polystyrene parts melted but the ABS held up just fine.

I think thin vacuum or injection molded items like model car parts will be ruined. Heavier more solid plastic like legos or toy car parts will be fine.

More info as I go.

If anybody has done this or decides to try it please post your results.

Why not just use 91% isopropyl alcohol in the crockpot and let it soak overnight?

Ahhhh… yet another use for the crock pot !

Craig Townsend said:
Why not just use 91% isopropyl alcohol in the crockpot and let it soak overnight?

Because he doesn’t want toxic chemicals nor offensive smells.

I wouldn’t think isopropyl alcohol stinks too much? But yes your right it is a chemical.

Craig, heated in a crock pot it would give off an odor. Unless you are just using the crock pot as a, ah, pot.

I never said heat, just soak…
I see something like this. Step 1 soak in 91 % overnight.
Remove all plastic parts. Drain 91%. Fill with water
Do water process as above.

Boiling temperature of water 212 F

Boiling temperature of alcohol 174 F

A key factor in distilling liqueur is the lower boiling point of alcohol. A crock pot operates in the range of 215 F. Boiling alcohol for 12 -24 hours will make your house smell like a hospital. It will also fill it with flammable ethanol vapor… If you want real excitement in your life why not boil Benzine? It is an excellent paint remover and will give you a nice volcano of flame where your kitchen use to be. Thus if you read the extended article I linked from the website you noticed the warning not to boil solvents, cleaners or other chemicals.

I sort of made this mistake in my first experiment where in I had previously soaked the test items in Pine Sol. This did nothing because it no longer contains enough pine oil to be effective against paint. I rinsed them multiple times but they still smelled. After four hours in the crock-pot the entire house wreaked. I had to move the crock-pot outside to finish that round. While otherwise harmless the house smelled like a turpentine factory for days. Mrs Boomer was not happy. I thought Topaz and I were going to have to move in with Rooster for a week to atone for this sin.

Now I don’t want to get ahead of myself, as this is an ongoing project but I am getting about an 80% success rate. Meaning items are coming out of the crock-pot and with just mild scrubbing are ready to go to the paint table as soon as they are dry. For the price of an old crock-pot and a half gallon of water that is an excellent return. The question remains; what to do with the other 20%?

This is where I am at right now. After 48 hours in the crock-pot the paint is softening considerably. That should make the use of detergents and mild solvents way more effective. I have examples now soaking in solutions of Alcohol, Super Clean (Purple cleaner), Scale Coat II Wash Away (a non-toxic hobby paint stripper) and Lacquer thinner for 48 hours (for those with no sign of softening). They all come out of the dip today. I should have results posted soon.

I am not claiming that this is the best way only that it is a non-toxic option you can do inside with little to no mess. So caveman math says 100 - 80 leaves 20. If the detergent cleaners work on just half of those then I only have to resort to lacquer thinner, naval jelly, varnish remover or similar 10% of the time. A significant difference in cost, mess and toxicity.

If you have a need for this then try it. If you got a question or comment about what I am doing then post it here. If you want to tell us how you do it completely differently then start your own thread. Above all else Please! Please! Please! if you are the guy who goes full throttle then damn the torpedoes!!! set your turkey fryer on “Flame-thrower” fill it with a mixture of hydrocloric acid and nitro-methane and when it goes nuclear burning down four city blocks while defoliating half the county…make sure you get pictures. You know how much we love pictures.

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I understood what you were saying Craig. I am just going in the order of least to greatest toxic. Starting of course with water. Eventually I will get to the grease they use at Pizza Hut because that stuff will remove tar from the garage floor.

No harm no foul train buddies!

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Boomer,
I have never heard of using Pine Sol as a stripper. I will make sure not to follow that example.

Are you trying to get the last 20% off with water, or are you willing to use something else.

Regardless this is a very interesting process. I wonder how it would hold up to brass soldered parts? As in cleaning before painting? Getting grease, grime off?

Has anyone come up with a way to remove paint from Bachmann Large Scale models short of a jack-hammer?

Robert