Purple Power - How long should it soak?

[seeker589]

Ok

I botched a paint job. I attempted to use Brake fluid as a stripping medium with little success.

So I went out and got some Purple Power and submerged the body in that. It is a Revell/Monogram '69 Six-Pack Super Bee molded in white.

The paint is a Camo Olive drab - I think it is by Krylon.

How long should it soak? Will the Purple Pond attack the plastic?

Edited June 24, 2011 by seeker589

[jeffs396]

As long as it takes Tim...I've had an MPC Fiero GT in the purple pond now for over a month

It hasn't adversely affected any styrene I've tried as of yet.

[seeker589]

As long as it takes Tim...I've had an MPC Fiero GT in the purple pond now for over a month

It hasn't adversely affected any styrene I've tried as of yet.

WOW!

What kind of paint are you trying to strip?

[Harry P.]

WOW!

What kind of paint are you trying to strip?

Bionic paint, apparently!

[Marc @ MPC Motorsports]

Not necessarily. I've had builders from the early 1960's that were brush painted with Testors enamels that the "purple pond" would not touch, even after a month. It took ELO or Chameleon paint stripper to get that stuff off. On the other hand, I have successfully stripped Testors Flat Black rattle can from several interiors, a paint that is quite impervious to most strippers.

[jeffs396]

WOW!

What kind of paint are you trying to strip?

LOL...not sure, I bought it at a show for $3

Styrene looks great, and the paint looks to be just about all off.

[charlie8575]

I've been able to get lacquers to strip in SuperClean, it takes a while, though.

Oven cleaner will also work for lacquers. I've never had luck with brake fluid.

Charlie Larkin

[Chuck Most]

It took ELO or Chameleon paint stripper to get that stuff off.

So... if I crank up "Mr. Blue Sky" or "Strange Magic" the paint will come right off?

[charlie8575]

So... if I crank up "Mr. Blue Sky" or "Strange Magic" the paint will come right off?

I prefer "Evil Woman," myself...

Charlie Larkin

[charlie8575]

i just threw a body in the purple pond and 5 mins later it was clean...paint type unknown but heat was the factor, its still over a 100 out here

I've heard that when the stuff is warm, it seems to act faster.

Five minutes?? Wow. How long was that paint on for?

Charlie Larkin

[Chuck Most]

Most of the Testors enamels will strip quite quickly, especially if the Purple Stuff is warm. I've had some in the tub for five or ten minutes, and when I took them out, the paint was already dripping off.

[spad007]

some paints i had to use Ronsonol or Zippo lighter fluid and a brush or rough rag. then back in the pond

then if it dyed the plastic or stained it i wipe it down again with lighter fluid i do not leave the fluid on or let it pool on the plastic

so no problems yet then wash the oily residue from the plastic i use simple green and thence liquid soap like dawn dish soap.

pat dry with paper towel then use tack rag to prep for repaint or store in clean box then tack rag it clean when ready to paint.

i wonder if prep sol would work nah to hot i bet.

blow compressed air like you are painting and tack rag again to get dust the air moved from hidden places.

then Paint

[Longbox55]

***Oh, I forgot...you can leave styrene parts in the Purple stuff as long as you want...it has ZERO effect on styrene. However, don't even think about using it with resin. Many resins will soak in the Purple, get rubbery, and never be usable after that.***

Don't put diecast in the Purple Pond, either, you won't get it back. The lye in the purple cleaners will eat the aluminum in the alloy.

[Aaronw]

As far as being safe for plastic I put a part into my vat-o-Castrol Superclean to strip some paint and forget about it for six months. The plastic was unharmed and there was no trace of paint left.

[seeker589]

I left the body in the pond for 24 hours. With some mild toothbrush scrubbing - just about all the paint was off.

The body is primed and gassing out for color later this week or earlier next.

Thank you for all your help and advice!

[Lunajammer]

If I may quote a Monkee, "I'm a believer." All this talk of "purple pond" made me go out and buy some and just SEE if it lives up to the hype and whether it dares be compared to the success of my tried and true brake fluid. Whadda ya know, it's awesome. Brake fluid does the same job but it dries the plastic and makes it brittle and your parts often separate at unpredictable places because of plastic breakage. Purple made quick work of my chrome and 30-year old sprayed enamel and I see no sign of harm to the plastic. Once you go purple you never go... burple... or something.... never mind.

[Drake69]

Purple Power WILL strip lacquers... but it will take quite a while to do it. I had a body sprayed with Model Master One-Coat soak in PP over a week with daily "agitation" (hot water, toothbrush, back in PP...) before it finally stripped it, but it did it.

And it does work better when it's warmer.