most efficient chrome stripper?

I've seen so many threads about strippers, I don't remember what all works for which. Oven cleaner for most paint (specifics?), and a few days ago I saw something about Liquid Green, but don't remember what for. Is there a catch-all stripper that's efficient and inexpensive? Liquid Green is readily available, as store-brand oven cleaner ($1.58 a can). I vaguely remember someone even mentioning vinegar as a stripper, but I don't recall whethwer it was for paint or chrome.

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Reply to
Disco -- FlyNavy
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Easy Off oven cleaner has stripped about everything I've ever asked, from chrome to lacquer to acrylics, and it works in only a few minutes. It has never attacked the plastic in my experience. I might use two or three applications for irregular surfaces and also an old toothbrush for stubborn spots.

TF

Reply to
T. Forward

in article snipped-for-privacy@mb-m01.aol.com, Disco -- FlyNavy at snipped-for-privacy@aol.com.mil.nav wrote on 4/2/04 9:49 AM:

I would go with regular household Bleach. It's cheap, readily available, relatively safe to use, works quickly, and won't harm styrene.

MB

Reply to
Milton Bell

Disco:

The automotive degreaser Castrol Super Clean is what you want. $5.99/gal. The biggest reason I use it (other than the fact that it's an excellent overall paint stripper) is that it will also remove the primercoat as well as the chrome.

First time I stripped a Tamiya Mig-15- I used CSC. After 15mins the plating's gone- but a rather nasty gloss cream yellow undercoat was underneath it. I've found this similar coating on chrome/mettalic parts on Tamiya motorcycle and car kits as well.

After an overnight soak CSC - you're down to bare nekkid white plastic. No scrubbing w/toothbrush required. And you could re-use CSC once you've separated the liquid from the post-strip gunk. (with decreasing stripping effectiveness)

Here's an informal write-up on various paint strippers. It's a good read.

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Sat

Reply to
Saturn S. Padua

That is just the opposite from my experience.

I was stripping a satin plated Tamiya part and I decided for the 1st time to use Castrol. I usually use easy-Off or another caustic stripper (IIRC, made by Hangar 14 ?).

the plating was gone in several minutes, but the powdery clear coat remianed. Even overnight. I rinsed the part and put it in Floquil's Easy Lift Off (ELO) stripper and that took care of it.

So, my first experience with Castrol Super Clean was dissapointing.

Peteski

Reply to
Peter W.

Was the CSC in a sealed container? (I use one of those sterilite plastic shoeboxes) CSC needs to strip in a sealed plastic container in order for it to work effectively.

Other than that I don't know what to tell you. I've lost count of how many Tamiya "metallic" parts trees I've stripped with CSC-and they're all bone-white now. Never had a problem with the plating or the primer.

The three instances in my experience where CSC *didn't* work-

1.) Polar Lights Back to the Future Delorean (Time Machine) The plating was electoplated to the plastic- impossible to strip. 2.) Tamiya Acyrlic Lacquer- had some mask bleed-through on a Porsche windshield that I had rattle-can sprayed with TS-29 Semi-Gloss Black. The windshield spent two days in a sealed 35mm film canister immersed in CSC...no dice. 3.) Mr Surfacer 1000- (a lacquer AFAIK,) I had mixed hardware store lacquer thinner with Surfacer1K and primered a 72nd F/A-18C, which resulted in a very powdery/grainy finish. CSC couldn't put a dent in it after a week. (FWIW, I've read since that Mr.Color Thinner is the correct thinner for Surfacer)

I don't use aqueous acrylics, so I can't attest to CSC's effectiveness with them. Lacquers as a rule appear very resistant to CSC- but I've been able to strip Alclad II without problems.

Sat

Reply to
Saturn S. Padua

Sat, thanks dor all the info..

Yes, the part was not only in a sealed container, it was fully immersed in CSC. I'm not discarding CSC - I just need to "play" more with it to see its capabilities (the website you pointed to was wonderful).

Like I mentioned, the satin finish might have something to do with this issue. They use a satin lacquer instead of hi-gloss, then they alluminize the parts. It might be different type of lacquer than the shiny stuff.

Oh yes, I just used TS-29 Semi-Gloss Black for the first time. It is one of the worse smelling paints I've ever used ! But it puts on a very tough coat which is pretty much scratch proof. Good to know that it might be touch to remove. I do have an exhaust fan but it was still stinky compared to plethora of other solvent based paints I use.

It is also good to know that DeLorean is eleocroplated. I won't be buying it as it really needs to be repainted for a good stainless steel finish.

Thanks again ! Peteski

Reply to
Peter W.

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