What's The Best Way To Repaint A Vehicle?

My first vehicles, I stripped with caustic soda/water mixture and it stripped down almost 100%. Then it was just repaint as you wish again. I used a 40%caustic soda/60%water mixture. Maybe make it a bit more diluted as too much caustic soda will cause too much heating in the chemical reaction and warp the thinner parts of your model. Add a little at a time and try removing the paint with a tooth brush after 1 hour. If it strips slowly, steep again. If it doesnt strip, add a little more caustic and steep again.
Wear gloves and be careful, this stuff can cause severe irriatation and burns if it comes into contact with your skin, but mainly harmless to plastic. It workjed for me and I was happy enough to know that I could use this method again.

Well, it depends on what you have used first. Enamels or Acrylics?

In the past, when I used enamels, I would take the model apart in sub-assemblies (if possible) and put the pieces in a large ziplock bag. I would spray in a generous amount of easy-off oven cleaner and let it sit for a day or two. AT trhis point you should be able to take a firm toothbrush to it and the paint should come off.


Acryilics?.....well i have not repainted any yet, so I would like to know the answer to that one.

For acrylics I found using powder soap works for striping the paint, just put the model in a water + powder soap solution and let it overnight, them brush it under clear water using a tooth brush, take care of small details...
HTH

Just a thought, would it be easier to just re-prime the thing than strip the paint?

that's what i was thinking re prime it and go from there. but i'll give everyone's suggestion a try and see what happens.

for arcylis, i have tried 'spirit' or methanol. This works well with me. I will just apply an amount on a piece of rag then gently rub it to the surface of the model. The paint goes off relatively well.. U could also us e the Tamiya's thinner for a price, but don use the Ordinary Thinner from bottles u get in any shop as these will melt of the plastics.. Good luck!

You could but, you'ld be taking a risk of burying the fine details under the added paint. IMHO I think it's best to strip the old paint off first.

Reading about all the chemicals makes me wanna wear a ABC suit doing this.

How a bout buying a new kit, or is this a silly thought ?