7mm Project 47: Brush Type Foul

[SteveO]

If you're following my Project 31 you'll already be familiar with the story behind this beauty.

To recap, an old school friend of mine offered this to me for free if I could sell two other locos of his. I managed to sell one of them but I still have another to sell. I have until August and then this masterpiece in brushmansmanship will be all mine. What a lucky chap I am!



In all seriousness, I am very grateful to him. Even a Heljan 47 in this state would be worth a couple hundred quid to somebody, and I'm lucky enough not paying a penny for it (some would argue with my luck on this point...).

That leaves all the money for the repair bills! I bought some enamel thinners to see if it would shift Picasso's understudy's work and at lunch break today I set about it armed with a fully loaded tub of cotton buds. I concentrated on a small patch between the buffer beam and the code panel. After a solid 40 minutes dipping and rubbing (and acquiring a pretty thick head of fumes) it doesn't look like I've got anywhere!



If you compare this picture with the middle of the series above you can see what little progress I've made... Plenty of paint came off, according to the cotton buds, but there's hardly any difference in appearance.

I'm assuming one of several possibilities:
1. I'm not trying hard enough (a common school report entry)
2. There's just too much of it!
3. I need to try something else

If the answer is 3 then what do I try? Is this not enamel after all but cellulose or acrylic? Any help at all would be appreciated.
Steve

 

[Dog Star]

Enamel thinners is for thinning enamel paint before dipping the brush in the paint.... not for removing dry / hardened enamel paint. Seems to me that you need to be looking for one of the paint strippers which are "safe" on plastic - sorry, no idea of product name.

regards, Graham

 

[iploffy]

Have you done the obvious yet spoken to Heljan about a replacement body?, might be an idea!

 

[makhis]

Product is Model Strip, plaster model with the stripper put in plastic bag, leave overnight, rinse under running water but may need some stiff brushing.
Mike

 

[SteveO]

Have you done the obvious yet spoken to Heljan about a replacement body?

Unfortunately I have, plus several suppliers, including Howes. Seems that Heljan don't supply replacement bodies at all for O gauge. They even said it was worth saving if I could as 47s are very rare now and would be worth holding on to! News to me, and good news too.

 

[SteveO]

Thanks Graham and Mike for the info.

 

[nascar24]

Another paint stripper is PS18: Phoenix Paints Super Strip - 125ml. (other suppliers are available!!)
The only snag is finding a container big enough to put an O Scale body in, and there isn't enough in the bottle to soak the whole body in, so you need to stay with it and keep brushing the fluid over the model. Takes a bit of time but does work. Other than that there's always good old Dot4 Brake Fluid...

To start with I would remove the body from the chassis, then remove the glazing unit and cab interiors, lights and headcode box glazing etc. Also buffers, buffer beam detail etc
You only need to apply the Modelstrip over one end say about 3 inches down each side, ends over the roof etc and put this into a plastic bag pressing the bag onto the Modelstrip and leave overnight. Then wash off with water and if necessary repeat again

Cheers

Al

 

[SteveO]

Thanks Jordan. I've found quite a few methods on YouTube, all using household products or brake fluid, like you say. Detol Anticeptic (or similar) seems to be a big favourite.

You should see the results I got from searching for "model strip"! I went through several websites for a couple hours until I realised there was no space between the words...

 

[alcazar]

Aye, we believe you.

You'll go blind, y'know, and you need decent eyesight for modelling.

 

[lancer1027]

Steve, i use model strip. It works for me

 

[marsa69]

I used to have Model Strip years ago. Then the wife came along I'll get me coat

 

[Phill Dyson]

'T' cut should remove the paint from the front without damaging the rest it you want to keep two tone green

 

[Dog Star]

Just a thought... if "Brush Type Foul" is a reflection on the current condition of the model, then what will be the revised title after removal of the dross?

regards, Graham

 

[rosspeacock]

Modelstrip is the only way I think... Some of the other products will soften the plastic, might take 2 or 3 go's, also think the windows will be scrap but Heljans Importer "Howes" might have some..
Good luck (you gonna need it) Ross

 

[Bill P]

Try household oven cleaner, again put the body in a plastic bag and leave somewhere warm over night. I always then scrub the model with an old tooth brush under running water with a large plastic tub underneath to catch any bits that fall off with a bit of luck the original paint will not come off. Bonus is this stuff is under the sink and comes out the household budget!
Regards
Bill

 

[28ten]

As Bill says Fairy Powerspray works well. The glazing is beyond redemption, but once the rest is stripped and repainted you should be fine

 

[Dog Star]

There is a Heljan Class 47 here at the moment... even been seen down in the exchange sidings of Scrufts Junction. Weighs a ton, moves like a dream and has to go back to the owner. I have the beast as a test engine for Hartley Hill which although a LNWR scenario is likely to see foreign traffic with foreign motive power (plus pilot and inspector).

Think I could be persuaded to give a good home to a two-tone-green one..... but not before a Wessie in Maroon.

regards, Graham

 

[nascar24]

Thanks Jordan. I've found quite a few methods on YouTube, all using household products or brake fluid, like you say. Detol Anticeptic (or similar) seems to be a big favourite.

You should see the results I got from searching for "model strip"! I went through several websites for a couple hours until I realised there was no space between the words...

Get it from Squires, incidentally what has happened re HMRS transfers are they going to resume production

Al

 

[SteveO]

Thanks all, great advice. I'm plastered on the way back from London on a green, grey and yellow monstrosity with uncomfortable seats. What is the attraction of modern trains?...

 

[Simon Dunkley]

Enamel thinners is for thinning enamel paint before dipping the brush in the paint.... not for removing dry / hardened enamel paint. Seems to me that you need to be looking for one of the paint strippers which are "safe" on plastic - sorry, no idea of product name.

regards, Graham

Hi Graham, and indeed everyone else,

Steve's desire (stated in the other thread) is to remove the additional weathering which was plastered onto the loco, not remove everything - that would be a rather drastic solution, only to entered into as a last resort.

What you say about enamel thinners is true, but it is a solvent, and the advice was offered (in the other thread) based on my personal past experience following a disater involving acrylic paint on a cellulose painted loco. Enamel thinners, rubbed vigourously with a cotton bud, eventually removed most of the disaster.

Personally, my next step would be to migrate to white spirit and the same process, and if that fails, to alcohol - either IPA (aka "acrylic thinners") or maybe, as a trial, meths or surgical spirit.

Failing that, some Bells blended "whisky" - it must have a use as it tastes disgusting and (to my palate) nothing like a good single malt - could be used...

If all that failed, then it would be a case of the model strip and a complete repaint, I am afraid.