I've got a load of Nolzur's minis that were some of the first I ever got, and they are correspondingly terribly painted. So, I want to repaint them, and I need a way to strip off the paint as quckly as possible. I really don't have the time to take a toothbrush and scrape off 30+ minis. Does anyone know of a quick way to strip off your minis? I don't care if it takes the primer off as well, just so long as it gets the paint off with a minimum of effort. If anyone knows of any articles on this, that would be great too.
Soaking overnight in detergent like Dettol or Simple Green. You'll still need to scrub them, it'll just go faster and easier. I don't think there's a more convenient method, but if so I'd love to hear about it too.
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I’ve heard nail polish remover and then it wipes right off, but depending on what the mini is made from, you could damage it. And I’ve never tried it myself, so it may just be an urban legend.
Or you can just paint right over it. Though if the layers are too thick, you may lose some detail.
Various sources recommend very high proof isopropyl alcohol (90%+). I know that this is used to help clean 3D printer resin prints, but extended exposure can also eat away at the model itself, so it shouldn't be left unattended for longer than necessary.
Various sources recommend very high proof isopropyl alcohol (90%+). I know that this is used to help clean 3D printer resin prints, but extended exposure can also eat away at the model itself, so it shouldn't be left unattended for longer than necessary.
Oh thanks, I was going to soak my mini in isopropyl alcohol for like an hour :|
Start with a mini that you don't care about as much for practice.
One 3D printing source recommends 10 minutes, or as little as 30 seconds, to clean off excess resin, so an hour is probably way too long for paint. Pull it out and test it with a scrub brush every 3-5 minutes, just to be safe.
WizKids minis are made from PVC. Acetone or the like will definitely eat them up. Not saying you can't avoid doing damage, but if you go that route I'd be really, really careful and spending 10 minutes babysitting per batch of minis is not my idea of minimal effort. On the other hand, you'll be scrubbing harder if using a less caustic solvent. Pick whatever you hate least, I guess. Side note: primer is much, much tougher to remove than paint. If you didn't prime these, I'd go with the less aggressive option: less risky and should get the job done easily enough. If you did prime them and need the stronger stuff to get them clean, keep in mind that if you have some paint left on a mini after the first try the rest of the mini, the clean parts, will be affected much quicker as they're no longer protected. Weigh how clean you want them to be vs how much risk of losing detail you're willing to take.
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Want to start playing but don't have anyone to play with? You can try these options: [link].
I know this may sound weird, but try brake fluid. Yes, the stuff used in the brakes of your car. I've used it on metal (pewter), injection-molded plastic and resin minis and it removed the paint without damaging the minis at all--even after letting them soak for more than 24 hours. It softens the paint to the point it can be wiped off with a paper towel, but you'll need something like an old toothbrush to get into all the cracks and crevasses. Use gloves when handling and be sure to wash the stripped mini with soap and water to remove any residue.
And, as someone else pointed out, try it out on a mini you don't mind losing first in case it eats it. But it hasn't happened to me, yet.
Edit: Also, be very, very sure you don't spill or get it onto anything you don't want to strip. It will even remove stain from furniture (it has happened to me).
Is it really worth using all these corrosive chemicals with the fumes and all that? Assuming they're not all bright pink or purple or something, could you not just touch them up or do some washes or something? It's true that you could lose some detail with too many paint layers, but you could also lose some detail when your mini dissolves in some toxic paint-stripping cocktail...
I've got a load of Nolzur's minis that were some of the first I ever got, and they are correspondingly terribly painted. So, I want to repaint them, and I need a way to strip off the paint as quckly as possible. I really don't have the time to take a toothbrush and scrape off 30+ minis. Does anyone know of a quick way to strip off your minis? I don't care if it takes the primer off as well, just so long as it gets the paint off with a minimum of effort. If anyone knows of any articles on this, that would be great too.
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Soaking overnight in detergent like Dettol or Simple Green. You'll still need to scrub them, it'll just go faster and easier. I don't think there's a more convenient method, but if so I'd love to hear about it too.
Want to start playing but don't have anyone to play with? You can try these options: [link].
I’ve heard nail polish remover and then it wipes right off, but depending on what the mini is made from, you could damage it. And I’ve never tried it myself, so it may just be an urban legend.
Or you can just paint right over it. Though if the layers are too thick, you may lose some detail.
Various sources recommend very high proof isopropyl alcohol (90%+). I know that this is used to help clean 3D printer resin prints, but extended exposure can also eat away at the model itself, so it shouldn't be left unattended for longer than necessary.
Oh thanks, I was going to soak my mini in isopropyl alcohol for like an hour :|
I'm the Valar (leader and creator) of The Lord of the Rings/The Hobbit/Anything Tolkien Cult!
Member of the Cult of Cats, High Elf of the Elven Guild, and Sauce Priest & Sauce Smith of the Supreme Court of Sauce.
If you want some casual roleplay/adventures in Middle Earth, check out The Wild's Edge Tavern, a LotR/Middle Earth tavern!
JOIN TIAMAT'S CONGA LINE!
Extended Sig
Start with a mini that you don't care about as much for practice.
One 3D printing source recommends 10 minutes, or as little as 30 seconds, to clean off excess resin, so an hour is probably way too long for paint. Pull it out and test it with a scrub brush every 3-5 minutes, just to be safe.
WizKids minis are made from PVC. Acetone or the like will definitely eat them up. Not saying you can't avoid doing damage, but if you go that route I'd be really, really careful and spending 10 minutes babysitting per batch of minis is not my idea of minimal effort. On the other hand, you'll be scrubbing harder if using a less caustic solvent. Pick whatever you hate least, I guess. Side note: primer is much, much tougher to remove than paint. If you didn't prime these, I'd go with the less aggressive option: less risky and should get the job done easily enough. If you did prime them and need the stronger stuff to get them clean, keep in mind that if you have some paint left on a mini after the first try the rest of the mini, the clean parts, will be affected much quicker as they're no longer protected. Weigh how clean you want them to be vs how much risk of losing detail you're willing to take.
Want to start playing but don't have anyone to play with? You can try these options: [link].
I know this may sound weird, but try brake fluid. Yes, the stuff used in the brakes of your car. I've used it on metal (pewter), injection-molded plastic and resin minis and it removed the paint without damaging the minis at all--even after letting them soak for more than 24 hours. It softens the paint to the point it can be wiped off with a paper towel, but you'll need something like an old toothbrush to get into all the cracks and crevasses. Use gloves when handling and be sure to wash the stripped mini with soap and water to remove any residue.
And, as someone else pointed out, try it out on a mini you don't mind losing first in case it eats it. But it hasn't happened to me, yet.
Edit: Also, be very, very sure you don't spill or get it onto anything you don't want to strip. It will even remove stain from furniture (it has happened to me).
Is it really worth using all these corrosive chemicals with the fumes and all that? Assuming they're not all bright pink or purple or something, could you not just touch them up or do some washes or something? It's true that you could lose some detail with too many paint layers, but you could also lose some detail when your mini dissolves in some toxic paint-stripping cocktail...
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