stripping miniatures, keeping badly painted armies

So what do you think about stripping models?

I hate taking the paint off, it's time consuming and I never get 100% of the paint off. I know its possible, but it just takes to long.

With that in mind, is it better to just sell off your badly painted army? Or should you keep it around and buy new models instead.

I found out, the more miniatures I own, the less I enjoy the hobby.

At the same time, it can be good to have a badly painted army lying around, as you can just play with that one while working on your real army.

And on the topic of stripping. I have heard people say you can paint over miniatures. But I have found that they look worst and worst each time you do.

Normally I find after a few coats of paint, the detail starts to blur. Maybe I need to thin paints a lot more. I thought I was, but..

you can repaint models as long as you have been thinning properly. you strip when the details start getting covered up(usualy after 3-4 coats) i use this stuf
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0039ZBLEC/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I’m fairly new to the hobby but honestly stripping isn’t that bad, it is time consuming but not too hard to do depends a lot on the model if there’s lots off little hole and all....

I’ve been using LA totally awesome which you can find at the Dollard tree in NA... and leaving the models in it for a week at a time, brushing it up with a toothbrush in between leaving it in there for 2-4 time depending on the models you can finish them off in a ultrasonic cleaner as well....

If you glue them with CA glue and can pop of the arms and legs etc you can get them completely clean.... I got a batch of saurus clean up nice only thing that was left on some was the black primer but that depend on the primer used, if no primer was use 2 dip is all you’ll need most likely!

samheim said:

So what do you think about stripping models?

I hate taking the paint off, it's time consuming and I never get 100% of the paint off. I know its possible, but it just takes to long.

With that in mind, is it better to just sell off your badly painted army? Or should you keep it around and buy new models instead.

I found out, the more miniatures I own, the less I enjoy the hobby.

At the same time, it can be good to have a badly painted army lying around, as you can just play with that one while working on your real army.

And on the topic of stripping. I have heard people say you can paint over miniatures. But I have found that they look worst and worst each time you do.

Normally I find after a few coats of paint, the detail starts to blur. Maybe I need to thin paints a lot more. I thought I was, but..

Click to expand...

Stripping vs painting over - Depends on what yo have to work with. Sometimes you'll get lucky and a quick shade over the top and then re-doing some details/highlights can really give a second hand model a new lease of life. Other times you won't be so lucky and a strip is the only solution.

You will be recommended 100 different ways to strip by 100 different people however the hands down best product to use is this:

https://www.toolstation.com/methyla...MIrsbaprCj5wIVyrTtCh06lQdkEAQYBSABEgIxRPD_BwE

It will strip a mini back to bare plastic in under an hour (with regular agitation from a toothbrush) and it is cheaper than many of the alternatives. The only downside is that it will melt resin.

I buy a lot of my mini's from ebay and as such am at the mercy of the previous painters artistic license. I end up stripping 90% of what I purchase but if I can avoid it then I will, painting is a lot of work and prep without adding the strip on top.

Karnus said:

Stripping vs painting over - Depends on what yo have to work with. Sometimes you'll get lucky and a quick shade over the top and then re-doing some details/highlights can really give a second hand model a new lease of life. Other times you won't be so lucky and a strip is the only solution.

You will be recommended 100 different ways to strip by 100 different people however the hands down best product to use is this:

https://www.toolstation.com/methyla...MIrsbaprCj5wIVyrTtCh06lQdkEAQYBSABEgIxRPD_BwE

It will strip a mini back to bare plastic in under an hour (with regular agitation from a toothbrush) and it is cheaper than many of the alternatives. The only downside is that it will melt resin.

I buy a lot of my mini's from ebay and as such am at the mercy of the previous painters artistic license. I end up stripping 90% of what I purchase but if I can avoid it then I will, painting is a lot of work and prep without adding the strip on top.

Click to expand...

well considering so much of our stuff is fine cast i prefer a gentler product. this stuff would bee great for a non lizard army

It's hard to say if stripping is worth while. Imo people reach for it to fast!

If your painting minitures for Golden Deamon, or you started your favorite army, why would you want to use 2nd hand minitures anyway?

Just buy all new, and put in your 50 hours per unit.

My painting is not at that stage yet tho. I have problems in all aspects, composition, accuracy, lack of knowledge of techniques etc.

So most of the time I paint over. I even paint over ebay finds. I like this jerry rigging approach.

I use the models I am painting over as a challenge to see how good I can get them. That way I can save my new plastic for when I am ready.

An exception to this, is I sold my Ultramarines and Deathguard. I will probably buy Dark Imperium again, because its such an awesome box set. But I wanted to start from new plastic.

I will probably do either salamanders or crimson fists next time. And maybe the white Deathguard.

I am going through the process of stripping my stormcast. Here are my findings.

1) It really makes more sense to bin miniatures and re buy them instead of stripping ... No really!

2) Mentholated spirits is crap. It does some times work, but most leaves little paint flakes and lumps everywhere. Normally requires a long soak. Its also toxic and flammable and pain in the ass to dispose of.

3) Dettol actually works... just not the way you would think it does. Its super messy, you get liquid dettol paint crap everywhere. You can't mix the dettol with water to clean off the models. You have to use paper towel first to soak everything up with. Then after you have done that, you soak the models in washing up liquid and water for 24 hours + to wash off the dettol. It works pretty well. But be warned, if you go to paint a crevice of your model, and it has some of the sticky paint gunk still left, if that gets on your brush it ='s end of brush.

4) Takes far longer then you would think it does. You really can't half do this. You have to go over the models again and again.

5) Some of your models will come out looking like the before and after photos of someone you see stripping one miniture at a time on you tube. However, you might end up braking and snapping a load of your miniatures as well. I always do. And then I loose those parts! The plastic becomes weaker in dettoll over time.

So really, consider re buying new models instead of stripping old models. If they are metal, it might be different. But plastic really is hard work. If its sometime like a blood thirster for £5 or a steggadon for £2 it might be worth all the hassle of stripping. But if its plastic line troops, your probably better just re buying them.

samheim said:

2) Mentholated spirits is crap. It does some times work, but most leaves little paint flakes and lumps everywhere. Normally requires a long soak. Its also toxic and flammable and pain in the ass to dispose of.

Click to expand...

thats why the above guy told you to go at it with a tooth brush

samheim said:

3) Dettol actually works... just not the way you would think it does. Its super messy, you get liquid dettol paint crap everywhere. You can't mix the dettol with water to clean off the models. You have to use paper towel first to soak everything up with. Then after you have done that, you soak the models in washing up liquid and water for 24 hours + to wash off the dettol. It works pretty well. But be warned, if you go to paint a crevice of your model, and it has some of the sticky paint gunk still left, if that gets on your brush it ='s end of brush.

Click to expand...

why the hell are you using dettol? there are dozens of good products out there and you went with hand sanatiser?

samheim said:

4) Takes far longer then you would think it does. You really can't half do this. You have to go over the models again and again.

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well most times it takes 6-8 hourse soking and 15 minuts after work. no one said it was easy

samheim said:

5) Some of your models will come out looking like the before and after photos of someone you see stripping one miniture at a time on you tube. However, you might end up braking and snapping a load of your miniatures as well. I always do. And then I loose those parts! The plastic becomes weaker in dettoll over time.

Click to expand...

do you just dump your models in there? you shouldent get breaks espeshaly on storm cast those guys are sturdy.
it might not be that striping doesn't work and might be that this is your first go at it. no one does a perfect job the first time around

Erta Wanderer said:

thats why the above guy told you to go at it with a tooth brush

why the hell are you using dettol? there are dozens of good products out there and you went with hand sanatiser?

well most times it takes 6-8 hourse soking and 15 minuts after work. no one said it was easy

do you just dump your models in there? you shouldent get breaks espeshaly on storm cast those guys are sturdy.
it might not be that striping doesn't work and might be that this is your first go at it. no one does a perfect job the first time around

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Not my first go at all, have done it several times before.

Dettol is the best. I always use the toothbrush.

The strippers will weaken your glue and soften your plastic. I managed to snap off about 5 sequitors hammers while scrubbing with the toothbrush.

It was not a big deal, as I thought I would just glue them back on. However, they seem to have become irrevocably lost.

Looked everywhere for them. Went through all the dirty dettol goop, everywhere at my desk. They must have gotten stuck to the paper towel and disposed of by accident.

There is no reason anybody needs to become a stripper to save money imo. Just take your badly painted models and throw them in the bin. Order fresh plastic and enjoy starting fresh. It's a lot less messing around.

The time it takes to strip models properly, (time you could be painting) is immense. It seriously wastes hobby time.

samheim said:

2) Mentholated spirits is crap. It does some times work, but most leaves little paint flakes and lumps everywhere. Normally requires a long soak. Its also toxic and flammable and pain in the ass to dispose of.

Click to expand...

Full disclosure - I use it in conjunction with an ultrasonic cleaner. It was a cheapy from ebay (£20?) and does the job in 20-30 minutes but each to their own!