Dismounting Eomer!

Beowulf03809 · **Posted:** Thu Mar 31, 2011 3:33 pm

Ok...so this actually covers several models, not just Eomer. But a while back I picked up a few used Rohan models from a friend that got a big lot of LotR stuff on ebay. Among these is a mounted Eomer. I am about to dive into my Rohan force and I really want to to as good of a job as possible on him since he's going to be one of my key figures. Although I could paint him and his horse fairly well together I am sure I can do much better if I can get them apart.

I have no idea what was used to glue them so this may be an SOL situation. I do have a mounted captain from the same lot so he could always be my test model, though with the price GW charges for things now I really don't want to damage him either.

So...any suggestions on trying to break these bonds without too much risk to the plastic ponies?

Also, considering a mix of metal and plastic components, what would be a suggested way to strip the old paint off?

advTHANKSance!

ForgottenLore · **Joined:** Sun Mar 27, 2011 10:47 pm **Posts:** 491

Honestly, try soaking them in water for a while. It has been my experience that plain old water will make superglue bonds much more brittle, then with a nice steady pressure it should break apart.

The most common answer to stripping paint from plastic is to soak them in Simple Green. That may work to weaken the bond gluing them together as well, I don't know.

Oldman Willow · **Posted:** Thu Mar 31, 2011 6:38 pm

Simple Green Sounds like something from and old Sci-Fi movie :shock:

IT'S PEOPLE :shock:

Try pine oil :!:

If Simply Green is pine oil it will work fine.

Beowulf03809 · **Posted:** Thu Mar 31, 2011 7:57 pm

Simple Green is Soylent Green but without all the extra calories. If you have the means, I do suggest you pick some up.

I'll give those a try. Not at the same time of course. :no:

Never know what the fumes may be like. Then again...

Beowulf03809 · **Posted:** Sun Apr 03, 2011 10:39 pm

Soaking in Simple Green has been working great, but it's still time consuming. I've been using about 1 cup or so of water to 4 capfulls of Simple Green, and let the four models ( Eomer mounted / foot and Captain mounted foot ) soak over night. Earlier today I scrubbed them with a soft toothbrush and got a lot of the paint off, then washed them all down, dumped out the muck and made a fresh solution. They soaked another 7 hours or so and I just took another shot at it and I'm about 70% bare metal. Additionally all the glue joins have separated so the rides have come nicely off their mounts making life MUCH easier for clean and painting.

Another day or so and these guys should be ready for starting fresh. I am glad I don't have to do this with too many models though.

ForgottenLore · **Joined:** Sun Mar 27, 2011 10:47 pm **Posts:** 491

Gee, I wouldn't have diluted it. Just poured a couple cups of Simple Green into my stripping bowl.

Probably more economical your way.

Beowulf03809 · **Posted:** Mon Apr 04, 2011 11:56 am

Yeah...I'm thinking that too. But it is a concentrate version and expensive. Maybe 8-10 caps vs. 4 next time. I want to let the chemical do the work since the scrubbing takes away from possible paint time. :sad:

Dezartfox · **Posted:** Mon Apr 04, 2011 9:02 pm

You can re-use the simple green I think, just pour it back into the bottle

Beowulf03809 · **Posted:** Tue Apr 05, 2011 1:25 pm

I am keeping it around for reuse, but the bottle is primarily for household cleaning (that's my story when I bought it and I'm sticking with it

). My wife (who wears the One Ring to Rule Them All) wouldn't appreciate little bits of Chaos Black and Goblin Green floating around in there. :shock:

I'm finding a higher concentration ( 8 caps per cup of water ) is doing a better job of cleaning while not going thru the stuff too quick. If it's still more effort than it's worth then I may just go 1:1 or even higher of chemical. Once I get a good Rohan army I'm going to want to go back to my old Isengard force (my first army) and do a lot of repainting and THAT is going to be dozens of models...

Has anyone had issues with Simple Green softening / ruining plastic models after a few days of soaking? I'm at work now and realize I haven't checked it at all yesterday and would hate to get home tonight and find Eomer's horse a bit...distorted... :sad:

ForgottenLore · **Joined:** Sun Mar 27, 2011 10:47 pm **Posts:** 491

The reason that Simple Green is recommended so often for stripping plastic models is that it doesn't soften the plastic at all.

At least that is what I have been told. I have never had an opportunity to test it myself. My one attempt to use simple green was using, like, a 10 year old bottle and I think it lost most of its effectiveness. After a week of soaking in non-diluted stuff, the models didn't soften, but the paint didn't come off either.

Dismounting Eomer!

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