TOPIC:

Mr-grumpy wrote:

If I go for a faster motor (23t), do I need to buy a different pinion for it or do I use the one off the original 540 standard motor??

I think you could use the original one but keep an eye on the heat of the motor at first.
A Sport Tuned or TZ shouldn't have much trouble with this terrain if you compare it to a silvercan.

THUNDERSHOT

Ok Ok, I have spent and spent and spent..... Motor for the Thundershot on order, new damper fitted to the front, metal race bearings all oiled up and ready to fit. Now i would like to re-spray body.

Sooooooooo..................

1. How do i get the old paint off the body? Do i use paint thinners or will this damage the plastic?

and

2. Has anyone got any spray painting tips?

Photos to follow a.s.a.p.

KING BLACKFOOT

Blackfoot body on order, metal race bearings on order new dampers fitted all round, antenna mount fixed, new antenna tube fitted.

will try and get some pics uploaded as soon as poss.......

Paint thinner's not a good idea I think.
You're best shot is usually with brake fluid or Jonny Retro's "Graffitit Remover" but there is never a guarantee.
That's means taht for strange reasons shells have reacted badly to otherwise well-tried methods.
Depending on how well the paint sticks, you can go from Dot 3 to Dot 4 brake fluid.

Edou wrote:

Paint thinner's not a good idea I think.
You're best shot is usually with brake fluid or Jonny Retro's "Graffitit Remover" but there is never a guarantee....

It depends on the thinners ... but in general, no way ... solvents in general too - especially acetone ... Isopropyl alcohol, Tamiya acrylic thinner (X20-A), or Tamiya's polycarbonate paint cleaner may work ok if you are very careful & do a very small bit at a time with cotton buds...

Absolutely DON'T use graffiti remover on lexan/polycarbonate shells - it'll get the paint of but will also permanently cloud it white Even the supposedly "polycarbonate safe" UK De-Solv-It stuff.

Brake fluid also can't be recommended - it can have any number of additives that will ruin polycarbonate, IMO the guy in the URC video edou quoted was extremely lucky.

I've used caustic soda without problems, but again it can't be recommended as I've heard of disasters with it.

Sanding the paint off the inside (JUST the inside) will work (as fresh paint will fill all the grooves, it's the outside that makes it shiny) ... but depending on the paint used in the past & how well it's stuck, this is usually impractical.

I've seen people remove decals & respray on the outside - but even the Tamiya PS paints (IMO the best for polycarbonate) will give you a satin finish rather than gloss.


Sorry to be negative about it, but for every example of a method working, there's an example of a disaster caused by it

IMO the only guaranteed method of completely restoring/repainting a lexan body is to buy a new one (try Team Blue Groove on eBay for repro ones)

Perso, I think like Jonny.
The best is a TBG repro.
I test Dot4 on my MR body and the result is a breaking lexan with a urin yellow cloud. I test oven cleaner with caustic soda on my falcon body: Result: a puzzle body with its original paint.
The best result is with a twin detonator body. (not sure that it's real lexan) by sanding with dremel and "corindon discs" before a very good fine sanding paper and a very good clean.