<snip some marvellously helpful advice>
Oh, and remember: There are two options with a paint job you don't like: Repaint (works with thin enough paints without too many layers otherwise detail is lost) or (if it is a white metal figure vs plastic or resin), you can just pop it in a mason jar full of either brake fluid or (if you really want effective and can live with 'must follow Materials Safety Data Sheets because unhealthy contents), you can use full fledged acetone (5% acetone is nail polish remover, 100% is the right gloves and don't splash it around). Acetone will also (with assembled white metal minis) disassemble any epoxy joins... I left a squad of 25mms in acetone for a few weeks and I didn't even find anything I recognized as the paint or the resin residue afterwards... and a rinse with water and the figures were ready to reprime and repaint. Just don't pour acetone down the loo or the sink. It's a hazmat so when you decide you've had enough, dispose. And the container you store it in ought to be glass and have a tight fitting lid without a sealer ring.... I put it in one with a sealer ring and it *ate the sealer ring*. It's strong stuff. Also not sure you want it in your house (garage or maybe shed better). Brake fluid and some scrubbing with a toothbrush on metal figs can take most of paint of without being as hazardous.
wow! From some odd shaped plastic in the post to hazmat suit and disposal regimes in three easy steps. I'm impressed!
I suspect what I really need to find is either a) someone willing to paint the things - but I'm fairly certain this would never be affordable, or b) 3D printing that comes in colour.
It also occurs to me that I have some back issues of _Tabletop Gaming_ and they always have five pages of how to paint specific miniatures (for specific games) which I generally skip over... I'll revisit them for additional advice.
cheers
tc