What is the best way to remove paint. Sanding would take forever. Sand blasting pits the metal.
Hi David,
I used a Walter Fx Cup wheel on my 4 1/2" angle grinder. Took everything off with minimal effort, and didn't leave gouges in the metal.
Here is a video of it I found on youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MeoG-Sf3JTg
The website for Walter:
www.walter.com
I got mine at my local auto parts/body supply store. They aren't really cheap (about 12 bucks apiece) I did two front fenders with one. Rust tends to eat them up quick, but if you are taking off just paint, then they last a lot longer.
Gel Type Marine grade paint stripper will remove the finish and primer down to the metal, as well as any Bondo repairs that may have been made. Gel type so it will stay put on vertical surfaces. Get you some industrial grade rubber gloves and eye protection. just paint it on with a 2" wide paint brush and when it begins to bubble, scrape it off with a flat paint scraper. Spread some 6 mil visqueen (sheet plastic) on the floor and have some cardboard boxes handy to put the scraped off paint in. It wouldn't hurt to have a bucket of water handy in case it splatters on your exposed skin as it will immediately begin to burn. Several applications may be necessary, depending on how thick and old the paint is. When the paint is off clean the bare metal real good with lacquer thinner. Jim Patrick
Dave, I used airplane stripper but that took forever like you said. I finally paid a guy who travels with his media blaster. He used fine glass and it worked very well.
How you strip is your business, but sandblasting a metal car such as a T will not leave pits. I've done it with cars and wood, the main thing is what media you use.
Use ordinary hardware store paint stripper. After it bubbles--wash the item with a power washer. Easy, cheap and works.
I bit the bullet after nearly 12 months of leave it , restore it with my original paint work, l have to say that getting thru the top coat is not that hard, the black and red primer coats are dam near impossible, but you can get there, it takes a lot a time.
It is amazing how this stubborn paint really protected the steel underneath it.
David Dewitt, are you referring to sheet metal or heavier metal? Yes, sandblasting will pit the metal, if you use coarse sand and-or too much pressure. I have sandblasted parts for over twenty years, and I usually use medium sand. It leaves a nice surface for the paint to adhere to. It does take a few coats of primer if you want a slick coat though. For cast or forged parts, it works great. Sheet metal parts can be blasted with different types of media to leave a very nice surface, but if not done properly can warp it. Do some research, and I'm sure you will find something for your purpose that will be much easier than sanding. Sanding sheet metal that has some pitting leaves rust in the bottom of the pits that may come back to haunt you down the road. JMHO. Dave
"The best" way?
Soda blasting and tanking. It will really only take of the paint, nothing else, but it's not cheap!
The problem with paint strippers is: If you do not get it all off it will become corrosive at a later date, and destroy your work... You can not get it all off all the time, and some will always remain - ALWAYS!
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I had everything sandblasted, and will never do another sandblasted T... Wow what a mess because my bondo was 9 inches deep in spots - but my finished product will be GREAT with no bondo over 1/16 thick. My sandblaster does lots of cars and only charged me 400 to do the whole car apart - body, fenders, chassis, rear, front, etc. He uses "black beauty" sand. Just make sure they know what they are doing by getting referrals from the guys at the car shows, otherwise they can destroy your car, nothing like a trying to get a warped fender straight again...
The advantage to the sandblasting is less mess at your house, quick, and it gives the bondo skim coat & paint etc. something to "stick to".
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First I bang out any dents that I see.
Then, I let them sandblast.
Then, I bang out any dents that showed up after or patch in weld panels, braze or weld up cracks, and pin holes.
Then, I angle sand the whole thing with 36 grit
angle sander, this will show up any dents or high spots that you can work down with a dolly or a shrinking disc.
Then, hit it with Zink Chromate anti-rust acid etch = this stuff is sooooooooo good you put it on light and can see right through its yellow/green color and let that part sit out in the weather for 4 years with NO RUST!
Good luck!
Travis E. Towle
Topeka, Kansas
Travis,
I think that is largely bunk. I've used paint stripper for decades. Works wonderful on wood wheels. Works wonderful on metal. See the wheels on my '15? They were stripped by me more than a dozen years ago.
Never had anything that I could blame on paint stripper residue yet. This lame excuse is (I think) a crutch for painters who don't do thorough prep work.
Hey Royce - you are correct - "thorough prep work" - a lot of people never do that - they get it so it looks clean and then they get in a hurry and start to rush.
I have seen many that have striped the car together – 2-4 years later the car is corroding around the joints, or where metal is rolled over because the stripper was never deactivated in that area. There is no way that I know of to get all the stripper out between the fenders and where they bolt up (metal to metal) to unless you take the fender off and wash it out.
"Thorough prep work" is the key.
Travis Towle
Topeka, Kansas
Aircraft stripper from your automotive paint supplier is the best I have found. It works. Its not cheap nor expensive. It needs to be used outside with plenty of ventilation.
After stripping, I wipe it down with paint thinner. I have never had a corrosion problem after its use.
Stripper is not a problem if it is done correctly! Media blasting is great also - same thing, using the correct media is the trick! I agree with Royce - it takes someone who will do the job correctly. By the way, my two cents worth on stripper - I used water wash aircraft strippers, they work great.
I used a razor scraper on my roadster, the paint came off in no time.... I cleaned mine right in the drive way then blew the chips off into the grass with a leaf blower after a couple of times of mowing the yard all evidence was gone.... Took approx: 4 hrs. I would work 30-40 min at a time...
I havent had any problems with paint strippers. But what I do is to thourghly clean the metal and then use metal prep which is a soultion of phosphuric acid which etches and seals the metal from any rust.
But thats what I do others may do differently. To each his own but the key is the prep work which takes time and being careful. Painting is the easy part.