OT - how to remove old clear lacquer from brass?

Topics Last Day Last Week Tree View    Getting Started Formatting Troubleshooting Program Credits    New Messages Keyword Search Contact Moderators Edit Profile Administration
Model T Ford Forum: Forum 2012: OT - how to remove old clear lacquer from brass?
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Rob Heyen - Nebraska on Wednesday, October 17, 2012 - 10:29 am:

Is there a good solvent/remover to take off "slathered" on old lacquer from brass lamps?

Thanks,

Rob


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ricks - Surf City on Wednesday, October 17, 2012 - 10:39 am:

The older it is, the harder to remove. I use paint strippers of various kinds, and can't recommend any of them.

My 1913 Sears auto catalog features a black paint to cover that ugly, old-fashioned brass...

rdr


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By HARRY A DAW on Wednesday, October 17, 2012 - 10:54 am:

An old thread recommended spray automotive gasket remover. It has worked for me. If you go that route try it first on an inconspicuous spot. Spray it on and leave for a few seconds and wipe off.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Erik Johnson on Wednesday, October 17, 2012 - 11:04 am:

I think automotive gasket remover is lacquer thinner. I know carb cleaner is lacquer thinner.

I would try lacquer thinner or acetone.

My mom collects copper and I've seen her soak pieces in a pot of boiling water to remove lacquer - it would peel right off.

A quick internet search says to boil in water with two cups of washing soda per gallon of water. This won't harm brass. Not sure what it will do to the silver plating of the reflector.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jim Patrick on Wednesday, October 17, 2012 - 11:50 am:

Soak it in Lacquer thinner, as that is the best solvent for softening and removing old and new lacquer. When you spray on a coat of lacquer over a prior coat, the new coat of lacquer, softens and then becomes a part of the prior coat. That is why, whenever you sand and compound several coats of lacquer, there are no layer marks indicating where one layer starts and one layer ends since all of the layers, essentially become one. Unlike enamels epoxies and polyurethanes, where each layer leaves a distinct layer mark which makes the sanded surface of multiple layers look like the wavy elevation lines on a terrain map, because the overlying coats do not soften the prior coats like lacquer does.

I once went to a hardware store to get some lacquer thinner and they were out. The surly attendant said "How about mineral spirits?" I said: Are you kidding? He said: "No, It's all the same". I was incredulous and tried to explain the difference to which he began to argue. I just walked out shaking my head as I had already wasted enough time.

For those here who do not know, Mineral Spirits (or paint thinner) is used for thinning oil based paint and cleaning wet oil based paint from brushes and spray guns, but will not soften paint that has set up. Lacquer thinner is used for thinning lacquer and can also be used as a paint remover for many types of paint as well as for cleaning wet or dried paint from brushes and spray guns. Lacquer thinner is much hotter and stronger than mineral spirits. Never substitute one for the other. Jim Patrick


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ray Pinnock on Wednesday, October 17, 2012 - 12:03 pm:

Best way I have found is to use Nitromors lacquer remover ,works fine and quick but is very messy


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bill Standish on Wednesday, October 17, 2012 - 12:11 pm:

Coffee pot cleaner or CLR. Soak a few minutes, rinse in cold water. Polish.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Frank Harris from Long Beach & Big Bear on Wednesday, October 17, 2012 - 12:18 pm:

Don't forget toluene, MEK and aircraft quality paint stripper, the kind that washes off with water.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Timothy Kelly on Wednesday, October 17, 2012 - 12:38 pm:

I have used carburetor cleaner with great success to strip both old and new lacquer off brass. And this process is both quick and easy. Spray on...wipe off.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jim Patrick on Wednesday, October 17, 2012 - 12:47 pm:

I believe the spray-on Carburetor cleaner is Xylene. CLR is an acid based Lime remover. I would be worried that it might harm or discolor the brass. Before using, be sure and read the instructions to see if there are metals one should avoid using CLR on. Jim Patrick


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Chuck Richardson on Wednesday, October 17, 2012 - 01:10 pm:

The easiest I have found is to boil the lamp in a solution of 1 tablespoon bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) to quart of water. It takes about 10-20 minutes and the lacquer goes milky white and comes off. Keep it wet as you remove the film with a soft brush. Rinse the part in clean water. No need for solvents, etc., but the part does get hot.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By william louis rosenthal on Wednesday, October 17, 2012 - 02:14 pm:

Rob:
IMO, the least invasive procedure is to have a brass shop use the proper grit of rouge to polish the coating off without the use of chemical agents. I would not risk damaging this lamp for the $50.00 cost of having this cleaned and disassembled by an expert. Unless otherwise aware, uncertain is that this lamp is coated with Lacquer, versus possibly Enamel Clear-coat or potentially Urethane.
Regards,
Scott


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Matthew David Maiers on Wednesday, October 17, 2012 - 03:12 pm:

carburetor cleaner makes it melt off pretty easily,

PLEASE DONT VARNISH BRASS IN THE FIRST PLACE!!! ITS EASY ENOUGH TO KEEP UP WITH THE BRASSS!!! PLEASE

long story short ive spent hours of stripping varnish of brass


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jim Patrick on Wednesday, October 17, 2012 - 03:49 pm:

With all due respect, the least invasive and least costly method of removing lacquer is with lacquer thinner, which is totally harmless to the brass and would not require disassembly.

I would think that using an abrasive and buffing wheel to remove the coating would be much more invasive to the metal especially if it was plated and polishing off lacquer usually only causes it to soften up and roll up into a clump and clog up your buffing wheel (now, how would I know that?!). Also, buffing using rouge can cause a variety of thickness of the metal to occur, as the areas where the lacquer remain are not buffed as much, while the areas where the lacquer has been removed first receive more abrasive polishing, thus removing more metal so the result is a wavy appearance to the brass. If you turned this over to an experienced brass polisher, I can almost guarantee you that, instead of removing the lacquer with his buffing wheel and contaminating it, he would remove the coating with lacquer thinner first, then polish the clean brass with his buffing wheel.

Just because someone owns a brass shop or charges you to do a job, does not necessarily make them an expert on disassembling a brass Model T lamp. Chances are, it would be the first one he has ever seen, so be careful who you allow to work on your parts. You are probably more qualified to do your own work than a supposed expert. :-) Jim Patrick


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By william louis rosenthal on Wednesday, October 17, 2012 - 05:25 pm:

With all due respect Jim, the recommendation I made is based on my first hand experience. Both Lacquer Thinner and then Acetone were attempted first, but this quickly proved a long hard slog. The brass shop I sent my lamps to is a 3rd generation professional operation, and it was clear upon entering their premises that they had much more experience with valuable antique brass than I did. Your cautions around researching the shop are absolutely sage advise, but agree also, there many qualified brass shops out there, and a sound bet is that they know their business better than part time hobbists like myself. I have assumed this lamp will be disassembled to fully restore because I have seen Rob's Ford collection, and am aware of his pursuit of top quality. The most complicated part of a restoration like this is plating of the reflector, and that will require that this component be removed from it's brass housing. This is a task also best left to a professional IMO.
Regards,
Scott


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jim Patrick on Thursday, October 18, 2012 - 07:00 am:

Good advice Scott. The best thing about this forum is that the questioner gets most, if not all of the options available to him from which he can choose the one most suited to his circumstances. Take care and good luck Mike. Let us know what method you chose and post a picture of the final results. Jim Patrick


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Rob Heyen - Nebraska on Thursday, October 18, 2012 - 07:32 am:

Thanks guys. I ended up making a "tub" of acetone that I could partially dip the lamps in. Then I sealed the lamps in for about 30 minutes. After that, I used shop towels and some carb spray to finish. I've got one mostly finished and will post a pic later.

Jim, who's Mike? :-)


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Peter Kable on Thursday, October 18, 2012 - 07:41 am:

Good advice above if the clear is lacquer, lacquer is easily dissolved with its thinner, but it could be an enamel product which is also available and used by antique dealers and others especially if they think the brass may be exposed to the weather such as being used for an outside house decoration.

If the clear does not dissolve with the lacquer thinner/acetone/gasket remover etc it could be a 2 part enamel product which will require a paint stripper.

Paint strippers especially auto ones are made to not damage metals or glass and brass is really resistant to most things so it can be safely used.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Rob Heyen - Nebraska on Thursday, October 18, 2012 - 07:49 am:

Peter,

I tried zip strip (enamel) and it didn't do much. The acetone seemed to slowly dissolve this stuff. It was really "caked" on.

Thanks,

Rob


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jim Patrick on Thursday, October 18, 2012 - 07:54 am:

Sorry Rob. I don't know. Must be a figment of my deteriorating mind. Good luck Rob. :-) Jim Patrick


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Rob Heyen - Nebraska on Thursday, October 18, 2012 - 09:23 am:

Ok, first one is "de lacquered".

Before




After


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jim Patrick on Thursday, October 18, 2012 - 12:01 pm:

Good job Mike... er, Rob. :-) Jim Patrick


Posting is currently disabled in this topic. Contact your discussion moderator for more information.
Topics Last Day Last Week Tree View    Getting Started Formatting Troubleshooting Program Credits    New Messages Keyword Search Contact Moderators Edit Profile Administration