posted
Hey there, This is kind a of a follow-up question to my inquiry last week about slowww drying 1-shot. If you had 1 shot that needs to be taken off, and I need to start from scratch on a sign frame.
Here's my question: I've been told that after getting the old paint off I need to wipe it down with paint thinner. I have 1-shot reducer that I use to thin 1-shot, and I understand it's much higher quality than my home depot paint thinner.
Should I use that 1-shot reducer to wipe it down instead of traditional thinner?
Thanks for your time!
Jennifer
-------------------- Jennifer Craig Bright Morning Signs 3908-190th Pl. SW, Lynnwood, WA 98036 brightmorning1@msn.com Posts: 72 | From: Lynnwood, WA, USA | Registered: Nov 2002
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In your situation, I'd use regular 'paint thinner' (mineral spirits) to remove to un-dried finish. Lots of paper towels and a plastic scraper would be of good use.
This needs to be done outside in a very well venitlated area. Mineral spirits IS FLAMABLE. I'd also prefer paper towels over rags because oily rags (petroleum solvents) have been known to spontanious combust when stored.
After getting down to the original surface, I'd use Rapid Prep or another good prep cleaner to remove the oily residue left by the mineral spirits.
Any time that you are working with flamable materials, I can't stress enough about safety. Being at the "Burn Center" really sucks, and dealing with a fire is almost as much fun.
For me personally, I'd probably avoid all of this by starting over with new material, and chalk it all up to lesson learned. Sometimes wasted material is better than taking a big risk.
posted
Jennifer, My first choice would be to start over from scratch. Depending on your investment so far, that may be the way to go. But if you must...
What kind of wood is under the paint? If it's MDO, are you trying to take it back to the brown overlay or to the primer? How large an area to remove? There are different methods I would use depending on your answers.
To take it all the way back to the overlay: First try to remove as much goo as you can without much solvent. You indicated the paint is still moist, so you should be able to scrape a lot of it off with the scraper as I describe below. Make a scraper by dulling a standard single-edge razorblade in a holder, using very fine emery to "burnish" the edge AND corners. It will be dulled to the point that you can slide your finger on it, but it won't cut you (You can also sharpen a wallpaper scraper and then burnish it). This dulled blade will slide easily under the softened paint and will glide easily across the board. Use Xylol, available at Sherwin Williams or a good paint store, to soften and remove the remaining paint all the way down to the "paper" overlay. Xylol is VERY powerful AND smelly. Wear rubber gloves, and have a few pair to replace the dissolving ones! Use proper ventilation, no sparks, take it outdoors! Your paint thinners MAY remove the paint if you're lucky but there will be a lot of swirling goo to mess with. The Xylol is a "hotter" solvent which breaks it down a lot better. Final wipe with Xylol, and let dry. While at S-W, buy some "Japan Drier" and add it to your 1-Shot (or preferrably to your Ronan or Chromatic Background Enamel). Read the Directions for quantity. I add a couple of capfuls to a quart or so.
To remove to the MDO factory-applied Primer: Use the same scraper with the least "hot" solvent that will do the job. Try starting with VM&P Naptha (my favorite all-around thinner and cleaner), 91% Isopropyl Alcohol(from drugstore, NOT 70%) then work your way up to Paint Thinner. Note: Lacquer Thinner or Xylol will probably attack the primer coat and are to be avoided unless the others don't work. Be careful and if at any point you don't feel comfortable, DON'T do it!
-------------------- Gene Golden Gettysburg Signs Gettysburg PA 17325 717-334-0200 genegolden@gettysburgsigns.com
"Art is knowing when to stop." Posts: 1578 | From: Gettysburg, PA | Registered: Jun 2003
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posted
To start with new material is best, but if your gonna reuse the same material again, then set it up on sawhorses OUTSIDE, cover with a single thickness of paper towels and pour just enough paint thinner (often folks might use laquer thinner but I'm not recommending it, that xylol sounds like it'll work too) to soak the towels and cover the entire surface, lay a plastic sheet over it, pat it down enough to where it touches the sign, and then go home for the night.
You can do this without using a whole lot of thinner, the paper towels will keep the thinner on the sign and the plastic will keep the thinner from evaporating.
The next morn use a silkscreen squeegie and scrape it all into a garbage can, follow up with wipings of fresh paper towels and thinner (you should wear rubber gloves and protective gear during all this), follow up with a vinyl applicater squeegie scraping.
Then scrub it down with soapy water and a scrub brush, rinse well and let dry thoroughly, use compressed air if ya have it but be sure its good and dry before going on with a sanding, fresh primer and paint.
And don't use paint from the same can, presume qt to be tainted and see about getting rid of it in an enviromentaly sound fashion.
So a question here, was the paint you used the bottom third or forth of a can? Did the can have numerous skins pulled from it in its life? Was it old?
Old paint thats skinned over even a couple of times is not the same product as original, paint has dryers that migrate to the surface to create the skin (along with the fresh air from the opened can) and the leftover paint has less dryers to it.
My pet peeve: cans of paint with numerous skins in them, uh! I have an old butter knife especially modified on a grinder I use to cleanly cut skins from the can to remove them.
You could boost the paint with a tad of japan dryer I guess but I prefer paint in its original formulation as produced by the manufacturer.
In this vein of thot too is to not ever pour paint back into the original container, that goes double on any paints modified with thinners or anything else and paint thats been sitting around in an open container for any length of time. Keep the paint in the can an original product.
Also, paint does not have an indefinate shelf life if its ever been opened, I'd rather pay more for smaller containers than to buy something where half of it will wind up on my shelf for any length of time, or break your container down into smaller containers (fill them right to the bottom of the lids).
Again, seriously give thought to starting with fresh material, it's cost is well worth having to do this nasty task but I'm figuring if your like me you'll do it anyway!
posted
Uh... thanks William. I remembered the post but didn't bother going back to the beginning. So... let's try again.
Jennifer, Is it a blasted sign or a flat sign? Can you scrape it - if so follow above directions. If it's blasted you would need a nice stiff plastic bristled brush to get into the nooks and crannies. The paint store will have some good brushes to use, like a stiff, short bristled, wallpaper brush. Automotive store will have some sort of "tire brush" or heavy duty scrub brush. A couple of cheap "vegetable scrubs" or "fingernail" brushes work wonders too.
-------------------- Gene Golden Gettysburg Signs Gettysburg PA 17325 717-334-0200 genegolden@gettysburgsigns.com
"Art is knowing when to stop." Posts: 1578 | From: Gettysburg, PA | Registered: Jun 2003
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I will admit I did not read everything, so I may not hit the absolute best thing to do here. And it looks some others gave long, and therefore time-involved responses.
When it comes to restoring a surface in order to re-do it in whatever way, the time involved for me to do is is just awfully expensive.
I simply say to my customer, with a wave of my hand, that my time is all I have other than very expensive equipment and years of experience already amortized, to make my living with. I then offer 5-10 minutes of free handholding on how he/she can do it herself, they can take notes. Then when they bring back the panel in a way I can work with, OKAY, we go for it.
But what usually happens is people listen to all that and then - once a few dollar figures enter the conversation - which show that a new substrate would cost less, I don't usually have a problem getting to work on new substrates.
After I make my case, only people who have nothing but preservation of the existing at heart, and don't want to waste anything and money is no object, have me personally put a piece of crap into an original condition.
If this is not what this post is about, forgive me, there is still merit in what I'm saying. The fact that each of the responses start with, "YOU OUGHT TO DO A NEW SUBSTRATE" indicates I may have something to contribute here.
-------------------- Myra A. Grozinger Signs Limited Winston-Salem, NC
signslimited@triad.rr.com Posts: 1244 | From: Winston-Salem, NC USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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posted
Removing the finish from this cedar sign should be no more difficult than stripping a piece of furniture that has years of built up coats. . . . actually, it will be easier, because the paint is fresh, uncured.
I would also like to add that I think Ms. Fayett's suggestions are really good . . . .
wish I'da know her that time I . . . . . .
-------------------- Signs Sweet Home Alabama
oneshot on chat
"Look like a girl, act like a lady, think like a man, work like a dog" Posts: 5758 | From: "Sweet Home" Alabama | Registered: Mar 2003
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