posted
I have a large project on the go that requires a fair amount of chemical paint stripping on aluminum.
I have been told that the best way to apply the paint stripper to get the most effect out of it is to spray it on and apply heat, then use a high pressure washer to remove it.
The type of paint being stripped is automotive Imron - its tough stuff.
posted
Paint stripper can work fine or be a nightmare. I've always found it goes better if you rough up the paint first, a wire brush or a DA with 80 or 36 grit. It does like heat, some commercial type heat lamps work nice. This stuff is extremely nasty, so avoid ANY contact with it. Anything you don't want messed up, like polished aluminum, needs to be covered carefully. The high pressure washer is going to blow it everywhere, it will still be somewhat active and it will attack anything it lands on so be careful, you can mess up a car wash real fast. The main thing to watch out for when using stripper is that it doesn't have any place to hide, like rivit heads, seams, deep bolt holes, hidden pockets. It will get into these and then show up a few months later if not right away. Complete dissassembly is not a waste of time.
-------------------- George Perkins Millington,TN. goatwell@bigriver.net
"I started out with nothing and still have most of it left"
posted
Martin Senour makes a good two part stripper which seems to work better than "Aircraft" stripper. That Orange or citrus smelling 'safe' stripper is a joke. Get any of it on you and you have permanent black hands as it chemically affects your skin.
The two part stripper: You mix the two parts together and apply. Spraying is a great way to get a heavy and even coat, however you have to be very careful about where the aerosolized fumes are going and with NOT breathing them. Got to use an airless and the equipment has to be rigorously cleaned afterwards, unless you can use that spray bottle method sold with some strippers. The spray plastic bottles clog up pretty fast and the plumbing in the head goes south real fast around that chemical bath. You might also try rolling it on, using a heavy nap, varnish roller. I did a major strip of a '49 Jag XK120 which had been painted seven times. We used plastic sheets to cover a heavily coated area and inhibit the drying out of the stripper. Careful 'chiselling' off of the paint is also a must on aluminum. You got to be careful to not scratch up the aluminum beneath and we found a 1" metal scraper, sharpened frequently worked the best by gently pushing it thru the softened paint.
George is right about thorough wash down afterwards. You have to use the right alumi-prep solution and numerous times to really get results. Zinc chromate primer and even epoxy primer over it does help the final paint adhere.
The idea that you paint this stripper on and it all just comes off with pressurized water spray is not exactly how it works. You have to coat and recoat many times over Imron. You only pressure wash after you get most of it removed. Use cheap stripper and you expose yourself to Methyl Cloride (bad stuff to breath if you are trying to avoid cancer). Plenty of ventilation is in order, no matter which type you use. Good luck. Be patient and wash thoroughly everything after being exposed to this stuff. Bad pizza.
-------------------- Preston McCall 10305 Eby st. Overland Park, KS 66212 text: 5056607370
Posts: 1562 | From: Overland Park, KS | Registered: Nov 1998
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