chemical striping

[DenB.]

i was woundering what kind of luck anybody has had with chem. striping i'm doing an old FLH and the paint is quite thick i've been blasting it but i'm getting tired and bored with it thanks DenB.

 

[DDG]

Chemical stripping works well. I stripped an old paint job, 20yo, and it only took 2 applications of aircraft stripper. It can be messy and bad smelling but it works.
Dirt

 

[flamethrower]

I know blasting is a boring tough job, but if you do the chemical thing you might not be as happy as you think. I tried using the KleenStrip Aircraft stripper (Max strength) and it just ****ed my old paint off. Similar to shooting a charging grizzly with a .22 rifle. I ended up stripping three times and then I finally gave up and bought a blaster and spent about 4 hours blasting my tank and fenders. I will have to give the stripper some credit, it stripped the old clear coat off pretty well, but as for the base coats... I don't know what Harley uses in their base coats but that sssstuff holds on like nothing I've seen!

I don't know how difficult blasting would have been had I not stripped off the clear coat first.

Anyway, all I can offer is you better go get some elbow grease, cause your work is cut out for you.

Good luck.
FT

 

[DaveK]

Sorry Dirt but, I agree with Flamethrower. I tried the aircraft remover and all it did was scale up the paint. None had been removed. Yes... I only used one coat but, it simply did not do the job that I thought it would. I know that I am new but for now, sand blasting is the way for me. Although waiting for my compressor to catch up is the hardest part.

DaveK

 

[DDG]

When using the stripper try scoring the paint and letting it sit on the parts for a longer time.
I don't know what you guys are doing but when I use it the paint comes right off.
Dirt

 

[DenB.]

thanks guys. I figured i was on track with the blasting but needed to ask for the input waiting for the comp. to catch up "IS" the killer i'll also try the scoring routine thanks guys

 

[rex]

Definately scratch it up good and put it on as thick as will stay on.It's nothing to do it 3 times with thick paint.Get the low odor formula so you don't as many fumes.I just stripped my tank I did from steel up less than a year ago and took 3+ coats to get it down to spots of DP and it doesn't touch etch primer.Be very carefull blasting,don't hammer down on the brass joints and don't let a single grain get in the tank.Murphy's law says it'll find it's way in the carb and screw with it but the stuff makes a nasty scratch in the cylender wall if it makes it that far.Oh,Harley's base doesn't like to come off easy,sucks doesn't it?

Tcannon,welcome.There's a stripper specifically for lacquer cause as you found out Aircraft does nothing.This stuff is real messy though,instead of the lacquer bubbling up it melts into a liquid mess.

I use a plastic bondo spreader to scrape the paint and stripper off.It will go faster with a putty knife but I don't like to scrape steel with steel.

 

[DenB.]

Thanks for the reply rex

 

[tcannon]

I've used chem strippers for years with mixed results. The best results have been going over the parts with a jitterbug or da with 30-40 grit then putting on a thick coat of stripper and letting it work. That stuff seems to do better in warmer weather. The only exception was when I tried to use it to strip my old Bonnie's tank last year. I painted it back in '78 with MS lacquer and believe it or not, the aircraft stuff didn't even bubble it! I had to blast it (what a job). Remember to wear eye protection, rubber gloves and be in a well vented place while the stripper works. Meth chloride is nasty.

 

[tcannon]

Good idea, Rex, using the bondo spreaders! I've use plastic putty knives before but I think the bondo spreaders will work better. If I run into any more lacquer jobs I'll get some of the lacquer paint stripper.

 

[rex]

I like the plastic putty knives too cause you can dig off the tighter stuff but I can't seem to keep one over 5 minutes.In the shop it's like a roll of tape or sandpaper,it dissappears as someone walks by.For some reason mud spreaders don't walk off because that's usually up on the list too.