I'm ready to start stripping my '68 vette. I have a few basic questions. My car has been repainted at least twice (originally silver, then green, now burgandy).
1. From reading the posts, I'm gathering that the razor blade will pull up one color of paint at a time. Is this correct? Will the primer come up too, or must this be cleaned with the 3M pad and lacquer thinner?
2. I don't know if I still have three coats of paint on the car, or if they have been previously taken off - I'm guessing some is still on. Sounds like the factory primer is best left on. How do I know when I'm to the factory primer? Is it a different color or what?
3. It's starting to get cold outside, so I don't plan to do this in the sun. Should I get a heatgun and use it from the start, or do you just use it for tough areas? Do you heat a 1-2 sq foot area then push the razor acrosss that section, or it is more quick, like just moving the heat gun with one hand and following with razor in the other?
4. Just a cheap heat gun, or is there anything special that will be useful?
the heat gun will soften the paint and make it come off easier. take your time and dont try to peel a full width of the blade. start with just 1/4 in strips . you dont go straight at it , you peel from the side. i cut a long line in the paint with the blade then start peeling the full length of the cut. once you get the hang of it you can strip a door in no time. change blades often and drag it across your jeans to turn the edge up a little. this helps with gouges. be careful with the heat gun it can cook meat fast
The lacquer primer should come off. You don't want to spray a modern primer (2K or Epoxy) over lacquer. You also want clean fiberglass so you can see any previous damage/cracking/etc and fix it.
The factory primer is red oxide, which looks medium redish-brown.
I only had 1 coat of paint when i stripped mine with the blades, so I don't know how many layers will come off at 1 time. I do know taking the top coat off was a lot easier than using stripper which I used years ago.
The big problem I had was getting the red oxide primer off. The razor blades wouldn't touch it and I ended up sanding it off with 80 grit paper that took forever.
Porchdogs tip on using a heat gun would deffinetly be worth trying since the sanding was the pits.
One tip that helps reduce gouging is too round the razor blade ends off on a grinder. LOL
Bob
Well, I started today, and have interesting results. You can see looking at my car (avatar and my photos) it has a one piece front end, and single piece rear end, and original doors. These are not flares; but a custom widebody. The original parts (doors) razor bladed fairly easily once I got the hang of it. The rest of the car - not much luck. I'm going to have to switch to chemical stripper, or sand by hand with long and short boards. I'm thinking I'll try the stripper first and just be extremely thorough about neutralizing and cleaning.
What is happening on the rest of the car is that the blade runs roughly under the paint, but doesn't cleanly get all the paint - it won't get underneath it; and leaves a rough, thin coat of the burgany paint behind. I tried the heat gun, no help. I even put a a dual halogen light close by for a while, which also warmed it up nicely.
When it skips / slides along the paint it has a much higher tentendcy to dig in and I've created a few low spots that I'll need to fix. That's OK, I don't mind learning as I go and now I'll be learning a new skill.
Any other thoughts?
You'll have to be very careful with a chem strip as many of them damage gelcoat. Your after market panels will probably be gelcoated, factory panels were not. I do know aircraft stripper will mess up gelcoat.
Aircraft stripper will work...but you have to watch it. It removes paint fast...and should be scraped off with a "bondo" spreader...and the cleaned throughly with lacquer thinner.
I like to use rough steel wool instead of sctochbrite...but to each his own. And rough steel wool does not tear up your glass like some may think.
In the areas that have just the red-oxide factory primer...I use the lacquer paint stripper or fiberglass paint remover. It is not as aggressive as the aircraft stripper....which the aircraft stripper CAN soften your fiberglass if you are NOT CAREFUL. And by careful...I mean...that when you apply stripper..(either one)...by brush....do not brush back and forth. Brush in one direction and let it be....but test it from time to time. The more brushing you do...breaks the film that is trying to form on the stripper so the chemicals will go down...so to speak...instead of vent out into the air. Depending on the amount of paint your are trying to remove.. (film thickness)...apply the stripper thick. On the red-oxide primer...you do not have to get that thick..becausue it is thin and the stripper and steel wool and lacquer thinner will get it off. When you are completely down. THROUGHLY wipe the panels down with lacquer thinner with clean wipers. NO SHOP TOWELS WITH OIL,GREASE,ETC.
Try to be selective in your application of the stripper. DO NOT APPLY to areas that are not needing it. So if you have spots where you need to strip..just apply it there.
A bit of professional advice. The areas of the exterior that are easily sandable...I sometimes don't worry about getting all of the paint off becasue I can block those areas of old paint. The area that I make sure I get right are those "nook and crannies" that will make sanding a pain in the backside. Sometimes..I have to "spot" sandblast these areas...which is not a problem...due to the primer I use will not be effected by the texture....which isn't that bad due to the grade Of media I use.
Try not to strip on cold/rainy days. It does effect the performance of the stripper.
MAKE SURE you have proper air flow...and the proper gloves for the stripper. Latex gloves do not work...for long. USE A FACESHIELD...because the first time you get it on your face...you will KNOW ...INSTANTLY. Heaven help you if you get it in your eyes.
"DUB"
Since you are unsure how your panels were fabbed/finished I suggest sanding the paint off. Get a real (not Harbor Freight) palm sander and a roll of 220 perforated discs and have at it. Strippers can cause issues later if incompatible with the 'glass... yours is not factory so why gamble? A (lot) bit more work now might save a rework or even delamination later. Any waves you introduce can be blocked straight as you refine the surface before paint. A paint job is more than enough work to chance screwing it up just to save some time or labor, especially if it's your labor!
Chemical strippers have NEVER come back to haunt me. NEVER had a delamination, blistered, bubbling issue in my paint jobs. IT IS all about watchiong what you are doing and taking care to keep the panel(s) clean.
As for the palm sander...yes it will work but just be careful. Tools that spin in the hands of inexperienced people can causue more damage than just doing it by hand. At least using 220 grit should not cut to heavily into your panels and create much distortion. Just keep the pad of the sander as flat againt the panel as possible. NO tipping it up on end. This will create grooves and problems. You will go throught eh paper quickly due to its grit. And make sure that you don't run teh sander at full throttle. The slower the pad spins the more effecetive the sandpaper will be due to heat building up. It is just an aid in removing the paint/primer. Just watch your contours, edges and styling lines.
"DUB"
I am not even close to being an expert on auto painting but would like to comment and 'receive comments' on what I have been told.
An old auto painter once told me.... before any attempt at removing old paint wheather by sanding, razor blade or stripper, the technician should remove any old wax with a good wax remover......then if any caustic stripper was used the surface should be washed with baking soda to neutralize the acids....then a wash-down with lacquer thinner.
Lacquer thinner isn't your friend. It breaks things down and evaporates almost immediately still leaving a dirty surface. Dawn dish soap. Wash wash and wash again.
I am not even close to being an expert on auto painting but would like to comment and 'receive comments' on what I have been told.
An old auto painter once told me.... before any attempt at removing old paint wheather by sanding, razor blade or stripper, the technician should remove any old wax with a good wax remover......then if any caustic stripper was used the surface should be washed with baking soda to neutralize the acids....then a wash-down with lacquer thinner.
Any comments on this old wive's tale.
Alex,
Regarding "wax /grease remover". YES it is ...or should be a practice to remove any wax or foreign substance when you are going to work on a paint job for RE-PAINT. BUT if you are going to razor blade off the coat of paint that MAY have wax on it...and then use chemical stripper to remove the rest. THEN I would not waste the time. I have..in the past throughly cleaned paint if I was going to sand it so it could be re-painted. (without stripping) because you can possibly grind the wax further into the finish and cause problems. BUT I DO NOT DO IT IF I AM STRIPPING W/razor blade and/or chemical.
And yes. When I scrape off the stripper with a bondo spreader... I then use rough steel wool...some like scotchbrite pads...me I like steel wool and lacquer thinner (primer grade) to dissolve the stripper and scrub off any remaining material...and then wipe it down throughly. When that is done...I wipe the ENTIRE stripped area AGAIN with CLEAN thinner and dry it off. USE PAPER TOWELS... I like "Bounty". Making sure that you concentrate on the "nooks and crannies" where the stripper may be still adhered to the body. For this I use a special wand that allows me to CAREFULLY wash it out under pressure with the thinner. And then sometimes I may even lightly sandblast those "hard to get areas" so they are free of all old paint and primer.
I have never used baking soda...and HAVE NEVER had a problem with the stripper causing any problems. With many of the chemical strippers that say use "water" to neutralize the stripper. I have found that they mainly cause the stripper to "freeze" in place and when it is being washed off ...leaves a residue...that requires lacquer thinner to remove.
Whatever you do...when your body is stripped down to fiberglass or SMC. DO NOT wash it with ANYTHING. NO "Dove", Dawn", "Mr.Clean","car soaps",Oxy-clean"....NOTHING!!!!!!!!!!! BUT you can wipe it with lacquer thinner...if needed.. or use acetone...which is what I use. I use both ...but in different areas...depending on what I am doing.
Despite many other peoples views...your body is absorbant. ESPECIALLY to oils, silicones, and any other petroleum based product that will leave an oily film. THESE are VERY BAD...when your body is exposed. SO keep this in mind...and not let your friends...come up and touch your bare fiberglass/SMC Corvette right after they just ate a fast food fried chicken joint. Or have someone spray WD-40 while they are working on their car while you are stripping your car. They can look...... but not TOUCH. And do not be SCARED to get your point across...because you may pay for it later...if you are not watchful on what happens to the exposed fiberglass/SMC.
REMEMBER THIS...When it comes to PROPER ADHESION.....regardless if it mechanical or chemical adhesion.....it ALWAYS boils down to that 1/1,000,000th of an inch of contaminent that gets on the surface that will ruin a repair and cause for delamination, blistering, bubbling, fish-eyes and products not curing in the future.
"DUB"
Last edited by grandmastercorvette; 10-13-2009 at 07:23 PM.
Reason: typo
ALEX,
If you are going to be using stripper with "methylene chloride" in it...make sure that you get the proper gloves that are made for using that stuff. Latex / nitrile goves just do not work well. And a faceshield and goggles would also be HIGHLY ADVISED. Proper ventilation is a must!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
"DUB"
Yes, my new man cave (17x32) will have air flowing out the quazoo.I'm installing two large squirrel cage blowers that will exhaust air pronto.
Both lacquer thinner and acetone are in my cave already. I suspect those two auto grade chemicals will become my good friends if I protect myself properly.
As soon as I get a free day i'm looking forward to visiting with you.
Corvette Store
Razor Blade Paint Strip Q's
