I have run into several cases where the chemical stripper did not even begin to soften the clear coat. And I was using the really "good stuff".
I have resorted to sanding the clear off and then EITHER block the basecoat off....or use stripper. This is also due to a lot of black primer is sometimes applied to the SMC and it gives me a "cushion"...so I can tell that I am getting close to the SMC.
I do not like to pay someone to media blast, soda blast the panels ...because I have had a few seriously damage the panel...because the "BOZO" evidently did not know what they were doing. SO I do it all "in-house" now.
If using a chemical stripper...just be careful and check it from time to time to make sure that you are not allowing it to stay on the panel too long and possibly hurt the SMC.
There are "trick's" to using chemical stripper....but it does not always make it so you do not have to take sandpaper to the panel.
"DUB"
i use a DA sander with 80 grit paper and alot of patients, no problem here, but i have been doing this for almost 30 years....
and I have done it that way also....but it is really hard to try to instruct a person to PROPERLY use a DA sander....and acquire the "sense of feel" so they know when to stop and how to get it sanded correctly without warping the panel all to heck. An un-trained person with a DA can do more damage in 5 seconds than you can imagine. That is the only reason I did not mention it....a DA is great...but you have to know how to use one correctly and that takes years and years of practice....to get THAT "art" down to a science.
My father in law is is my resident perfectionist..recommended both. I started by just knocking it down a little with a DA and 80 grit. Then he brought me Aircraft Stripper for fiberglass. Its been a real pain though. The car has been repainted and now I have two layers. I spend about an hour doing a small ( probably about 1ft by 1ft ) section and it did a real nice and clean job. However, somethings up if its really going to take this long. I have about 1/5 of the hood done and about 8 hours into it....Im torn with the idea of going back to the DA though. I don't have a ton of experience with it and well aware of the potential issues. Oh yeah and the cars black to boot. I have part of the front bumper taken all the way down and it came out nice... Any thing else...Maybe a little more 80 grit on the hood and then work my way up on grit...then 120, 180, and so on...
To continue my father in law, who's doing the painting for me is a real perfectionist so I know if its not right...He's going to spend a great deal of time fixing it. He painted my harley for me last year and repainted the design 3 times just to ensure it was right... I have the whole front end off the car, headlights out, rear decklid off and onto the rest...I'm pretty confident I have done a pretty good job on most and about ready to give them to him. I'd say I have about 8-10 hours in the front bumper, and another 10 on the misc others. The bumper had some small cracks that "seemed" to only be in the paint. But he was right and it was best to take it all the way down and do it right. Once things progress further I'll start posting pics. Thanks for the input DUB
If you are using a DA sander...and your Dad has given you a good tutorial on how to use it and where to not use it...so you do not damage the panel. I would use it but make sure that you do not sand the paint and primer all the way down to the SMC....if that is what you are stripping down to....Bare SMC. Getting down to the bare SMC is fine in really small areas ( golf ball size)...or just beginning to see the SMC through the primer....faintly. If your DA sander was allowed to get to the bare SMC...hopefully it was for a short period of time. That way...you have not cut away into the panel so badly that it can not be blocked out and primed and corrected. This is also understanding that a DA sander is NOT to be applied to a panel at an angle...but rather it should always (except for those who really know how to use one) be laying FLAT on the surface and the speed being slow (not revving out of control) and always moving. It takes practice...and if you have a metal panel to practice on would be best. But as I mentioned...as long as you do not cut into the SMC to much...you should be fine. Just keep a watchful eye on what you are doing. I know stripping the paint off of the hood is a ROYAL pain in the backside. BEEN THERE----DONE THAT----MANY, MANY TIMES! Sounds like your Dad "has a clue" and it should be comfort that you have someone who knows what to do...so you do not create a bigger problem.
Best of luck, time, patience, money, aspirin, "band-aids", "pepto-bismol", etc
"DUB"
SMC fiberglass is nothing special. It has developed some bad rumors in the 80's that has stuck around but most are un true. SMC fiberglass stands for Sheet Moulding Compound. It is nothing more then a process in witch the fiberglass panels are made. Although they do a have a release agent that is part of the resin mixture for fast production. This is why you must use a SMC approved resin when doing repairs.
Chemical strippers will work on fiberglass but I don't recommend them. Anytime you got to scrape fiberglass with razor you run a large chance of removing chunks, A chemical stripper will only aid in the fiberglass being soft and easy to mess up.
The best way to remove paint from fiberglass or SMC is with a soda blaster. Bi-carbon soda will NOT harm the fiberglass, it will NOT pit it or damage it in any way. But it will remove all the paint in a quick manner. Just remember that soda blasting leaves a film that must be washed off before any paint is applied.
For one single panel, it don't make a lot of sense to go out and buy a soda blaster. Their are many company's that can do the job for you, at your hose for about $100. Soda blasting is safe for glass and rubber, so their no need to even remove the hood. If you are set on doing it yourself, the next best option would be good Ole sanding. A DA sander like mentioned above will do the job just fine. It's safer then chemical strippers, but slower then soda blasting. Just remember no matter how much you want to NEVER tilt the sander to cut faster.
Corvette Store
Whats the best thing to use to strip the paint off the hood of a C4.
and I have done it that way also....but it is really hard to try to instruct a person to PROPERLY use a DA sander....and acquire the "sense of feel" so they know when to stop and how to get it sanded correctly without warping the panel all to heck. An un-trained person with a DA can do more damage in 5 seconds than you can imagine. That is the only reason I did not mention it....a DA is great...but you have to know how to use one correctly and that takes years and years of practice....to get THAT "art" down to a science.
