Paint stripping trick for you

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MOPARoldtimer

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After doing body work for many years, a friend taught me a new trick for using paint stripper that really works great.

In the past, I always thought the reason paint stripper stopped working after awhile was because it had lifted all the paint it could. However, I was wrong. The reason it stops working is because it evaporates.

Lay on a nice, thick coat of stripper, and then cover it immediately with a sheet of cheap plastic wrap (like Dow's Saran Wrap, only the really cheap stuff).

The stripper won't dissolve the plastic wrap, and the wrap will prevent the stripper from evaporating before it has done its job. When nothing further seems to be happening (after a couple of hours, maybe), pull the plastic wrap off and layer after layer of paint will be dissolved under it! If you time it just right, all the paint will come off with the plastic wrap when you pull it off.

I'd say this method increases the effectiveness of the stripper about 4-fold, and greatly reduces the mess involved.
 
I was thinking it was the heat that caused it to work, because I have noticed it works beter in the sunlight. Thanks for the tip. :thumbrig:
 
MOPARoldtimer said:
After doing body work for many years, a friend taught me a new trick for using paint stripper that really works great.

In the past, I always thought the reason paint stripper stopped working after awhile was because it had lifted all the paint it could. However, I was wrong. The reason it stops working is because it evaporates.

Lay on a nice, thick coat of stripper, and then cover it immediately with a sheet of cheap plastic wrap (like Dow's Saran Wrap, only the really cheap stuff).

The stripper won't dissolve the plastic wrap, and the wrap will prevent the stripper from evaporating before it has done its job. When nothing further seems to be happening (after a couple of hours, maybe), pull the plastic wrap off and layer after layer of paint will be dissolved under it! If you time it just right, all the paint will come off with the plastic wrap when you pull it off.

I'd say this method increases the effectiveness of the stripper about 4-fold, and greatly reduces the mess involved.
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I wish I would have known this several months ago. I stripped my entire car with what appears to be the wrong way. Thanks do the tip.
 
Awesome tip!
That's what i like about this site, i'm always learning something!
 
Stripping parts of crud with EZ-off oven cleaner can use the same deal, spray and cover with saran wrap/garbage bag so it sticks to the part, come back tomorrow and hose off 30 years of gunk.
 
Thanks! I've kinda noticed that it evaporates pretty quickly. I'll be doing this when it comes time to strip the engine bay. Yehaw!
 
This is definitely the way to do it.

Regular, household paint stripper does work the same as automotive/ aircraft paint remover as well. I do the same thing, but I use painter's plastic tarp and do one panel at a time, so it covers the entire panel at once. Also, don't lay the stripper down in multiple directions. Get it on thick enough so that you can't see brush strokes in one direction only and you will nail it, the first time.

What the plastic does is keeps the methyl and ammonia (that you can smell) from leaving the surface. It's also a good idea to lay some painter's plastic down below the panel. I use the brush like basting food. I only use it to scoop it on the panel, especially on the vertical areas.

That's what I did on my girlfriend's Scamp. I followed it up with 80 grit on a DA and managed to get great adhesion for primer and it took off the diminished, dried paint and primer that the scraper didn't remove. The stripper will make the rest of the paint that doesn't peel off, very brittle and it will take little effort to sand off.

Another trick for body filler removal is to use a torch (Oxy-Acetylene or Propane) and hold it in one area with a paint scraper directly behind it. It will take just a few seconds for the polyester resin to burn off and do the same thing, but you will feel it give and allow the scraper to remove the material. It will flake off in a powder like dirt and if you just keep the torch moving right in front of the scraper, you won't hold the flame on the panel anywhere near long enough to cause distortion, even on thin filler. It will catch anything surrounding on fire that is flammable, so be sure you are working with some water nearby in case you need it. Usually you can put any small amount of burning filler out with your glove that hits the ground.

Then you can go back in and hit it with 80 grit and clean the bodywork up underneath.
 
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