i would like to completely strip the exterior of my Duster, its time to get it looking good, now i know there is more than one way to skin a cat. I dont want to use chemicals and my compressor seems to run forever when i use my D.A....that leaves my electric polisher/sander to use for the job, its variable speed and uses the sticky round 6" sand paper on a foam wheel. Has anyone used this method to strip the exterior paint or do you just use the D.A....oh and what grit should i be using...i will be following up with SPI epoxy... thanks for any advice..Rich
stripping original paint
- Thread starter mad dog
- Start date
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9cfm its going to get a work out. Just comes down to preference really. Both will get u there. Ive used 36 grit as well but it will eat and it produces more heat. Like u said more than 1 way to skin a cat
JDMopar
Well-Known Member
I strip as much as I can with a razor blade scraper before starting with a DA. It helps.
harrisonm
Well-Known Member
I have done that many times. One trick I have learned is to hold the blade at about a 45-degree angle to the direction of your strokes. that way the blade will work a lot better, and it will not get 'stuck' as often.
Nothing wrong with using chemicals. I've done it many times. Just wear gloves and be careful. Second best is a DA and 80 grit paper. I have a really good 5 HP dual stage 80 gallon compressor, and it runs when using a DA. Just be patient and stop periodically to let the compressor catchsome up. Also, change your 80 grit discs frequently. If you use them too long, the kinda turn into 220 or 320 grit discs. You may think you are saving money on 80 grit disks, but all you are doing is making the stripping last a LOT longer. When it feels like the disk is not cutting well, change it. I would not recommend the polisher sander you are talking about. It will take forever.
First off, post a picture of the car.
I never strip past the original paint, if it is decent.
Factory paint is a pretty good base for a re-paint.
I never strip past the original paint, if it is decent.
Factory paint is a pretty good base for a re-paint.
Bill Crowell
Well-Known Member
Have you ever tried a 4-1/2" or a 9" angle grinder with a non-woven paint stripping pad? They work quite well. The 9" grinder is much faster than the small one, but it is quite heavy and will tire your arms out.
thrustbucket
Member
I agree with this. I am also for the 'scruzz wheel' as I call it, on an electric angle grinder for the bulk of it. I prefer chemical/scrape w/ dressed drywall spatula first, then the scruzz wheel. Rustoleum 'Aircraft stripper' gel used to work really good. But, I think some ding-dong used it in a tiny space without a mask and died. Now they took the 'good' out of it. It's definitely not the same now.
I tape off all the seams and strip the car with paint stripper to bare metal. The results are much better. No heat to dull the body lines. Also you can see every area that has been worked on before. The sanding marks on this car were under the original paint. You would never see this prior work if you sand the car . I only use media on the car where it has surface rust. then I tape the car off and only clean the rusted areas with media.
Thanks for all the good advice, my last question is what "grit" should i leave on the car when im done? i want enough bite for the epoxy but i also dont want deep scratches left on the bare metal, am i overthinking this?
Bill Crowell
Well-Known Member
Try scratching a test piece of bare metal deeply with 80 grit and then see if one coat of primer will level it out so it looks nice.
I 220 the bare metal. This will show all the dents and creases as seeing this long crease in the quarter which was under the original paint as seen below. Wipe the Bare metal down with metal conditioner prep and then clean it with a cleaning solvent.
harrisonm
Well-Known Member
I was going to say 180, but once all the paint is off, 220 works great!
Ironracer
Gearhead
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Ironracer
Gearhead
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