Info needed: Soda blasting versus Paint Stripper

[Phil Waterman]

Originally Posted by Robin Craig

Thank you all for some very technical and useful information that I need to digest a bit. ......

I have been around flat sheeting machines in sheet metal shops and random orbital sanders. . The material I am working with is silky smooth, so I think I am going to first get a plain old pressure washer and see how much more some water can remove before I do anything else and maybe I will have a lot less work to do.

I did buy a gallon of aircraft paint remover at an advantageous price but I am going to hold off a bit yet.

more later

Hi Robin

Couple of thoughts, before you try the "aircraft paint remover" I"ve had very good luck removing OD paint with White Wall Cleaner like Purple Power, and a pressure washer and hot water. If your paint is flattened it may work nice and it leaves a smoother finish than the "aircraft paint remover" .

The Purple Power or like cleaner seems to soften the paint and the preasure washer strips it. Have also found that the Purple Power works well when used as a liquid when wet sanding with low speed orbital sander.

Using warm water while sanding or pressure washing improves the stripping effiecey.

I've got some photos of the effectiveness of cleaner vs paint stripper that I will post later to day.

Could you take some pictures to share of your project before during and after paint removal?

Cheers Phil

Here are the photos I was talking about, one on the left is paint stripper at 15 minutes, 30 minutes, and 24 hours as you can see longer time doesn't really improve stripping. Right photo is cleaning the HUP rear hatch with just cleaner and hot water. Paint was 20 year old Dupont Delux Enamel, paint came off basically one layer at a time till down to the primer.
2011 June Paint Removal 002.jpg2012 HUP July 006.jpg