MLU FORUM  

Go Back   MLU FORUM > MILITARY VEHICLES > The Restoration Forum

Notices

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 21-10-24, 20:58
David Dunlop David Dunlop is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Winnipeg, MB, Canada
Posts: 3,485
Default Wood Surface Paint Removal Question

Has anyone ever used a Dremel and Brass Wire Wheel in tight spaces to strip paint off wood items?

I have some quarter inch to half inch, inside and outside right angle surfaces to deal with on the inside of my coil case, where a lot of NATO Green paint got slathered onto the pine boards.

My thought would be to start a low speeds and slowly increase to where the wheel is starting to be effective and do not exceed that point.

David
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 21-10-24, 23:45
Alex van de Wetering Alex van de Wetering is offline
Moderator
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Hoofddorp, The Netherlands
Posts: 2,729
Default

I did try this on a CMP shovel; paint stripper and brass wire wheel, as well as (steel)wire wool and brass wire brush. For me it worked OK, but not as good as I thought.....the paint I tried to remove was quite hardened and embedded in the grain....the wood itselfs seemed a bit softer, so the wire wheel tended to eat into the wood faster than removing the paint. I remove those last flakes of paint with a scalpel and a set of dentists tools.

David; I guess the best you could do is try a small area and see if the wood is soft or not.
__________________
Chevrolet C8 cab 11 FFW
BSA Folding Bicycle
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 25-10-24, 01:31
r.morrison r.morrison is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: vancouver b.c.
Posts: 829
Default Removing paint....

David: Alex is pretty well spot on with his "formulation". Having been a contractor for over 40 years, I've stripped a bit of wood in my time. Avoid the brass/wire wheel if you can. It will rip the heck out of the wood. PATIENCE... is what you need and just use a sharp instrument and a small brass brush and paint remover. Some lacquer thinner helps too. There is no easy way. Trust me.

Good luck....Robert
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 25-10-24, 02:57
David Dunlop David Dunlop is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Winnipeg, MB, Canada
Posts: 3,485
Default

Thanks for the feedback, Gentlemen. Much appreciated.

I have used various liquid paint strippers over the years but in all cases I was dealing with common hardwoods which have a very tight grain and density, so I was not too concerned about the liquids from the stripper penetrating into the wood and becoming a latent risk. This is the first time I have ever considered liquid strippers on a softwood, like spruce, or in this case, pine, even if it is dry, 80 year old board. So I put that idea on hold.

I had forgotten about "0000" Steel Wool. Thanks for reminding me. Last time I had used that was to cut back the thin surface of the wood furniture from a Lee Enfield Mk V, which has been sitting in Cosmoline for 30 years.

On the current project, I have been working with small blocks of wood wrapped in sand paper. Slow, and hard on the fingers and wrists and regardless of task lighting, I always seem to be working in my own shadows, but the paint is disappearing. That old NATO Green is one tough enamel to start working on, but once you break through the surface hardened exterior bit, it does cut back fairly well.

What I am noticing, however, is that having to mask up due to the lead based paint dust is what slows me down the most. Breathing efficiency is definitely reduced.


David
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 25-10-24, 15:51
Jordan Baker's Avatar
Jordan Baker Jordan Baker is offline
Moderator
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 4,100
Default

Check out some readings on using Oxalic Acid crystals for stripping paint off of wood. Lye works as well but can be harder on some types of wood.
__________________
Jordan Baker
RHLI Museum,
Otter LRC
C15A-Wire3, 1944
Willys MB, 1942
10cwt Canadian trailer
Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
How To: Broken bolt removal - odd shaped surface Grant Bowker The Restoration Forum 1 10-09-21 18:31
CMP paint question Larry Hayward The Softskin Forum 1 03-06-21 15:02
question on factory paint Jack Geratic The Armour Forum 5 23-10-18 21:58
To paint or not to paint brake cylinders? that's the question Alex van de Wetering The Restoration Forum 4 09-02-15 13:07
How to apply paint question gary_bath_jr The Restoration Forum 19 16-07-12 09:20


All times are GMT +2. The time now is 10:27.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright © Maple Leaf Up, 2003-2016