Paint Stripping - Explain Your Best Process

bradjacob · Nov 18, 2011

I've restored machines and have my own process of stripping paint: Citrisrip... Although I love this product, it's time consuming to paint the stripper on each part, wait, scrape off the gunk, then wire brush stubborn paint - and possibly re-apply more if needed.

I'm looking for a better method. Something "one-shot". I'm thinking I need to dip in some chemical, let cook and be able to hose it off.

What are some of your tried-and-true methods?

kitno455 · Nov 18, 2011

Several days in the electrolysis bath. I do go out once per day, and scrape off the electrodes. Carbon electrodes would eliminate that. It takes off everything, including that nasty old filler. Does not harm soft metals or any plastics I have tried, unlike chemical strippers.

Pros: low cost, no smell, no gloves, reusable solution.
Cons: slow, requires immediate teardown to prevent trapped water rusting.

allan

dannyrocci · Nov 18, 2011

I let mine sit in a Carburetor Cleaner overnight and the next day they are ready for paint no wire brush but you do need to spray it with a penetrating oil to prevent flash rusting.

Danny

Bill Pace · Nov 18, 2011

I have pretty much moved to EZ OFF oven cleaner as my go-to cleaner/stripper. I will pump-up spray down with straight Purple Power, let sit 20-30 mins, power wash down, let drip dry for 5-10min, then a good spray coat with oven cleaner and another sit for 30-45 mins - or longer, is better, with a wash down with the power washer. This will usually get 70-90% of paint - seems nothing will get ALL of it off in one app. On smaller parts use same procedure, just using water hose.

bradjacob · Nov 18, 2011

dannyrocci said:
I let mine sit in a Carburetor Cleaner overnight and the next day they are ready for paint no wire brush but you do need to spray it with a penetrating oil to prevent flash rusting.

Danny

Danny - how much did you need, 5-gallon bucket? And did you build any special containers to efficiently distribute the cleaner?

bradjacob · Nov 18, 2011

Has anyone used Brakleen? (brake cleaner) as an alternative to Carb-Cleaner?

M.B. Naegle · Nov 18, 2011

We sandblast anything when we're trying to strip it down to the metal. If there's an area that you don't want blasted (ways, tag, ect.) cover it in masking tape and don't let your gun spend too much time around it. If there's something we can't risk getting eat up by debris, we'll hit it with the wire wheel grinder. I don't think we've ever used any chemical strippers other than Strip-eez, and that's mainly on doors and other wood stuff.

intrepid · Nov 18, 2011

cook the parts

I take most of my parts to the local auto machine shop and have them cooked with their engine parts; ie, blocks pans, bolts. After removal, just a washing off and then dried by blowing off with air. After a very little prep, ready for paint. Cost,..usually less than a couple cans of spray cleaner. Best of all, I don't have a mess to clean up and very little time!

danny

kozzmo99 · Nov 18, 2011

I have tried everything and the two easiest are mr muscle oven cleaner and a TSP hot bath.

The TSP method is really awesome. I got a big galvanized bucket, filled it with water and added a bunch of TSP, I then put the bucket on a propane cooking stove.

Once the water gets boiling I put in the parts in a big metal strainer and let them cook for 10 or 15 mins.

Take them out and hose em down and EVERYTHING is removed. Grease, paint, everything!

The only problem is the cast iron will retain the water and rust easily.

So getting the parts dried is important but I would also say they should be painted ASAP.

I de-greased and stripped a whole lathe in a hour using the TSP method this summer.

Mr Muscle is also good as you just spray the parts and let them sit and hose them down maybe 12 hours later.

But Mr. Muscle is not cheap and TSP is DIRT CHEAP.

David

ScubaSteve · Nov 18, 2011

I've used citristrip followed by an electrolysis soak. It takes EVERYTHING off. Of course, if the parts were japanned or used the old resin fillers, a wire wheel is needed. But I think the citristrip softens the paint enough for electrolysis to "pull" it off....

Mcandrew1894 · Nov 19, 2011

I've done the citristrip with wire brush and putty knife

And

HOT (like 150F) and Simple Green...mixed 50/50

I think the type of paint will affect the outcome, but, I took 4 coats of paint off a mill vice with the Simple green method and a scrub with a scrub brush....in 1 shot. I let it set over night before the scrub.

I go simple green first, and if it doesn't get it all or is tougher ...I'd use the citristrip....it's just "messy-er"

Dave

mg81 · Nov 19, 2011

I have always like using powdered lye (sodium or potassium hydroxide, whatever you can find cheaper) this is what is in oven cleaner.

You can get a big can of this for drain opening. Put this is a big container full of water like a 5 gallon bucket or even a kiddie play pool, the plastic won't be bothered by lye. When the pH gets really high it has a protective effect on iron and will pretty much stop rust from forming in the short term, just keep the parts fully submerged.

The lye does a great job of stripping paint. It is not flammable, does not stink and is cheap. Also if you do electrolysis to remove rust the lye saturated water is an excellent solution to use, just hook up your DC power source.

The only problem, this will tear your body up if you touch it. Don't get this solution on your skin and especially not in your eyes.

jkopel · Nov 19, 2011

the lye aint no lie

Absolutely recommend the lye.
Go with a few bottles of cheap red devil drain cleaner.
It is straight Sodium Hydroxide.
Add it SLOWLY to a 10 gallon plastic paint bucket half full of cold water (you want plastic, and you want a lid).
The lye gets HOT as it dissolves so be careful not to let it spatter on you.
Then just dump the parts in and wait a day.
Pull them out and all the paint and dried oil gunk is just gone.
Don't put anything but ferrous metal in there though.
It will discolor and patina brass/bronze, and will eat aluminum in a heartbeat.

It works great for cleaning hardware as well if you put the parts in a tin can with holes punched in the bottom.

I just wrote this up as part of my 9" south bend "remodel".
Some notes on paint removal and clean up | the Age of Industry

bradjacob · Nov 19, 2011

I like the hydroxide method. I think I'll go out and try this out. One question, for rinsing the parts, do I take them up into the kitchen sink to clean them off, or is this an outside/hose operation? Is it bad for the environment to get this solution into the grass?

jkopel · Nov 19, 2011

Are you married?

I was washing them in our stainless kitchen sink until my wife caught me. Now I use the laundry tub (it is a longer walk), or the hose if it is a big part. You need to dry them off quickly to avoid rust so bear that in mind. Hot water helps.

They lye itself is not much of a pollutant, it neutralizes into simple sodium salts in contact with environmental acids, and hell, it cleans your drains on the way down (I tried to explain this to no avail). It might kill the grass though!

If the paint on your machine is original then there is a good bet it contains lead. That being the case, ANY method of stripping it will expose you, and will free the lead into the environment.

The lye bath can be used for a LONG time, just add more water. When it finally stops working let the remaining water evaporate and then scrape the dried crap into a plastic bag and bring it to whatever your municipality has for household toxic waste disposal. Or bury it, your choice.

Be careful carrying parts dripping with lye around though, the drips are mighty corrosive. I have a plastic washtub I use to move things to the sink or the hose.

Josh

bradjacob · Nov 19, 2011

Apparently, lye isn't sold in stores anymore. The govt removed sale because of Meth cookers. Jeez... Like that'll stop em. But they didn't remove the sale of the cold meds used to actually make it.

Ok, so where do I get lye?

mg81 · Nov 19, 2011

I would personally wash the stuff down the sink. This will kill all plants and will leave the earth barren for a long time. Also the sewage treatment plants do a much better job removing heavy metals than the half-assed at home ways that most of us would do.

But yes, if you feel really guilty about flushing it or you are on a septic tank I would evaporate it down and drop it off on haz-mat freebie day at the dump or cast it into block of concrete then put it in the trash.

Keep looking for Lye, you will find it. Sadly it can be a pain to track it down and as an added problem it will sometimes have aluminum shavings in it to help with the drain opening action, you don't want that kind. Just open up the can and look inside before you buy, you can see the shiny shavings easily.

I find lye at smaller hardware stores, plumbing supply places and possibly pool supply stores. Keep looking, you will find it. It is in no way controlled. More than anything I think stores don't want to sell it because it is hazardous and they are worried about a customer harming themselves and suing.

CooperJS · Nov 19, 2011

have you tried ebay?

kozzmo99 · Nov 19, 2011

Roebic Crystal Drain Cleaner available at Lowes.

100% Sodium Hydroxide. $13 for 2lb bag.

David

bradjacob · Nov 19, 2011

kozzmo99 said:
Roebic Crystal Drain Cleaner available at Lowes.

100% Sodium Hydroxide. $13 for 2lb bag.

David

Not on the shelves, just website.

Paint Stripping - Explain Your Best Process

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