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Sun Aug 28, 2016 3:25 pm

I am starting to strip paint and realized my single speed angle grinder is not going to cut it. Almost dangerous using stripping disks - too fast, too powerful. I think the answer is a variable speed angle grinder so i can slow the speed down. But before I go buy and try I wanted to ask what others use to mechanically remove paint. Variable speed angle grinder?

Additional info: (Having never done this) my plan is to do this in phases starting with doors. Phase 1 is a gentler more environmentally friendly stripper to get the most off. Phase 2 would be the grinder. Lastly I'll use a nastier chemical to get the remaining paint in the hard to reach places. Thats the plan.

Thanks,
Matt

Sun Aug 28, 2016 3:33 pm

I would ditch the idea of using such harsh methods to remove paint... You'll likely gouge the metal and create low/thin areas.

Use the brush on aircraft chemical paint stripper and a putty knife... Brush the panel and let it react, then watch the paint peel off...

It can take a few cycles of recoat/scrape... But the results are better.

Once you have it mostly stripped, break out a little DA sander to finish/clean the surface.

I just did a hood and it turned out really nice. You'll save some time and use of body filler with chem strip method.

Sun Aug 28, 2016 3:39 pm

I have aircraft paint remover. Thats my phase 3 to get the last of it off. I was trying to minimize the use of the harshest chemicals mostly just to minimize the mess. Think I should start with the aircraft paint remover?

Sun Aug 28, 2016 5:23 pm

I started with the aircraft paint remover and finished the bondo areas with a brass wire wheel. After I got it all down to bare metal I used spray on rust inhibitor while I waited to get it down to the paint booth. The seams are sealed with what looks like lead and no matter how slow you go with an angle grinder it will eat through it like butter...

Sun Aug 28, 2016 7:13 pm

I used this harbor freight wheel on a grinder to remove 3 layers of paint and 1/4 inch of Bondo worked fantastic.

http://www.harborfreight.com/4-12-in-polycarbide-abrasive-wheel-60571.html

I did try aircraft paint remover, no thanks

A heat gun and a scrapper worked well in smaller areas.

Mon Aug 29, 2016 3:23 am

Mon Aug 29, 2016 7:50 am

Consider having it blasted. You will wish you had later if you don't. It's the only part that I regret not doing. But if you insist , angle grinder works great but don't use grinding wheel or flapper. Instead use a cupped wire brush. It eats through paint pretty easy. Cupped, not the flat wire wheel.

Mon Aug 29, 2016 8:29 am

I use DA air sander & 80-100 grit paper. Light touch - let the sander do the work. Another option is to have body soda blasted.

I'd choose chemical stripping as a last resort, as it's hard to guarantee that all of the chemicals get neutralized or removed - then it resurfaces under your new paint & bodywork down the road.

bnc

Mon Aug 29, 2016 9:11 am

swhitcomb wrote:

I looked into this and could not find anyone near me ( and I'm very close to Philadelphia) also sand/soda blasting my ghia convertible was in the $1100 range with doing the inside of the car "extra".

Mon Aug 29, 2016 10:51 am

You should look into getting a heavy duty air compressor. Like 5hp, 35+ gallon size.. It will be the most valuable piece of equipment doing a restoration. Especially if you are going to try painting it yourself. Then you can add a pressurized sand blaster to the regime , which makes getting into all the nooks and crannies a breeze. Also using an D/A sander is the best for smooth and easy work.

Mon Aug 29, 2016 11:07 am

EPETREA wrote: Instead use a cupped wire brush. It eats through paint pretty easy. Cupped, not the flat wire wheel.

I use this as well, In intervals while the air compressor is building up. I have a nice 3 inch scar on my left thigh where it got caught up in the wheel well and bounced down on my leg. :shock: Very effective tool, but use caution . I'll never use the trigger lock again !!!!

Mon Aug 29, 2016 11:15 am

I've seen a lot of cars damaged with overly aggressive paint removal. Warped panels from sandblasting, etc.

I have had great luck with citri-strip - orange based paint remover. Non-toxic and doesn't strip the OG paint, which there is no need to remove.

Good luck!

Mon Aug 29, 2016 11:18 am

Almost forgot, I also used 6 in da with 80 grit disk. Messy as hell but it chews through the paint. I started out trying to use my good electric 5 in but the air sander worked 5 times better. I picked up one from HF for$36 and it lasted nearly to the end. However this method is extremely dusty. You will have paint dust everywhere.

Mon Aug 29, 2016 11:34 am

If you go the sandblasting route you will need to remove all the plastic filler first, most sandblasters will not remove that off.

Mon Aug 29, 2016 11:41 am

lonotch wrote: If you go the sandblasting route you will need to remove all the plastic filler first, most sandblasters will not remove that off.

Also there is no worry about 'warped panels' with home shop blasting. Just ain't powerful enough. Industrial blasting is another matter

Mon Aug 29, 2016 12:05 pm

lonotch wrote: If you go the sandblasting route you will need to remove all the plastic filler first, most sandblasters will not remove that off.

My question is: how would you know where the plastic filler was until you remove the paint ? A magnet is never a sure thing.

Mon Aug 29, 2016 1:19 pm

Gel paint stripper, brass wire wheel and patience...

Mon Aug 29, 2016 2:53 pm

Quote: how would you know where the plastic filler was until you remove the paint ?

You dont, you just remove it after it comes home from the blast shop.

Mon Aug 29, 2016 3:16 pm

Jesse,

Brass wire wheel? Are you using a wire cup wheel? What is it attached to? Angle grinder?

As I continue to experiment, i used a wire wheel attached to my drill. Might be good for small hard to reach places, but worthless for large areas.

Your car looks great. I spent a couple hours on a door and I barely have any actual metal shining through so far.

Matt

Mon Aug 29, 2016 3:57 pm

Sofia74 wrote: Jesse,

Brass wire wheel? Are you using a wire cup wheel? What is it attached to? Angle grinder?

As I continue to experiment, i used a wire wheel attached to my drill. Might be good for small hard to reach places, but worthless for large areas.

Your car looks great. I spent a couple hours on a door and I barely have any actual metal shining through so far.

Matt

I used a combination of cup and flat depending on the contour of where I was working on the bondo areas, the rest I went through about three coats of gel paint remover and a plastic putty knife. The wire wheel cuts through the bondo (use a respirator) pretty easy but since its softer than the steel body it is pretty harmless. I used the wire wheels on a standard variable speed drill. When I was finished I used a spray on rust inhibitor and the body sat for a couple of months in 60%/80% humidity without a spec of rust until I got it to the booth and it got a coat of primer.