Paint stripper recommendation...

[73pcar]

I am looking for a recommendation for an aggressive paint stripper - not the usual auto parts store offering i.e. Rust-Oleum Aircraft Remover (a name that makes no sense to me). I find that product exceedingly slow and requiring endless coats, letting it sit as directed, applying again, etc. Thank you

[mepstein]

I had some old Jasco aircraft stripper. It was the good stuff. Paint and powder coat bubbled right up in seconds. Burned like crazy when you got some on your skin. When I ran out, I tried a bunch of store bought products but nothing has come close.

[Bob Kontak]

Originally Posted by mepstein

I had some old Jasco aircraft stripper. It was the good stuff. Paint and powder coat bubbled right up in seconds. Burned like crazy when you got some on your skin. When I ran out, I tried a bunch of store bought products but nothing has come close.

+1 Lowes has Jasco products and the Aircraft stripper gave you a fighting chance.

I don't know what they sell now but I would try their best stuff first.

[962porsche]

depending on the state your living in you may not be able to buy the good old high quality paint remover.
I really liked the old klean strip auto/ aircraft stripper. I'm now stuck with the less aggressive stripper. it still works but there are a few must does to make it work. the 1st is to take some 36 grit and run it over the finish to put some deep scratches in it.
2nd is to apply a good heavy coat and then cover it with plastic sheeting. I just use the same plastic over spray sheeting we use for coving the cars when painting.
to remove the finish most of the time I will use a long handle razor blade holder and always new blades. not to dig the edge of the blade into the metal I will take a piece of sand paper and round the corners off the blade.
you have to let the product sit on the finish. they say let sit for 45 minutes but some times it will take an hour or two. again make sure you have enough stripper on the finish so the stripper doesn't dry.

if your dealing with some finishes like lacquer or an enamel with out a hardener AKA NON 2K product. many time the finish will not wrinkle it will just turn to a kind of liquid mess.
Sometimes when I need to strip a non 2K finish I will use the old type old DA sander lock into it's grind mode and with some 80 grit just start machine stripping the finish.

[freddy67]

If you’re in a state that still allows it, the older Klean Strip Aircraft Remover was nasty in the best way. Stripped powder coat like butter. Most of the newer formulas are neutered thanks to regulations.

[Monkey Wrench]

dropping parts in an acid worked well for me but it produces very harsh fumes I have used muriatic acid on thicker parts it eats all the rust and finish away, it DOES attack base metal and it definitely eats aluminum. do not put aluminum parts in muriatic acid.
the "hook it leaves can help paint attach very well.

the less harsh system Ive used is electrolysis, a water bath a car battery and some washing soda, let it sit and bubble, the part that you are stripping should be the one to bubble otherwise reverse polarity. you need an expendable electrode, any good hunk of metal can work. think surface area. also proximity has an effect.

Im not sure how well that works on all paints or on powdercoated parts but when I tried it I was impressed, it did not attack base metal but removed the rust and any paint, only.

obviously you probably won't dunk the whole car body, you'd need a huge tank, and to remove almost every part. perhaps impactical.

but for parts that do come off and are rusted, I like electrolysis. cheap, no harsh chemicals doesn't overheat or attack the base metal like sandblasting abrasion etc.
I pull it out a few times to scrub with rags and baking soda, electrolysis leaves behind a black coating of some sort. I'll give parts a quick cleaning usually and for sure before painting. It can be a great alternative to using paint strippers , for some ( smaller) items.

stainless and also perhaps parts that are coated with zinc, Im not sure abou thtat reaction. be careful or research it.

you could find that electrolysis or acids may cause a reaction with zinc.( galvanized parts)

I once put washers that had a silver colored coating, the coating reacted with the acid, it produced a lot of heat and who knows what fumes. I'd avoid that. it might be cadiom or some other poisonoius substance so be careful with coated parts.

some websites seem to suggest using stainless as an expendable electrode for electrolysis, I have heard that stainless has some harsh stuff that should be avioded, so don't use stainless as your electrode, just use iron..

some use rebar, its cheap. Ill sometimes just use an angle grinder to clean my electrodes and use them over. a hunk of scrap metal will usually work fine.

if you use a car battery or a charger for electrolysis, careful not to short circuit the electrodes.


electrolysis is noce it will really clean the rust off well wothut a lot of harsh chemicals. I wan to make a larger bath for fenders hoods , doors, etc.

how do I make a tank? I was thinking plywood lined with plastic , then I had this brainstorm , Hey, how about if I just dig a hole and line the hole with plastic? then there is no need to build a tank and I can easily adjust the size and shape , Just need some heavy poly. fill the hole in when done ! I can pump it out if I don't want to release the paint chips and stuff into my own soil.

do your own research about the fumes and any hazards , I dont want to be liable and I am not a chemical engineer or a safety expert.

Electrolysis , Id definitely say it has worked well for me. Muriatic acid is horrible stuff to play with so I'd suggest not doing that, in some cases maybe it is ok. I had a lot of success but I'd also consider it quite hazardous.

muriatic acid is cheap and sold for cleaning old cement floors, prior to paint. it will also rust anything nearby with its fumes. I got a lung full of it, using it on a concrete floor, It was a horrible experience, so be careful with that one. baking soda will neutralize it. I'd keep some handy and I'd use it to neutralize any parts after.

I keep baking soda handy when handleing car batteries as a safety product, If I spill acid, I throw baking soda on it. once it reacts it is no longer a harsh acid. you can brush your teeth with baking soda, it is somewhat edible.

with the acid, when you take it out it wants to rust immediately much like sandblasting. with electrolysis I had no such issues with this "flash rust" issue.

hot tanks like used for engine cleaning, probably another method.

other acids, well you can buy autobody acid products for rust removal. Ive used "naval gelly" it worked somewhat, but takes time. some may include a rust inhibitor or a coating to prevent flash rusting.. maybe something like glycerine?

the rust amalgamator works well, particularily if you don't want to try to get every micro particle of rust . it turns it to a paintable black coating , easy to use. seemed to work well without going too crazy, just remove surface rust by abraision first. i find if i use 2 part epoxy I never see the rust return after.

quick and dirty grab a blowtorch not many paints womt burn off but heat can change metallurgy. go heating the side of your car you'll cause a buckled up mess, a bumper bracket? well maybe?
- in actuality if you find out when paint burns off and when metal starts to change its metallurgy you probably have a rather large window. if you are monitoring , the stage where the metal changes color you may be changing its harness maybe making it brittle. or too soft. if you heat lmeatl wiht a torch it will go through stages tan, blue violet etc. there are special "wax" crayons for checking temp they melt at certain temps.

for smaller items you don't want to scratch up you can try boiling the part in water that can in some cases work. it works for things like brass painted cabinet hardware, maybe not autobody paints.

- I am not in any sense , a bodywork specialist.

for those who are, What is your body shop using to deal with rust pitting and surface rust? Ihave a fairly nasty looking and very old firewall I want to remove rust from, then paint. what would the experts do?

I know there are amazing lasers now, but that is not in my budget.

[Dpmulvan]

The U.S. EPA banned the manufacturing, import, processing, and distribution of methylene chloride in paint strippers for consumer use. There’s nothing out there that’s even worth it at the consumer level. Need to find someone with a business that can still get it for commercial use.

[Dpmulvan]

https://columbiacoatings.com/product-category/coating-supplies/cleaning-prepping/strippers/

[962porsche]

all forms of stripping have some good and some bad about them.

when I had the restoration shop we would have to decide on what and how the panels of a car would need to be stripped.
some cars we would have dipped stripped this was a ok way to strip every bit of the car. the down side is it also strips the things like the inner rockers. the car would get a dipping treatment after the finish was removed to prevent rusting. the problem with dipping is the finish on the inner panels will tend to settle at the bottom of the panels not having anyway for the old finish to get washed out.

media blasting is also a good way there are many different medias from very aggressive to very none aggressive medias. with media blasting you can also use a few different medias when blasting the same car. one to remove the finish and others that are more aggressive to remove rust. the problem is no matter how much you try and mask off and plug holes so the media doesn't fill the inner panels it still does.

chemical paint strippers like auto aircraft are very good also for stripping some things.
sadly may states now can no longer get the old good stripper.
this type of stripper will do nothing to deal with rust. so you will have to deal with any rust you find after stripping. it's a good way to strip the top or outer surfaces of panels but not so good to strip things like the undersides of hoods. they also don't work well with non 2K finishes.


Machine stripping is yet another way to strip panel. this does work well but does use lots of sand paper and takes time. it's not aggressive so you run little chance of ruining a part or panel.
it's best to strip with nothing more aggressive than a 80 grit not to damage the substrate by putting marks and scratches in it.

there is no quick easy or low cost way to strip a panel or car. every way has good and bad about them and they all suck!
at times we would start to strip a panel one way then because it wasn't working to well we would switch to another way.
At times we would also do things like chemical strip the out side of a panel then take the panel outside to our media blasting tent and media blast the finish off the inside.
so even on the same panel you may not want to strip it down using the same method.

[Dpmulvan]

This ban because a kid decided to strip a bike frame in the bathtub. Didn’t read the instructions, kept the door closed and it killed him. Mother went on a crusade to get it banned for consumer purchase.
Don’t bother with the stuff at Home Depot, Lowe’s et it won’t touch auto paint, it’s practically useless might as well set a $50 bill on fire.

[Monkey Wrench]

i deal with a furniture restoration supply company. they sell to finishing businesses so have things that home depot wouldnt sell. the one I deal with is Mohawk finishing supplies, Id try them or a similar supplier, maybe a bodyshop supplier that supplies bodyshops , not a box store like home depot HD sells to the public, not to businesses.

[stanglife]

Let's say someone had a friend with a powdercoat business who should be able to purchase a commercial-only stripper. What is a specific product that would be recommended here?

Also, what is best practice for stripping parts like doors or hoods where there is a structure on the back that prevents easy access to all areas? I'd be reluctant to use a chemical on the back sides, or anywhere there is a pinch, crevasse or seam.

[Monkey Wrench]

too bad the stripper is unavailable

Its a bit harsh but you can buy muriatic acid
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Klean-Strip-Green-1-Gal-Green-Muriatic-Acid-GKGM75006/202690263

I think I diluted it about 1:3 with water, put it in a garbage can, toss my parts in and all the rust and paint is removed.

when I took them out, they do rust fast, so I'd do a quick wash with hot water and immerse them in water and baking soda, then use baking soda on rags to rub the surface.

aftrtr that Id take my plumbing torch and warm the metal driving any water out of the pores, then paint.

the muriatic acid gives off the most horrible toxic fumes. it wil rust anying in the surrounding area with the fumes. Its quite a dangerous acid in my popininn and a lot less safe than using the regular strippers.

I did a lot of part like brake callipers steering components, loose sheet metal parts. stuff I could take off and drop in a bucket. not larger parts like doors.

becuase the fumes are so terrible Id say that is a problem, you would not want to allow kids or pets anywhere near the stuff or your precious toolbox.


I dropped some brake adjusters in there, they were alunimum. all I got back were the pistons , the aluminum completely dissolved. it was gone!

some of the parts I droped in had some never seize on them , the copper type, then ther parts started coming out eveidently taking on a copper plating. At first I thought maybe this would be helpful, would the copper resist rust can I intentionally copper plate it to make it more rust resistant? well from what Im reading not, the plating may actually act as an anode and cause things to rust faster.

I think its practical but you really have to watch how you handle the stuff baking soda is your friend , it can neutralize acid. its not poisonous, Id keep some mixed with water to quickly eutralize any spills definitely do not chance splashing it on your skin or face.
a lung full of the fumes could possibly kill someone. Its dangerous.

I have a stack of steel rims I want to clean, Im going to try using electrolysis. I have a big 24 V power supply maybe that can speed thigns over using 12 V if that works I may try larger items. how well it penetrates folded seams, not sure.

a hunk of sacrifical iron , a plastic tub, washing soda and a DC power source is all that's needed. from my experiments Ive found this to be my favorite method to restore parts that can be removed from the car. Ive also found it will remove paint but you may find some paints more stubborn.

the penetration into voids, well you can experiment but the distance between the electrode and the surface being stripped does have an influence.


on rusty metal Id find that the rust pits were cleaned out leaving pitted metal. brushing on 2 part epoxy worked well, I never saw any of the parts rust again if Idid that, I think the pits in the metal were great at grabbing onto the epoxy. and the two part epoxy was good at filling voids and providing a primered layer.

its not a fast process, it wsn not unusual for me to have ot revisit the bath clean the parts and my electrodes a few times but it wasnt; vary labourous.

I could go at my rims with a wire brush and an angle grinder or in some places use a flap disk, the problem is it makes cluds of dirty dust.

I was thinking of making up a stand with a bearing, from a volvo front axle bearing hub..

so I can mount my rims and spin them , then I could check them for runout, also helpoful to be able to spin the rim while painting. I could use my angle grinder ot get the easy parts clean, maybe speed the process.

I could take them in for stripping or rent a sandblast booth or drop them off at a place that wants to strip and powder coat but I want to drop a bunch of cash on clenaing my rims up, so Ill try electrolysis.

electrolysis is cheap, its not the fastest way, there is a bit of labor cleaning after each immersion.
if the electrodes short out , thats a problem so you need ot be careful with how you place parts in the tub, keeping the sacrificial anode always out of contact.

probabbly a good idea to add a fuse to one of the electrode wirres. AC power is no good for electrolysis. Id normally bridge in a car battery, one I dont care so much about. I leave it connected ot a charger or it deplets the battery.

fumes given off, well I dont know so maybe take caution. best to do this outside.

[mepstein]

Isn’t the byproduct of hydrolysis, O2 & H. At least that’s what I learned in middle school chemistry.

[Monkey Wrench]

Im seeing recipes for using brake fluid but it seems even more dangerous and environmentally damaging than regular paint stripper. also may not work on some paints. in some cases acetone may help but also , very harsh fumes.

If Im repainting stuff Ill oten use it to clean and break the glaze. leave the original paint behind.

discussed painting my car with a bodyshop and he wanted to remove all the paint, says its to thick. I like it thick if it gets a chip it won't usually go through and rust ;-)

[962porsche]

brake fluid on many types of plastic parts works pretty well.
we used to save our old brake fluid and put it in a big plastic tray.
then if we had say a door mirror to strip we would drop it in the container with the brake fluid in it and let it sit until the finish would fall off. when wash it with simple green then dawn dish soap and then plastic prep cleaner.

back in the early 1980's one of my 1st jobs in a body shop was at a Porsche dealer. some guy had a red 924 and I guess he dripped a little brake fluid on his fender. he liked how nice it made the paint shine so he wiped his car down with it.