TR2/3/3A Stripping paint

[sp53]

Stripping paint, it the past my choice for removing paint was paint remover, lacquer thinner, and sand blasting with fine sand, but now I am not so sure. Clearly there is place for paint remover like in those tight spots. I have also seen complete cars dipped in the electrolysis process and they come completely clean of everything, but I do not the money for that. Everything I have learned has been from body shop supply stores and brief conversations with body shops, mostly as a paying customer. The last time I stripped a car I used my small sandblaster and paint remover. When I told the body shop guy he showed me a way where he took a grinder and a ruff grade pad and just started grinding the paint off. So this time I go to supply place and the guy tells me I need an 8 inch mug hog and he would has to order one for 300.00 So I went HF and bought what they had and it kinda worked.

Today I was going to start on the hood. It has original paint, a red with brown/red primmer and has no dents; it is a nice piece. So I am curious what others do.

 

[M_Pied_Lourd]

I have done it both ways....right now, I do a hybrid of both.

I use paint stripper to get through the paint down to the primer....I find that primer holds up against the stripper better than the paint....

Usually, getting the paint off will uncover some body filler. I use a 4 1/2 inch angle grinder with an 80 - 120 grit disk to get down to bare metal on the larger areas and use a smaller 3" die grinder with a 3M rolloc disk to do more of the detail areas. Just be sure to move the grinder(s) fairly evenly and don't pause for long periods of time on one section....you don't want to heat up the metal too much.

My two cents.

Cheers
Tush

 

[sp53]

Thanks Tush, Well I guess my concern was that I would gouge the metal, but it seems to be going ok. I find my 3 inch works well to get the bulk of the paint then go over the area with the oscillating 4-1/2 and that leaves the metal with a light nicely honed even finish. In addition, I was fearful of seeing grinder marks through the paint on the metal, but the back fenders are going need a skimming of putty anyway and I trust that a heavy primmer and then paint will hide the scratching in the metal where the metal does not get any bondo.

 

[CJD]

I still sandblast any part that will be painted. I have never had paint peal from a blasted panel.

That said, blasting is the nastiest process there is. If you farm it out the shop will ruin the part with too much pressure and too heavy sand.

 

[bobhustead]

I like soda blasting.
Bob

 

[M_Pied_Lourd]

I like soda blasting as well and had a few panels done on my 60 TR3A. Unfortunately, I don't have the equipment or space to do this at home and farming it out is expensive, inconvenient and time consuming for me.

I have a siphon sand blaster that I use to lightly sandblast my newly welded repair areas.

Cheers
Tush

 

[M_Pied_Lourd]

Thanks Tush, Well I guess my concern was that I would gouge the metal, but it seems to be going ok. I find my 3 inch works well to get the bulk of the paint then go over the area with the oscillating 4-1/2 and that leaves the metal with a light nicely honed even finish. In addition, I was fearful of
seeing grinder marks through the paint on the metal, but the back fenders are going need a skimming of putty anyway and I trust that a heavy primmer and then paint will hide the scratching in the metal where the metal does not get any bondo.

Well, you do need to be careful not to make huge gouges in the metal with the grinder. You can go over the area with a DA sander. I have a 6 inch DA and a 4 inch Palm DA. As far as seeing sanding scratches, I used 4 different primers on my project (sometimes 5) before I get to the basecoat stage. I usually do etch primer, epoxy primer (I use Matrix brand epoxy and it requires etch primer prior to epoxy...there are direct to metal epoxy primers though), polyester primer (if the body is really rough and your bodywork skills are not great) followed by a 2K urethane primer. Of course, proper sanding/blocking of all these is required. One last option before base coat is a sealer. So, I tend not so much to worry about scratches in the metal at the end of the day

Cheers
Tush

 

[TR-3rg]

Hi,

I used Norton Rapid Strip abrasive wheels inside the fender wells. One pass and it looked like Coventry England, 1959. It might be to course for a Bonnet or Apron. I was able to remove the Bondo with heat and putty knife. It will lift right up and still leave the metal cool.

Roy
60 TR3A

 

[Vila]

If I had the money to buy the equipment I would go with the soda blasting.

I used a 4 1/2 inch angle grinder with a 4 inch knot-type wire cup brush that I got for $7.99 each at: https://www.wdcart.com/cremos/catalog2/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=61&products_id=182

They took off the paint, primer, bondo, undercoating, and rust.

Keep moving so you don't build up any heat. Just like sand blasting the heat will warp sheet metal parts.

 

[Bremer]

Just a note on the cost of sandblasting:
In my area there are several places that will let you use their equipment. Some businesses seem to mostly rent out to customers rather than offering the complete blasting job. They are usually named Blast DIY or U-Blast or similar.
There should be no need to buy the equipment for one restoration project. On the other hand, if you are doing more, it might be worthwhile.

 

[bobhustead]

If DIY sandblasting, be sure to use sand purposed for it. Using beach or playground sand can cause silicosis.
Bob

 

[sp53]

That has been my experience also with sandblasting. I have had them lose parts and ruin parts every time. Having said that there is a local shop that just opened and does hot rods and I was thinking of taking the inner fenders with engine compartment and the seat frames to them, but……..they do appear to be cognizant? What I was going to do with the body panels after I got most the paint of by carefully grinding was use paint remover in the tight spots then go off everything with the light sand blasting.

 

[Marvin Gruber]

If you are doing grd up, then sandblast. Much better and faster, to say the least, better on you. Check around, there should be an independant that will do it for you. Run an ad locally or Craigslist. Don't pay over $400

marv

 

[CJD]

Remember the metal the old Model A hot rods were built with was much thicker than our steel foil TR's!

 

[Rut]

Northern Tool has an attachment for pressure washers that looks interesting. The water keeps the surface cool and you can add an antirust additive to the pressure washer intake. A couple of companies offer this service in my area with a commercial set up and they come to you. I found about it on the H.A.M.B. or Jalopy Journal.
Rut

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=BUx1RZKfB-E

 

[sp53]

Yeh I hear you John. Went out yesterday and bought a couple hundred more pounds of sand. It seems to me that the white 70 grit or weight or whatever the 70 sands means--- wears out and turns to powder after about 3 uses. But again it does a good job and is relatively benign. These guys are using red sand I have not seen before and like suggested if they go over say 125 psi that can blast right through the tin if they are close up. I am just getting old and lazy.

 

[CJD]

I hear ya! I hate blasting, especially in the summer. I finally reached a point where I quit worrying about reusing the sand. I move the parts to a low part of the yard and blast there so the sand fills in the low spot. How's that for lazy!
I would love to try out soda blasting. But every time I consider it I figure the trouble of loading everything to haul there and back is as much trouble as just sand blasting myself.

Steve, I still get a kick out of how you and I are working separately, but seem to have picked the same order for our restorations. I'm procrastinating, but will be starting bodywork this month.