Stripping old paint questions

[wan2run]

I've been trying to determine the best approach for stripping as well. I have several layers of paint to deal with and so far have only used razor blades as I'm leery...there is a ton of conflicting info out there. Several of the painters that left CF are on another site and at least one of them uses a chemical, but makes sure to neutralize it with soap and water after use. Another option seen I've seen is to bake it in the paint booth or with heat lamps to help burn off the vapor....

[87vette81big]

Originally Posted by wan2run

I've been trying to determine the best approach for stripping as well. I have several layers of paint to deal with and so far have only used razor blades as I'm leery...there is a ton of conflicting info out there. Several of the painters that left CF are on another site and at least one of them uses a chemical, but makes sure to neutralize it with soap and water after use. Another option seen I've seen is to bake it in the paint booth or with heat lamps to help burn off the vapor....

I remember holding the Razor blade at a 60 degree angle & paint came off easy with moderate pushes of my right arm.

Dave another Bodyman I knew way back when showed me how to peel paint off a Corvette with a Razor blade.
No longer has his body shop or painting.

[slofut]

I helped strip 2 vettes back in the day with razor blades. A common and acceptable way to do it. One panel at a time, and a nice final sanding...

[72SBVet]

Originally Posted by 87vette81big

There used to be a real Paint Body Man on old Corvette Forum.
He was a Good Forum Friend of mine.
They chased him off, Mike also from California.
Been a while since I talked him.
I know he never used chemical paint strippers on a Corvette.
Must be a personal choice.

The Mike that is a bodyman near me never uses chemical paint strippers on anything.
Its DA sanded down, Hand sanded, plastic media blasted, Soda blasted.

I asked Mike once about 12 years ago why he never used Chemical strippers, shook his head & started swearing the F word for the next half hour & told me stories of show car paint jobs coming back to haunt weeks later, some several years later, he had to redo- repaint all chemically stripped.
Home shade tree car guys stripped paint off their rides & Vettes with paint strippers.
Brought to him to paint after they got lost & made a mess.
He does work on the side like Me, Mike S. from his home garage.

I have a 1970-1/2 Trans Am Functional Shaker Hoodscoop with electric Trap Door & Lower air cleaner base I want refinished.

Picked up recent as a spare for my 1970 TA.

Setup from one of the 88 1970 Ram Air 4 Trans Ams built in the 2nd week Of July 1970 only.
Upper scoop is fiberglass.
Will be hand sanded down by Mike S.
No chemical paint stripper.
Can not chance, much too rare & Valuable.
Worth over $3K when we are done.

BR

I DA'd my whole car without issues...the problem is people don't hold the sander flat and it digs and makes waves. Some people say you can burn your paint with one, but that only happens if you hold it in one spot for awhile...never burned any of my glass while doing it. I'd never use a stripper personally and if you soda blast be sure to thoroughly wipe the area down with lacquer thinner as if left uncleaned the paint won't stick.

[zwede]

Chemical stripper here. Was done 4 years ago, no problems. It's very important to neutralize it properly. Bucket of water with a little dawn soap. Scrub it good with that and a scotchbrite, then hose off with clean water and let sit in the sun for a day. I think people get into trouble by starting to put filler or primer on a panel before it has outgassed.

[7t9l82]

i always used razor blades. but soda blasting works very well. if money was an object 8 dollars worth of blades is tough to beat

[wan2run]

Originally Posted by zwede

Chemical stripper here. Was done 4 years ago, no problems. It's very important to neutralize it properly. Bucket of water with a little dawn soap. Scrub it good with that and a scotchbrite, then hose off with clean water and let sit in the sun for a day. I think people get into trouble by starting to put filler or primer on a panel before it has outgassed.

Zwede, can you share which stripper you used?

[zwede]

Originally Posted by wan2run

Zwede, can you share which stripper you used?

Kleenstrip "aircraft stripper" (regular, non-fiberglass version). Worked fine on factory panels, but attacked the gelcoat on my aftermarket hood. For gelcoated panels you should use the fiberglass version of aircraft stripper.