Stripping the paint

[Dyslexic Dog]

Watching the TV shows. I see them strip by sanding wheel and then talk about media blasting. I know enough to be dangerous. Media blasting can distort if done wrong i believe but what is the proper way according to those who know? Should I take into my old sand blaster that I know?

Lot of old bondo to fill dents. Not a lot of penetrating rust on the truck. Just planning my plan of attack.

[slck57]

I had mine done by Dustless Blasting and it turned out great. If you don't want to go that route. The Eastwood Contour is great.

https://www.eastwood.com/eastwood-contour-sct.html

[MARTINSR]

There is a gigantic gray area when you talk about stripping a car or truck.

Does it need to be stripped? Or can only the local areas with damage be stripped?

If it does need to be stripped, what do your time and space allow for?

These are HUGELY important questions.

Stripping a complete car or truck results in a SERIOUSLY OVERWHELMING project in front of you. So you best be ready big time for a project that you can't walk away from for weeks at the very least, at the very least. It's a BIG job.

Now, stripping sections at a time and getting them back into primer, that's a reasonable plan if you ARE going to strip it completely.

So lets talk about your project, give us a little more info.

Brian

[DPete]

I sand blasted my bed, turned the air down to 90 psi then went over it with a DA and 180 grit afterward to smooth it up. Worked fine IMO

[Dyslexic Dog]

Originally Posted by MARTINSR

There is a gigantic gray area when you talk about stripping a car or truck.

Does it need to be stripped? Or can only the local areas with damage be stripped?

If it does need to be stripped, what do your time and space allow for?

These are HUGELY important questions.

Stripping a complete car or truck results in a SERIOUSLY OVERWHELMING project in front of you. So you best be ready big time for a project that you can't walk away from for weeks at the very least, at the very least. It's a BIG job.

Now, stripping sections at a time and getting them back into primer, that's a reasonable plan if you ARE going to strip it completely.

So lets talk about your project, give us a little more info.

Brian

Time restraint is not an issue other than I tend to want to get it done. My plan was to remove all the parts, Bed, Cab, Fenders. and send them out for media blasting so that I could replace metal as needed and remove the 1" of fill that someone used at various dents. Some I haven't found yet. Seriously, there must be 4 gallons of bondo and it was not to repair rust.

[MARTINSR]

If anything, do a section at at time. Remove the bed and put it aside, that's the easiest of the bunch. Then start digging into it to see where the repairs are needed. Break this down a bit, get an overview of the build.
Just stripping the whole thing is a mistake, believe me. I have done this professionally where it's all I have to work on and it's a HUGE project. As a hobby, even if you are retired or something, it's HUGE and if you break it down some you will STILL get it done, but you can stop and look at stuff and make decisions where stripping it all is SERIOUSLY OVERWHELMING!

Brian

[Dyslexic Dog]

Thanks, I get what you are saying and that was my plan. Get the fenders stripped, fixed and sealed in primer/paint while I work on the next. I'm just trying to make sure my line of thought is correct. I am retired, but working. I'm also building a shop to put the truck in right now. I've never been so busy since I quit working.

[joedoh]

I hired a couple friends to use wire cup brushes and strip all the color(s) and surface rust off of the parts for my truck, they works about 5 hours (so 10 total) and got ALMOST done, just the cab itself is left.


using the stainless cup brush isnt the fastest way but it doesnt remove anything but the paint and body filler and surface rust, you would really have to bear down to do any removal of metal. each brush was about 20 bucks, I paid them 20 bucks an hour, so for $240 I have a mostly bare metal truck.

also, the cup brush leaves a finish that doesnt really lend itself to surface rusting. I have used 100 grit sandpaper on an angle grinder and the next day it rained on those spots and it rusted completely. the bed is still sitting outside and has been through a couple rainstorms and baking sun/humidity and is still clean, so I like it.

it may not be the best way, but it worked for me. it was cheaper than sandblasting by a long shot (pun intended) and for what I wanted to do (color match all the panels) should work out great. I think I will have to rough it up a bit before painting but that is easier than trying to smooth out layers of paint and old filler. I think the tailgate had 7 layers and the bed 5.

IMG_0897 by Joe Doh, on Flickr
IMG_0903 by Joe Doh, on Flickr
IMG_0906 by Joe Doh, on Flickr
IMG_0942 by Joe Doh, on Flickr

[BIGglaSS]

Joedoh, it was only $225 to drop off my cab and have it blasted, inside/out. For what it's worth, I switched from wire wheels to these clean and strip discs, 10x faster than wire wheels, and no wire bullets flying at you...
http://www.lehighvalleyabrasives.com...arse-cs4-5-crs


I absolutely loathe stripping parts... I took a batch of stuff to my blaster last week. They were 3 weeks behind, and I only had one week to get it done. So, I brought it back home and did it in the back yard with my pot blaster... NEVER AGAIN! I can't stand doing this stuff. I'm taking the rest back to the blaster and waiting for them to get it done.

I got so p. o.' d that I went ahead and bought a new bed from Mar-K during their Labor day sale, just because I don't want to strip and repair the one that I have.

[joedoh]

Originally Posted by BIGglaSS

Joedoh, it was only $225 to drop off my cab and have it blasted, inside/out.

well we did the whole truck, and I didnt have to take it anywhere. and if I wasnt so lazy I could have done it myself and saved $200 cost/benefit was way off the charts there. with blasting you have to coat it with something right away or the rust will get a tooth and you will be stripping it again. not knocking your way or anyone elses, I dont have the room to keep everything inside and kansas humidity will flash rust steel faster than chlorine.

I havent had good luck with those clean strip discs, maybe its the surface rusting but they seem to tear themselves up too easy and I end up with no discs left and lots of paint left. when its just a single layer of original paint though its amazing how fast you can strip it, like when I did the firewall for welding, one layer, a 100 grit flap disc stripped the paint to bare metal in one pass, like cleaning a window. the bed had HOUSEPAINT on the fenders, the hood had some kind of epoxy. both were miserable. I am told.

[MARTINSR]

I thought I was the only one with the "Work Tunes" head phone radio Joe, DAMN is that thing worth it's weight in gold! I have actually worn out two pairs and have one at work and one here. The one here is bluetooth or plug in memory stick too, I only use the radio though being I am an old man.

Brian

[MARTINSR]

Originally Posted by BIGglaSS

Joedoh, it was only $225 to drop off my cab and have it blasted, inside/out. For what it's worth, I switched from wire wheels to these clean and strip discs, 10x faster than wire wheels, and no wire bullets flying at you...
http://www.lehighvalleyabrasives.com...arse-cs4-5-crs


I absolutely loathe stripping parts... I took a batch of stuff to my blaster last week. They were 3 weeks behind, and I only had one week to get it done. So, I brought it back home and did it in the back yard with my pot blaster... NEVER AGAIN! I can't stand doing this stuff. I'm taking the rest back to the blaster and waiting for them to get it done.

I got so p. o.' d that I went ahead and bought a new bed from Mar-K during their Labor day sale, just because I don't want to strip and repair the one that I have.

I about broke down and cried when I found that the sand blaster I had been using for about 25 years had closed up! OMG I just had some stuff done about a year ago, never did I dream they would be gone when I was ready to do the cab. But alas, I did it myself and will be doing the rest to outside of the stuff I have powdercoated. There is a good chance I will have just the bed sand blasted though, we will see.

Brian

[MARTINSR]

Originally Posted by Dyslexic Dog

Thanks, I get what you are saying and that was my plan. Get the fenders stripped, fixed and sealed in primer/paint while I work on the next. I'm just trying to make sure my line of thought is correct. I am retired, but working. I'm also building a shop to put the truck in right now. I've never been so busy since I quit working.

You are thinking on line there, good going.

Here is a photo of my cab ready to prime (and doors are stripped too) and the rest of the sheet metal that isn't even stripped. This is a hobby for me at home, but I have done this stuff for a living since 1977. I have learned to take it one step at a time unless you KNOW you have the time to kick but on something.

Last car I had completely stripped was a 68 Camaro, because I KNEW I could jump right on it. I did the complete car, all the body work, primed, painted installed a vinyl top, the windows, painted the interior even in 17 days. Now, in 17 days I get a patch panel welded in, I will remain realistic and do one step at a time.

Brian

[DransportGarage]

I've got a local blaster that is reasonable, but his workers seldom do a great job. He did do my two rear fenders - inside and out - for $40, which is waaay cheap. The chemical dipper in our area wanted $200.

I wasn't happy about the missed areas, so I told the owner that the first thing I would have to do when I got home was get out my blaster. When I pryed him out of his office to see them in the shop he complained all the way about how no job is perfect. Then he saw them. He got the guy that did the job and did some "splainin'". The guy then worked on them for another 20 minutes while I watched. He was using a cannon compared to my rig, and even knocked one of the fenders off the table while I was standing right there. It hit hard on the concrete, but these fenders are a mess anyway, so no big deal.

The moral is, if you want it done right, do it yourself. Unfortunately, as others have said, it takes a bunch of time, especially if you have a cheap rig. My GTO frame alone took me 19 hours, but it was perfect. The truck frame probably took 12 hours.

[nail pounder]

Since I'm on a budget I opted to do everything myself. Here's what worked the fastest for me. Hit a panel (or the whole truck) with an air DA sander with 80grit and get the really dirty work done quick. Then I came back with those polycarbide abrasive wheels on an air die grinder and cleaned a panel or two at a time. They are cheap at harbor freight, the 2" seemed to work the best. Then I used wax/grease remover and shot a 2 part epoxy on those panels and moved on to the next. I also used a $12 spot blaster from the Tractor Supply for any pitted areas, corners etc. It is time consuming but somehow rewarding. Between work and family I only get about 2-4 hours a week to work on mine so it took a few months. If I had a week off work I could have easily done it all at once. I removed the bed and hung it from the rafters in my garage when it was done, cleaned the frame, rear end etc and sprayed them also. It probably cost me $200-$250 in primer, disks, and sandpaper and now it's at least protected and I can do any body work at my leisure.

[MARTINSR]

Originally Posted by DransportGarage

I've got a local blaster that is reasonable, but his workers seldom do a great job. He did do my two rear fenders - inside and out - for $40, which is waaay cheap. The chemical dipper in our area wanted $200.

I wasn't happy about the missed areas, so I told the owner that the first thing I would have to do when I got home was get out my blaster. When I pryed him out of his office to see them in the shop he complained all the way about how no job is perfect. Then he saw them. He got the guy that did the job and did some "splainin'". The guy then worked on them for another 20 minutes while I watched. He was using a cannon compared to my rig, and even knocked one of the fenders off the table while I was standing right there. It hit hard on the concrete, but these fenders are a mess anyway, so no big deal.

The moral is, if you want it done right, do it yourself. Unfortunately, as others have said, it takes a bunch of time, especially if you have a cheap rig. My GTO frame alone took me 19 hours, but it was perfect. The truck frame probably took 12 hours.

And you REALLY have to watch it as they can destroy a part. I mean DESTROY as in you throw it away! That sand blaster that I mentioned in my last post, he had a new guy blast a few parts for me once, one was a 1928 Buick sedan door, it was DESTROYED. Thank goodness it was being done for a sign and not on a car. I had to shrink the hell out of it then cover it with bondo, a LOT of bondo.

The sand is like little hammers, and unlike the common myth that it is heat that is warping the panel (the air being blowing the sand on it on it actually cools the metal) the sand acts like little hammers thinning the top surface of the metal like hitting metal "on dolly" thins it, exactly the same, and that's what warps the metal.

Brian

[MARTINSR]

Originally Posted by nail pounder

Since I'm on a budget I opted to do everything myself. Here's what worked the fastest for me. Hit a panel (or the whole truck) with an air DA sander with 80grit and get the really dirty work done quick. Then I came back with those polycarbide abrasive wheels on an air die grinder and cleaned a panel or two at a time. They are cheap at harbor freight, the 2" seemed to work the best. Then I used wax/grease remover and shot a 2 part epoxy on those panels and moved on to the next. I also used a $12 spot blaster from the Tractor Supply for any pitted areas, corners etc. It is time consuming but somehow rewarding. Between work and family I only get about 2-4 hours a week to work on mine so it took a few months. If I had a week off work I could have easily done it all at once. I removed the bed and hung it from the rafters in my garage when it was done, cleaned the frame, rear end etc and sprayed them also. It probably cost me $200-$250 in primer, disks, and sandpaper and now it's at least protected and I can do any body work at my leisure.

Yep, that is a LOT of work! You did one hell of a job!

Brian

[DransportGarage]

Originally Posted by MARTINSR

And you REALLY have to watch it as they can destroy a part. I mean DESTROY as in you throw it away! That sand blaster that I mentioned in my last post, he had a new guy blast a few parts for me once, one was a 1928 Buick sedan door, it was DESTROYED. Thank goodness it was being done for a sign and not on a car. I had to shrink the hell out of it then cover it with bondo, a LOT of bondo.

The sand is like little hammers, and unlike the common myth that it is heat that is warping the panel (the air being blowing the sand on it on it actually cools the metal) the sand acts like little hammers thinning the top surface of the metal like hitting metal "on dolly" thins it, exactly the same, and that's what warps the metal.

Brian

At least my guy with the "cannon" knew what he was doing, and kept the nozzle about two feet away from the fender. We also are working on vehicles that have some steel in them. You can get by with it if the shooter has some finesse, but I'd NEVER send parts with near-flat surfaces like a hood or even doors to a blaster. It sounds like we've both learned that lesson.

[MARTINSR]

Oh yeah I learned. Years ago in the late seventies on the second incarnation of my truck I had an antique furniture place sand blast parts for me. I will never forget the guy who did it, "Spider" was his name. He had some mental issues, kinda slow if you know what I mean. Spider was a very skilled guy at stripping that paint, you just had to make things really clear to him. I hadn't thought about this in years. You would show him what you want blasted telling him "Just here Spider, not here" pointing at an area. "Just here Spider, don't do this, don't do this area at all, just here, ok Spider?" And he did an amazing job. I miss Spider.

Brian

[1project2many]

I hate sand blasting. It's time intensive when you don't have a permanent setup. And it's dirty. I spent years working with fiberglass ceiling tiles and insulation and I think I've become morally opposed to filling my pores with abrasive "stuff."

Some of the approaches I've used:

1) Acid tank. Acid will remove paint but the shape of the part being cleaned determines how effective acid soaking is.

2) High pressure water: This can work well to get loose junk and poorly adhered paint off a panel. Also works well in conjuction with acid soaking.

3) 3" Scitchbrite "bristle discs." After trying many different stripping "tools" I ended up using these for most of my truck. They don't fill up with old enamel and they don't distort panels. The panels are left with a smooth surface rather than a pourous or sharp surface so you have more time to apply a protective coating.

4) Electrolytic tank. I love this one. It requires almost no babysitting time and does nothing to harm the part. Like the acid bath, the shape of the part may cause some areas to clean off easily while others seem unaffected. Practice makes perfect.