Hey folks..

I am starting to begin to strip parts of the bus back a bit.. Usually to metal, but might not be necessary.

Anyhow, what do you think of chemical paint stripper? It bubbles up the paint, but only seems to do a pretty average job.. Now maybe I am not doing it right or maybe I need 4 or 5 applications instead of one or two..
I see everyone has one section of their car done, and it is back to bare metal.. Well, I know it changes from person to person, but what is the usual process for this?

Your 2 cents worth?

Secondly, does someone was to explaint o me, like I was a three year old, what exactly 'hi-fill' is? Does it have other names like spray putty or .... ??

Thanks lads.

Todays adventures...

Compared to one of the other projects I am doing at the same time...

i think chemical paint stripper is less effective the older the paint..... just from my 'limited' experience....

get one of those wire brush attachments for your drill and use that on the tough bits, should get it back to metal that way

kai

Hey Jim, did you prang the fridge?

paint stripper works better if you seal it in. use some plastic sheet and just after you put the stripper on cover it up. Doing this helps seal in the chemicals and will help lift the paint.

2 pac Hi-fill is normaly used when going over bog and repairs as its got good filling propetys and doesn't sink back. If you are going back to bare metal it is best to put an etch primer down first and then the hi-fill. Yes hi-fill can be called spray putty

hope this was of some help..

steff.....................

JIMMY

Before you apply the stripper to the surface you have to scratch it around a bit using some 36 grit paper. This allows the stripper to work quicker by getting under the surface

Find some course grit paper and rough it up first.

Better of taking all the stuff off back to bare metal so you can see what you have to work with. If you dont the stripper can soften the old paint you leave on and when you apply the new paint it will or may cause it to lift wasting the money you have spent.

Use plenty of water to wash the stripper off the surface and some scotch bright as well, make sure you flush the seams to remove the stripper.

wipe the bear metal a surface with an oil covered rag lightly this will stop surface rust while your working on the project

Yeah thanks Brad.. It's a long story, but basically my prep for the fridge wasn't ideal. Then add a little disastrous etch primer episode, and you have a 'start again' situation, but only on the satin black section.

Thanks guys, I'll try that today.

yer I used cling wrap, works a charm you'll hear it cook

alternatively, if u dont like the chemicals, get a nice big scraper and a heat gun, and you can more-or-less melt the paint off. this is what i ised for the bumpers and it is quite a fast process, could probably bare-metal in 1 or 2 swipes, just gotta apply a bita pressure and move slowish.

Would that warp panels such as side walls of a 67 Panel?

I like to use paint stripper on really thick multi layer stuff but I always finish off with a 7 inch disc sander and 120grit paper. An excellent key for the fillerand primers.

DON'T mechanicaly sand the surface unless you really have to - disturbing the surface makes it more likely to rust by removing the factory phosphtte coat AND by setting up stresses whuich makes it more likely to want to rust. That is the reason cars always begin to rust at panel joins or welds - mechnaical deformation prmotoes rust.

Stripper works good - put it on THICK (like a few mm) and give it plenty of time allow it to 'lift' the paint away from the metal. Media blasting is better - walnut husk or plastic NOT sand

hey
yer as stated use glad wrap holds the heat in and also use a good quality paint stripper not your woolies stuff!!! try CAMS paint stripper is about $30 for 4 litres but works atreat!!! and dont forget u prolly have 4-10 coats of paint on there not like the fridge!
cheers
rhys

I have just done my beetle to bare metal using stripper and an orbital sander. the car had the original factory paint then another coat a hi fillerand two coats of primer and base on it, thick paint. I used 8 ltrs of paint mobile stripper about $60. I used plastic to lft top coat then another application uncovered for 15mins and a really good scraper. This would easily remove all bar the grey factory primer. I then used a orbital with 40 -60 grit paper to remove the grey left overs after drying . this gave me an nice clean rough bare metal surface to repair ,deoxidise and etch prime. It would take me about three hours to strip a panel such as a door in this manner back to ready for primingrepair. for hard to get corners i used a wire brush on a grinder but this would lead to a polised finish so i would go over wirth orbital to rough up:beer

I have just done my beetle to bare metal using stripper and an orbital sander. the car had the original factory paint then another coat a hi fillerand two coats of primer and base on it, thick paint. I used 8 ltrs of paint mobile stripper about $60. I used plastic to lft top coat then another application uncovered for 15mins and a really good scraper. This would easily remove all bar the grey factory primer. I then used a orbital with 40 -60 grit paper to remove the grey left overs after drying . this gave me an nice clean rough bare metal surface to repair ,deoxidise and etch prime. It would take me about three hours to strip a panel such as a door in this manner back to ready for primingrepair. for hard to get corners i used a wire brush on a grinder but this would lead to a polised finish so i would go over wirth orbital to rough up:beer