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Any recommendations? Any to stay away from?
I have two frames in Rustoleum alkyd oil that need to be stripped for repaint.
I don't mind waiting overnight for the paint to soften so if some less nasty ones will do the job then that's fine.
Aside from the obvious PPE and procedures (my full face respirator with fresh organic vapor cartridges, long rubber gloves suitable to the chemicals, that sort of thing) are there any tips on use?
Thanks
Two that keep coming up are KleanStrip and CitriStrip, both mfgd by the same company. CitriStrip says "no harsh fumes" but the Safety Data Sheet disagrees. They're both pretty nasty chemical concoctions but I'm not sure that CitriStrip will remove oil based paint. KleanStrip certainly will.
I use a product called Aircraft Stripper (can't remember the manufacturer), or Aircraft Paint Remover by Kleen Strip. Similar products by different companies. Both come in Pint sized metal cans, blue with an airplane on the label. It's a viscous liquid, almost like runny applasauce and you brush it on. Wait 10 or 15 minutes and you can scrape or rinse it off and the paint will come with it. It even strips powder coat, but if it's thick it may take a couple of applications. Wear PPE and if you follow the instructions it's a pretty low effort way to strip paint or powder.
I'm currently using Citristrip to repaint an air-conditioner sleeve (through the wall mounted unit). I'm removing the latex paint from previous owners, and the original factory spray finish-enamel?. I've done similar work with an electric baseboard. In fact, I just bought another bottle yesterday.
Not as potent as the real toxic, now banned but effective stuff, but it works, and pretty well I think. The more layers of paint, the more applications will be required. I apply it with a cheapo brush and surprisingly, it doesn't eat the brush bristles so you can use the same brush for the entire job. Leave it on for 30 minutes to 24 hours; the longer the better but not much more so. They suggest wrapping the area in plastic wrap if you're leaving it for longer periods. I'm not sure if it's for safety reasons or to increase effectiveness; I never tried the plastic wrap idea.
Use a Scotchbrite pad or steel wool after scraping off loosened paint with a plastic paint scraper or flexible putty knife. Follow the suggestions on the bottle for other tips I've found work, too.
The surface actually looks better than the photo depicts.
Attachment 112547
No noxious fumes; actually, it smells just like oranges! If you let it sit for 24 hours it dries up, making it easier to clean off. It's like a goop, and sticks well to underside surfaces. I wear latex gloves and feel there's no need for a respirator.
Work on one tube at a time so you can handle the rest of the frame with ease.
Regardless of what paint stripper you choose (they all work to some degree), there's a chance the combination of paint and stripper combo won't work that we'll. It's a chemistry thing. Every once in a while I've run into paint jobs that just don't want to come off with a stripper. Then you end up burning and then blasting off the charred remains. The moral of the story, stripping paint is an experiment. Sometimes things go smoothly and sometimes not. There isn't one solution that will always work.
Mar-Hyde Tal-Strip aircraft stripper (aerosol can) was the jam but I haven't been able to find it off the shelf in years. Everything else I've tried hasn't had the same effect, and in some cases didn't do anything. I was recently given Dad's Easy Spray paint remover to try out (Dad's Easy Spray Paint, Stain, Sealer & Varnish Remover | Take what was old...and make it new again!) and it did a similarly effective job as the Tal-Strip.
Agree with Curt. No two stripping efforts have been the same unless it was the same paint, prep, conditions etc.
Thanks all. I'll be working through it soon.
No more Rustoleum on a frame - Ever. I had to find out for myself.