aircraft strippers

[bduprees]

I intend to strip my 260 and would like a recommendation on strippers- no, the chemical kind. Is there a preferred method? Should I strip a piece at a time and then treat and primer? Bill

[EScanlon]

When I see posts such as this one, I ask myself, if the person really knows enough to address everything behind their question.

Stripping a car to the metal is ONE way of getting a good paint job, but it is not necessarily the BEST way. Most people have no concept of the time, money, effort, and consequences (yes consequences) of stripping a car down to the bare metal.

Are you absolutely positively 100% sure that you know what you will find beneath the layer(s) of paint you will remove? Any prior repairs? What about repaints and minor primer filler (red cap)? Know anything about replacing seam sealer? How do you plan on neutralizing the stripper? How are you going to re-galvanize or protect the metal? Know anything about self-etching primers, epoxy primers, high-fill primers, sandable sealers, and non-sanding sealers? Are you changing the color of the car? Will you then be painting the engine compartment, door jambs, beneath the carpet?

This may be way more than what you wanted, and it isn't meant to be a flame or a slam, it's meant more as a big red flag to those that have been contemplating this as a "quick fix", which it is NOT.

But the nature and scope of your question leads me to believe that you're not that familiar with the territory. If you are looking for a quick answer, then I'll suggest you first go to the Public Library and look up a few books on painting cars. THEN, dig in.

2¢

[Dave Sommers]

Ditto to Escanlon's advice,

Many years ago I chose to repaint a 2L roadster and started to use the stripper to "get a really good paint job". Big mistake. It creates more mess than you can believe as well as flash rust on the metal. Then you have to deal with all the issue Escanlon brings up. We stopped at just one or two panels and went the more sane method of just sand prep for the rest of the panels. The result was you couldn't tell the difference between the stripped and the sanded and the stripped ones were a giant PIA.

They use stripping to do aircraft as they have a significant issue with excessive weight (yes, even the weight of the paint goes against your gross weight capacity) and the aluminum skins don't have any flash rust issues. But it is still a big job and big mess too.

When I repaint the Z it will be with my check book at a quality paint shop. Unless you have a great deal of spare time and are well versed as well as equipped you are fooling yourself to do it yourself...

Just an opinion.

[CoastGuardZ]

Aircraft Strippers

Planes that take their clothes off for moneyROFL

[halz]

I once owned '69 Monaro GTS which I had repainted in the original colour. This was good move no.1 because the time and effort involved in emptying the engine bay and cabin trim to properly change the colour was going to be OTT. After sanding and preparation, the 1st coat was applied (Sebring Orange FYI) and it looked great... from a distance. At about 6" away you could see the dimpled orange-peel effect (appropriate given the colourLOL ) which often results from silica or grease on the painted surface repelling the wet coat as it is applied. I was mildly horified but my panel man said that this was not unexpected and to regard the 1st coat as a good quality undercoat. It was rubbed back (lightly), cleaned and repainted. Well, the result was FANTASTIC. In fact it was too good! The car looked like an emergency beacon! Fortunately, the original spec called for dual black bonnet and side striping and once that was done and the badgework replaced the car was a gem.

So... point of the story is (as Escanlon and other have said) for a A1 job a 'bare metal' strip is just not necessary.

[bduprees]

First thank you all for your concern. I am retired from the mechanical trades ie. welding, machine work electrical, ac work, electronics... I am the original owner of my Z and have maintained it mechanically since I drove it from the dealer showroom. It has been painted 4 times and not well. Orange peel and inapropriate prep caused the paint to come off in sheets, leaving a 32nd of difference in some areas. I am aware of sand blasting problems and I want to get at as much rust as I can find. So you answered my question in that a piece at a time to the epoxy primer stage would seem apropriate. I have a paint set up and my garage is set up with pneumatics. I would never presume to do a finish paint job even after a trip to the library. I just thought you guys might recommend a brand or a past experience that would help. I actually enjoy working on my car and I have the time. Again thanks.

[EScanlon]

As Paul Harvey says. That makes a HUGE difference.

I've used both the "Aircraft Stripper" in the light blue can with the airplane on it and Jasco Paint Stripper. Can't really say one is better than the other, other than the Jasco seemed to "dry" quicker and required a second coat on some really overpainted panels.

Based on cost, the Jasco is usually available in any Paint store, home or car, and it is MUCH cheaper than the Aircraft Stripper. However, the Aircraft Stripper WILL work down to the metal and stay active longer. It is a bit more expensive but in the long run will pay for its cost in the speed and depth of it's action.

Sorry for the "short" response, but you would be surprised how many times that exact question has been asked by people who have very little knowledge of what they are getting into. I speak for the majority (I think) when I say that the last thing we want to do is give Good advice that due to the lack of a knowledge base is applied wrong and then we find out that the job went all bad.

If you are using Epoxy primer, you can usually paint within a short time period WITHOUT having to sand. If however, you plan on leaving the individual panels in primer until you are ready to do the final job you will have to sand it so the paint will adhere properly. Be aware of one thing, don't wait for weeks as the metal beneath WILL rust. Epoxy primer and other primers are not sealers and will allow the moisture to get to the metal. In fact if you can give it a quick light coat of PAINT on top of the primer, and then wet sand it off when you are ready to paint, you will be money ahead.

Hope this gave you the answer you were looking for, sorry if at first it sounded as a brush off. And you are absolutely right, the advice about reading a book and then going to paint was not what I meant. What I meant is go read a book and see just how big a job you are talking about.

Having worked on cars for years you know what I mean. How many times have you heard of someone buying a car and wanting to blueprint their engine, thinking that it will be cheap, quick and give them tons of power?

[Graeme Suckling]

To strip or not to strip:ermm:

As they say in Oz, here is my two bobs worth.

I have three Datsuns.,

A '71 P510 4 door I have owned from new - known history.

A '73 240Z that is at least 4th hand - unknown history.

A '72 p510 2 door (ex U.S.A) - unknown history.

Have a guess which car I would be confidant to surface prep. and re-spray to rejuvenate the paintwork?:nervous:

No prize:( but it is the car that I KNOW the history of.

I completely stripped the 240Z and do not regret doing it.

You will never find or properly fix the hidden nasties if you don't.

Sure, you can be lucky, but IMHO, if you intend to keep the car(s) like I do, I feel it is best to know the quality of the foundations before you build the house.:paranoid:

I use heavy bodied Automotive Paint Stripper, safety razor scrapers, wash down with water, then a 3M Clean and Strip wheel on an angle grinder to bring the metal up bright. If not to be painted immediately, spray with CRC 556/WD40 and wipe over with hands. Prior to painting, clean carefully with Silicon and Wax remover, prepare surface with a phosphoric acid type Metal Conditioner, then prime with a good quality etch primer.

I use Wattyl Super Etch which can remain uncoated for 4 months before requiring a recoat. What a bonus!

The Z you see in my album (Graeme Sucklings Photos) is the same one I am describing.

I am confidant that the shell will be in better than new condition when it finally hits the road.:classic: