I need to stripp the top of the bus. The old paint is flaking off and the po painted up the sides not the top. I have new caps and skin so those do not need it. I tried the std gel from lowes. Works ok but requires two apps. Anything else out there any better?
yep Molecuar-Tech stripper no fumes or ordor and works that is what Mike Wilson the bus painters use then power wash the area to remove the paint and stripper on the rivets
good luck
Correct me if I'm wrong but by using a stripper on the top will it not have the chance to drip down the sides and possibly damage the paint you don't want to remove?
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I used something a few weeks ago while prepping for our Zip Dee Patio Awning, a heat gun and a scraper. I was able to peel off several layers in small to large pieces. I was happy with the results. On previous work I used an orbital sander and lots of sandpaper, which means lots of work. I'm going to use the heat method to remove the rest of the paint on the roof and then use sandpaer to rough it up. I was always afraid of using paint remover as if it gets into the seams you will have a problem. If it's bio, you may not have that problem.
Paul
When you have seams and rivets a good stripper is the only way to go.
Seams are sealed and they won't stand much heat along with the rubber sealed rivets most manufactures use on the roof
good luck
Luv,
Good points.
The stripper will certainly take off the paint on the sides if it runs down the side of the bus. You have to use a lot of care in the application AND you have to use a LOT OF WATER in the removal. Stripper followed by a high pressure water gun would seem the way to go.
The cheapest stripper in the world is "LYE" dissolved in water. Heavy concentration and wait for it to dissolve cause it does that slow with lots of stirring. When it is a saturated solution the "flakes" will stay undissolved in the bottom. This is a very watery mixture and far more dangerous that commercial ripper though com stripper is made from LYE or similar chems. My Grandmother taught me this home remedy, I kid you not, and she used it to remove multi layers of Old Timey enamel easily.
The absolute best way was to have it spray stripped with water with soda mixed in or sand blasted with walnut hulls.
Never did it though....except the LYE method,
John
We just repainted our bus....
We used a stripper because we were doing the whole bus. It worked great on the first few layers of paint but the upper part of the bus had very thick paint. (we counted something like 8-10 layers) Stripper was looking very expensive at that point.
I pulled out my 7" grinder/sander, fitted it with a Velcro pad and used the scotch pads to do the main area of the bus. As I used the 7" sander my buddy used a 4" grinder/sander fitted with a wire wheel and did all the rivets and seams. With the 2 of us working we were done in about 4 hours. (from the drip rail up) I think we went through about 6 scotch pads and 2 wire wheels. We wore them down to nothing.
There is a 3" "molding" above the drip rail that we had to put a bead of sealer along the top to prevent water from running down the inside of the walls and into the bays.
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I've heard it might not be the best idea to use chemical stripper as it can be difficult to remove it from around the rivets and it ruins the new paint job. Any truth to this?
Belfert, if there was any truth to it people like Mike Wilson, StarJet,Marathon and others that offer a lifetime warranty on the paint job would not be using the stuff.
FWIW Mike paints a lot of aircraft and you know how many rivets those have.
good luck
I have a friend who uses the chemical stuff on all the airplanes he paints, been doing it for 40 years! It's a matter of choice! DIYW
Paul
So far I have used the stuff from Lowes( works ok) and kleanstrip aircraft stripper. The aircraft stripper seems to work better but at $ 60.00 a gal. Three apps. plus scraping. I have 1/4 of the top done!!.
Quote from: luvrbus on August 19, 2009, 06:55:10 AM
.......StarJet,Marathon and others that offer a lifetime warranty on the paint job....
Now that is good news. Now that you mention it, I do remember Dick saying that. I wonder if they would hire "contractors" (me) to fix their terrible job (I can give a list if you want). Really for free, I am not sure that I would want to go back to them. I think that Sam Walker would have done a better job than they did....
Oh, well....We have fixed most of their work now (it only took us a year to date to fix their "work")
God bless,
John
Eric, by your subject, I thought you had taken up another hobby ;D We would have to arrange another visit :)
We had the hill holder valve on a Subaru leak brake fluid. The paint under neath it was stripped off just as pretty as you please. I had to rinse it off and paint the bare metal. Try a spot since there is no procedure. If you happen to get some on your sides you can quickly rinse it off. Kinda like when you spill a little adding brake fluid. I don't think it works quickly. But it is cheaper than $60/gal.
Just a thought,
Do not get any on the Fiberglass caps or it will melt them. Short of that it is a nasty messy thankless job and better you than me. :D
From experience of stripping tons of kitchen cabinets and furniture, there is a way to make that stripper go further.
Put on a good thick layer. Cover the area with plastic and let is set for a couple hours. It will stay wet and work a lot longer than if it is open to the air. Pull the plastic and scrub with coarse steel wool.
Don and Cary
GMC4107
Neoplan AN340
I'm surprised that nobody here has recommended a hi pressure stripping outfit. I am curious to see what they would charge you to do a roof. $60/gal and all this grief?
I really liked the idea of steel wool to get around the rivets. Scratches don't count so much if you are painting it white and it is on the "roof". I have used the scotch bright like pads and they are terrific . I did the paint strip on the side of a lath/lap/small planks....whatever it is called, wood frame house. It took a long while but I was able to get the entire thing smooth for the first time since it was built 70 years ago. Of course that was in the 80's and perhaps 70 year old bungalows have completely changed since then.
Really! Why no talk about sand blasting and shell blasting and high pressure water with soda and all that stuff? It makes a heck of a mess but that is why you go to them. I used to read posts about that and I never read about an unhappy Knut......poorer but happy with the result.
HTH,
John
Regarding the use of brake fluid, NOT a good idea. It will remove the paint but it will also leave a residue in the metal that is very difficult to clean off and it will be very difficult to ever get proper adhesion of the new paint finish.
Tom
Steel wool is a no no with aluminum it leaves traces of ferrous steel embedded in the surfrace and will cause some nasty corrossion later. Stainless bristle scratch brushes are the preferred method.
What about a brass bristle brush on a drill? That is what I have used so far. It works good around the rivets. Should not cause corrosion?
Quote from: Ericbsc on August 20, 2009, 08:27:55 AM
What about a brass bristle brush on a drill? That is what I have used so far. It works good around the rivets. Should not cause corrosion?
Brass is not so bad, it does discolor the aluminum but the dissimiliar metals are not so reactive as ferrous steel on aluminum.
That was a good one John!! After thinking I could use a stripper assistant. Someone who (FULLY CLOTHED IN YOUR CASE!!) applies the stripper with a brush while I sit under the fan drink beer and give a stroke by (BRUSH STROKE THAT IS!) commentary!!
Eric,
Sounds like you could use the help of
GOURD MAN!!
Also, one time Dallas was taking me to see strippers and it ended up being a couple burley guys stripping a bus. :D