Getting the paint stripped

Media blasting with glass / silica seems to do a grand job :)

Are you thinking of rattle canning it?

Shaun
 
Re:

A word from the wise: not from me but from my father in law who restores classic cars.

Nip down to Wilkinson (http://www.wilko.com/) and buy a bottle of their paint stripper.

Apply it to the frame and then cover with cling film for a couple of days. If your experience is the same as mine, the finish will then scrub off with the help of a bit of wire wool and not too much elbow grease.

I was wanting to strip a 1990's Raleigh frame with a stove-enamel-type finish and it worked a treat.

Good luck!
 
A chap at my local bike shop who used to do resprays recommended chemical stripping for lightweight steel frames (e.g. Reynolds) as sand blasting can go through them if it's not done with great care and/or if there are thin patches from too much oxidation.
 
Thanks ; I have a frame I am going to get a mate to paint but thought I'd do the stripping ...

DO you have to be careful that chemical strippers don't mess with any chromed sections you wish to preserve??
 
Re:

Hi again,

I'd be very careful of the chrome if you're thinking of keeping it. The Wilko stripper that I recommended is pretty strong and on exposed metal will make it rust pretty quickly. I'm not speaking from experience as I've never tried it with chrome but I would recommend some good masking - or to strip those bits and then wash the stripper off once it's done its job so that it doesn't have time to act on the chrome.

I've had luck with stripping frames using a sand blaster in the past, and have never damaged 531 tubing doing so. I imagine that if the frame is already compromised with rust then sandblasting will find those spots (just as it does on car bodywork), but by the same token, I don't think that's a bad thing. The only problem I have had with sand blasting is that some finishes are very hard and it takes literally hours to complete the job.

Good luck with your frame - I'm just about to strip a 1960's Ernie Clements one and if I can be bothered will post a few pics up.

Cheers..
 
Re:

I am stripping an old 1960's Ernie Clements frame at the moment. I've applied the stripper this evening with a paint brush and wrapped it up with cling film. Hopefully in the morning I can apply another coat of stripper and then gently wire-wool the paint off.

I'll see if the theory works and post a few pics up tomorrow ;-)

 
In my experience with wilkos stripper the first coat softens the paint, the second makes it blister and come off in strips.

I never clingfilmed it, I just completely plastered it all over and left it 6-12 hours a go
 
Back
Top