What is the preferred method of paint removal from steel?

[matt24777]

Chemical stripper left on for plenty of time to allow it to actually work,. Some start trying to get the paint off when its still working, you need to wait till its well 'bubbled'
Heavy grade steelwool and a big pair of gloves. For stubborn sections i use a brass wire brush wheel on the end of an electric drill with the speed dropped right down. for hard to get places the same brass wire brush but a pencil type to dab in to cross sections of joints and other tricky to get to spots.

If youre using the drill please be aware of 2 things
1. The little bits of wire do break off and fly everywhere so unless you want to find one by foot in the morning then do it somewhere like the shed or outside. Small bits of crimped wire 20mm long and razor sharp at both ends AND coated in chemical stripper and oil is not fun when you stand on them
2.As above but for your eyes so wear goggles please*

* I Mean this, i sh*t you not.

I used the paint stripper to soften the paint and the wire brush in a drill. worked but paint and bits of wire everywhere. seriously wear protective gear especially the eyes, and long sleeves. I found bits of wire embedded through a fleece, jumper and t shirt into my arm several times. You only get one set of eyes!

Very time consuming! but I've just done what you're about to do. will be interesting to see how durable the rattle can is.

 

[FluffyChicken]

Re:

If you're powder coating, chances are it'll be blasted/chemical etched before they coat it. So taking the paint off in areas you want to repair or alter only. No point in the hard work if they do it for you.

At least that is from what others have said or quotes I've had.

I spent a good afternoon with a major magnet crawling on our grass after using a wire brush to remove paint remover. Never again, I never new they where that fragile, the bristleit literally disintegrated in a matter of minutes.

 

[bren]

Soda blast.
Doesn't mark the metal at all. So don't even need to protect threads and bearing faces like you do with grit blasting.