[EDNY]

Looking for a paint stripper to remove the original paint on my 33 Chevy...been working with Strypeeze but I think it's more suited for household paint stripping. Not working real good - my 3M SandBlaster discs are fine for open flat areas..but not in tight spaces.

The paint on the 33 is old and crusty...

[sammons]

Ed it's hard to find a good chemical stripper these days. The best results I have got in the last 20yrs is Zip-Strip Original Premium. Customers use to bring in "Proffesional Aircraft" stripper, paid real big bucks per gallon. Never did have one work out as good as Zip-Strip premium. Seams to cut all type paints. The best I ever used was Zing, and cheap, back in the 70s early 80s was less than $10 per gal. They were either  bought out and discontinued or EPA shut down.

[EDNY]

Thanks sammons....I'll be able to get it right down the road at Ace Hardware.

[sammons]

Ed, they sell that stripper in a quart also if you want a test before buying a larger gallon.
FYI (you probably know that) GM was using nitrocellulose lacquer up till '56 and then acrylic lacquer till sometime in the late 70s, so it should cut it ok. I always used a razor blade to scrape with for lacquer (and a metal Evercoat filler spreader on enamels, they had rounded edges) and cleaned up with steel wool and lacquer thinner or acetone.

[EDNY]

Thanks..the last time I did any real painting was in the 70's.  This time around I'm going with one of those patina single stage paint kits...like I mentioned I want a driver not a polisher

Ace Hardware has a quart to try...not bad at $11.99

[FATnLOW]

Bought some Zip Strip Original Premium stripper....I am removing black paint on wheels that had the slots painted black...what a pain .....anyways found out just do one slot at a time  and when it bubbles start scraping ....works ok ... Figure i am removing the clear coat, paint and some kind of adhesion solution for the paint to adhere......I more wheel left......

[EDNY]

Bought a quart of Zip Strip Original Premium stripper today, I put it on wet with a brush and it seems to dry up quickly. The paint did bubble up and scrape off...a lot better than the stuff I had.  It's the best stuff I used so far....but looks like I need two or three coats on this old crusty paint.

[sammons]

I think EPA really cracked down on the working chems in strippers last 20-30yrs. I've tried 3 different types of Klean-Strip,  Raso(?)  Eastwood and several others. Always go back to Zip-Strip.  I haven't tried a Sunnyside brand but intend to, their muriatic acid has the most potent strength i have used.

I have the best luck puting coat after coat to keep it wet till it bubbles. Once this newer stuff dries it's done   The old stuff stayed wet but it was way more potent back then.

Add: This is what I want to try. I'll almost bet the methylene chloride content is much stronger but can't read specs. I noticed it says 2min time, sounds much quicker anyway

[madmike3434]

I would take a vibrator air or electric and get some 40--60 grit paper on it and scratch the surface of the paint allowing the stripper to get into the old paint.

I remember when I stripped my 35 coupe that had acrylic lacquer silver grey, then below that was blue metal flake and below that something else.  Finally got to the dark blue original nitro cellulose lacquer.............wow, what a job getting thru that.  I believe I used 3M paint stripper on the car.  Stuff was so potent actually burned my unprotected hands.

mike lynch............

[sammons]

That old Zing stripper would blister if you didn't rinse off in 30 seconds. We always kept two 5 gal pails full of water on each side of the vehicle to wash off quick.

Back spring '78 when my dad's painter and I were stripping the '58 Vette, I was in a hurry and we didn't put down cardboard under the car to catch the paint sludge. Motoring along on my side boiling off 3 lacquer paint jobs, slop all over the floor.....I sliped and fell on my ass. Wearing old holey jeans of course. Dropped my drawers right there and grabbed the garden hose. Rinsed and cooled it off, headed home to shower and change. Man my butt was burning.
 
Dad was pissed about the mess but laughed like hell over my burnt butt.  I went out to cruise main after work and my 2nd shower, picked up my girl.  I made a few passes and told her I had to call it a night be cause my butt was on fire. She looked at me funny, and I stopped at the shop and told her to come in. I dropped my drawers and showed her my redness    She said "Who's been spanking you!"  I told her it was the stripper.    She said with teeth gritted "What Stripper and where were you!"  I said smiling and pointing to the Vette "That stripper". She then laughed and all was well (except my butt!)  

[FATnLOW]

Steve...and your girl said where's that Stripper??..... I'm gonna kick her arse...lol

[EDNY]

Was just watching a video on youtube where the guy applied the paint stripper then covered the panel with a thin plastic sheet to slow down the evaporation process.  He used that very thin clear plastic that stuck to the wet stripper gel.  Think I'll pick up one of those plastic paint drop covers and give it a try.

[FATnLOW]

Wonder if Sarah food wrap would work....I'll try that and see if it helps

[EDNY]

GOOD NEWS:

Went down to my "Dollar General" again and bought a couple of plastic drop cloths and tried the technique on a portion of my cowl.  Laid down a wet coat of sammons Zip Strip, covered it with the plastic and waited about 15 minutes "BIG DIFFERENCE" the paint is bubbling like crazy and the paste is still wet! 

I'm sold!

[EDNY]

Just removed the plastic, the paint peeled off great with a putty knife and a hand held wire brushed cleaned it up nicely.

I'm telling you this is the way to go, it works, saves paint stripper and the paint is removed in a fraction of the time.  It penetrates all of the paint layers with one application.

Should probably move this thread to the Moose's Tech Corner...would like a second opinion from someone.