[62131]

What is the best and most economical way to remove old paint without damage to the metal?
I need to remove the original paint and could it be a lead base paint?
Thanks in advance for your comments.

[EDNY]

We had a discussion about that..here is the link:

http://rustybowtie.com/index.php?topic=169.msg728#msg728

I still haven't tried the 3M paint removing scuff pads that I bought...but heard they work well.

Here is what I have now:

http://www.amazon.com/3M-SandBlaster-9681-2-Inch-Clean-N-Strip/dp/B000BQURDI

http://www.amazon.com/3M-SandBlaster-9675-4-5-Inch-Grinder/dp/B000BQP0FI

Will be trying it shortly.

Ed

[TFoch]

I had my panels done by a local media blaster. He's been in business for a long time.  It wasn't as inexpensive as doing it yourself but I didn't have to worry about any lead or old paint.  I had a few panels done each time as I could afford.  He did a great job without warping any of them.
Tom

[themoose]

62131
I was just reading something on the subject on the Hemmings site. I discusses the various ways that you can use to get the job done. Whenever I remove paint that might be hazardous I make sure I were a mask and try to confine the dust with an encloseure made of vinyl sheeting and when I'm done I wrap the hole thing up with the dust still in it and properly dispose of it. I sure I've breathed a lot of bad stuff over the years before we knew what the hazards were.
http://www.hemmings.com/hcc/stories/2007/11/01/hmn_feature7.html

Moose

[Coley]

I put a good stripper in a spray gun and shoot a panel at a time.

Then take a razor blade scraper and round the edges of the blade on a grinder, just enough that they won't dig into the metal.

Start with the first panel you sprayed and after it has set for a while, to let the paint wrinkle up, start to just scrape gently off the panel.

Most of the paint will come off the first try, but if needed spray the panel again and move on to the next panel.

Put down newspaper to catch what you remove and then throw it in the garbage.

Most of the paint will be gone after one days work.  Wipe the panels down with prep-sol.

Then metal prep and epoxy prime the panels.

A light going over with a DA will remove any small spots left over.

ORRRR take it to a media blasting shop and pay to have it stripped.