Let us know if the Jasco stripper does any better for you. If not, I've had good results with Loctite Chisel Gasket Remover. It's main component is methylene chloride, probably at a higher concentration than other stripper products. It comes in a handy spray can, but just make sure nothing you care about the finish on is downwind (including yourself, children and pets) when you spray it on. After a couple applications five minutes apart, you should be able to scrape most of it off with a plastic scraper. The plastic ones work well because you can make them conform to the contour of the tank.
Issues stripping paint from Al40s
- Thread starter SparticleBrane
- Start date
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OP
SparticleBrane
Contributor
I tried the Jasco paint stripper a few minutes ago, and it was about as useless as the Zip-Strip. The paint was softened a bit but didn't bubble up at all. I could scrape it with a metal scraper, but...nothing to really take all the paint off.
This is incredibly frustrating.
edit: Note that the shots from earlier has disappeared due to my webspace being disabled.
This is incredibly frustrating.
edit: Note that the shots from earlier has disappeared due to my webspace being disabled.
mangrovejack
Contributor
One tip that I recently found out was to apply the normal gel type stripper, but don't just paint it on, rather "slather" it on nice and thick. Once this is done, cover the whole tank with either aluminium foil or saran wrap. This prevents the gel from drying and tends to make it work a little better.
Also, if its a new tank that you are trying to take the paint off, try using a razor or other sharp instrument and score lines down the paint before applying stripper (try not to get right down into the Aluminium though). This will help the stripper get under the paint.
Also, if its a new tank that you are trying to take the paint off, try using a razor or other sharp instrument and score lines down the paint before applying stripper (try not to get right down into the Aluminium though). This will help the stripper get under the paint.
SB,
I stripped 2 of mine, and found if I left the stripper on for 45 mins to 1 hour it worked. But that was on a tank a couple years old. Man, what's on those things?
I stripped 2 of mine, and found if I left the stripper on for 45 mins to 1 hour it worked. But that was on a tank a couple years old. Man, what's on those things?
OP
SparticleBrane
Contributor
I don't know, but whatever it is....its really pissing me off.
I am considering calling Luxfer tomorrow to see what they say.As of today I have used 3 paint strippers.
Aircraft stuff seemed to work the best.
Zip-Strip (official Luxfer recommendation) was useless.
Jasco seemed very similar to Zip-Strip -- it softened some of the paint, to the point I could scrape it off with a pocket knife, but nothing bubbled up.
These cylinders appear to be brushed aluminum underneath the paint on the sidewalls, and I am thinking this makes the paint very difficult to remove. It is practically impossible to scrape 'with the grain' of the brushing marks, so to scrape it off you have to go perpendicular to the bushing, which looks...odd to say the least, and doesn't get all the paint off.
I also posted this on TheDecoStop, and someone there said the cylinders (and the weather) need to be above 80F for the paint stripper to work really well. After searching on this forum I confirmed that, along with the idea of wrapping the cylinders in saran wrap as stated above. Not having any way to get the cylinders warmer, I filled them with HOT water.
Apparently the water was too hot. It wasn't so hot that I couldn't touch the cylinders, but it was quite warm. I started painting the paint stripper on the cylinders, and damn if the stuff didn't BOIL off the surface. It literally bubbled up and immediately dried, leaving a waxy residue. Apparently I had them a bit too hot.
I let the hot water out, rinsed them off, put some more paint stripper on, and then wrapped them in saran wrap since it was a bit windy -- no change in the paint. This is going to get expensive fast if I don't figure out what to do. The aerosol version of Aircraft paint stripper seemed to work the best.
I know this stuff is doing something, because I got a bit on my arm and it burned. I suppose the paint is much stronger than my skin.
Grrr....
mangrovejack
Contributor
I have to mention that I've never had the paint bubble on mine, but I am always in the same boat as you - attempting to strip the paint off brand new cylinders.
I'm pretty sure its some sort of epoxy coating as its bloody hard and difficult to remove. At the end of the day I'm resigned to the fact that it'll take good old fashioned hard work to get the paint off.
Another thing I do is scrap the paint off with a scrapper and then I use a 3M Scotchbrite pad and run that around in the same direction as the existing 'brushed" finish and that cleans off the rest of the paint. Do this with a bucket of water handy to constantly dip the pad in to remove the contaminents.
Also, you mention the stripper burning you, I never get that, but I use Citristrip which is a product made here in Australia - it smells like and looks like oranges - no burning, nor nasty odours! I'm sure there must be something like that in the States?
I'm pretty sure its some sort of epoxy coating as its bloody hard and difficult to remove. At the end of the day I'm resigned to the fact that it'll take good old fashioned hard work to get the paint off.
Another thing I do is scrap the paint off with a scrapper and then I use a 3M Scotchbrite pad and run that around in the same direction as the existing 'brushed" finish and that cleans off the rest of the paint. Do this with a bucket of water handy to constantly dip the pad in to remove the contaminents.
Also, you mention the stripper burning you, I never get that, but I use Citristrip which is a product made here in Australia - it smells like and looks like oranges - no burning, nor nasty odours! I'm sure there must be something like that in the States?
OP
SparticleBrane
Contributor
I'm at home this weekend visiting my parents, and brought the cylinders with me to work on them in the driveway.
I went to Wal-Mart and got a can of the aircraft stripper stuff, because that seemed to work the best. I worked a bit harder to get the paint off as best as I could, and then my father volunteered to help and grabbed some steel wool. He got one cylinder about 95% clean, and we'll work on it tomorrow.
Apparently the steel wool works best if the cylinder is still a bit damp from the paint stripper.
I did a bit of research a minute ago about using steel wool on aluminum cylinders, and the consensus is that it (thankfully!) doesn't cause any issues. It doesn't seem to be removing aluminum from the cylinder and it did a good job of getting rid of the paint that was embedded deep in the brushed aluminum finish.
I went to Wal-Mart and got a can of the aircraft stripper stuff, because that seemed to work the best. I worked a bit harder to get the paint off as best as I could, and then my father volunteered to help and grabbed some steel wool. He got one cylinder about 95% clean, and we'll work on it tomorrow.
Apparently the steel wool works best if the cylinder is still a bit damp from the paint stripper.
I did a bit of research a minute ago about using steel wool on aluminum cylinders, and the consensus is that it (thankfully!) doesn't cause any issues. It doesn't seem to be removing aluminum from the cylinder and it did a good job of getting rid of the paint that was embedded deep in the brushed aluminum finish.
I don't know about spary on Aircraft paint stripper but I've had good luck with "Mar-Hyde Aircraft Coating Remover: Talstrip II", Checker Auto Supply part number 3712.
Slather, and I do mean slather it on, let it sit, paint glided off.
Roak
Slather, and I do mean slather it on, let it sit, paint glided off.
Roak
cool_hardware52
Contributor
Steel wool and boats don't mix well so make sure you have all the debris from the steel wool under control before you get near any salt water.
Tobin
OP
SparticleBrane
Contributor
Spraying them of with the hose set on "jet" and washing them off afterwards with soap and water. 
These will be my 50% and O2 bottles, so I definitely need to make sure any and all paint flakes and pieces of steel wool aren't anywhere near the inside of the cylinders, lest I blow up. They are going to get the washing of a lifetime when everything is stripped.
How old were the cylinders you stripped? Did they have the brushed aluminum finish under the paint?
I believe my main issue at this point is that the paint is down inside the brushed aluminum areas, so it is very difficult to reach and remove.
These will be my 50% and O2 bottles, so I definitely need to make sure any and all paint flakes and pieces of steel wool aren't anywhere near the inside of the cylinders, lest I blow up. They are going to get the washing of a lifetime when everything is stripped.
I saw that at the local Advance Auto Parts but didn't grab any.
How old were the cylinders you stripped? Did they have the brushed aluminum finish under the paint?
I believe my main issue at this point is that the paint is down inside the brushed aluminum areas, so it is very difficult to reach and remove.
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