Bicycle Mechanics - Seeking all paint stripping experts!

Alright, here's the story. I was sick of my Miele's black to yellow fade and decided I was going to paint it a different colour. I decided to strip my frame down to bare metal and I didn't want to spend all my time sanding so I purchased that Citristrip stuff from Home Depot being concerned about all the sludge that could/would be produced. That stuff didn't work at all even after letting it sit overnite. Decided to then purchase Aircraft Stripper from PepBoys. This worked a bit better but from the all the posts I've read regarding aircraft stripper, I thought it would work better than it has. After letting it soak overnight the paint is not bubbling as some of you have described the process. Paint is off in some areas but in most areas, it's like I didn't use any aircraft stripper at all. When I go to scrape the paint off, I basically just scrape the aircraft stripper. Am I gonna have to just respray it every nite until I get it all off or should I just sand what I have left to a nice, smooth finish? I may just get the frame sandblasted somewhere. I haven't ridden in qute a while although I could ride my SS mtb during my lunch time rides but it won't be the same as my fixie. Thanks in advance for any responses.

You don't leave it sit overnight. It's been a number of years since I used the stuff but I think you're only suppose to leave it sit an hour or 2.

You don't leave it sit overnight. It's been a number of years since I used the stuff but I think you're only suppose to leave it sit an hour or 2.

Ok, but you'd think that even after the recommended 15-30 minutes as mentioned on the can, something would actually happen. I got nothing...well, truthfully, I got some bubbling but nothing that would allow me to scrape paint sludge off of my frame..it was more like bubbling aircraft stripper and a dash of paint.I'll try it again tonight and see how that goes...looks like I'll be doing this from quite some time. :(

If you continue to have problems, go to an auto body supply/ paint store. They will have something that will work for you. We used to use naval jelly, but im not sure if it even exists as its been quite some time since I did any body work. The stuff is toxic though. you will want to use a brush and gloves to apply it so it doesn't eat your hands up. If it will work on enamels, urethanes, and lacquers, im sure it will strip your frame for you.
good luck on the process and make sure you show us the new paint job when you get it all back together.

You need to put the stripper on kinda thick.

I use Red Devil stripper - not the water based environmentally friendly stuff - No, sir; the mighty mighty toxic stuff that burns your hands.

Spread it on with a natural fiber brush. It will bubble the paint. You will probably have to repeat the process several times.

Some areas are more difficult for some reason - like around the BB. If you have a really tough time, use some sandpaper to break through the shiny surface of the paint and then apply the stripper.

Stripping a bike is a pain in the butt to be sure. After you are done stripping, wash the frame in solvent, and then with dish soap and water. If there is one speck of dust or grease or contaminant, your paint will be repelled from that spot like water on a duck.

Next time, don't strip the frame. Dull the old paint with fine grit sandpaper and steel wool. Use fine grit sandpaper to feather the scratched paint, chips, and dings. Paint with sandable primer and sand the areas of the dings and chipped paint. Repeat until the dings/chips are not noticeable.

Then paint the bike. Painting a bike is art, man. Get some tips on good painting techniques so that you don't get runs, sags, and halos.

I forgot the name of it, but there was a floor cleaner I used to work with when I did die casting that would remove paint form ANYTHING in under 20 mins...but it had 10% HCL in it...it was not really a very breathing friendly stuff either...

As Mike mentioned, on my last paint job, I simply dulled the original paint, primered and painted. Using a toxic stripper as I used to do in the past is not worth the trouble.

Are you using the stripper with the airplane on the can? If not, get some from an automotive paint supply house. It's the best stuff out there that's easy to come by.

When using it, don't let it dry or the paint will reharden. Soak the frame and keep it wet for 30 minuets or so. Should work.

After this process, you might want to have it sandblasted as well. Gives the frame some "tooth" for the paint to stick to. Standard proceedure is to use aluminum oxide shot at fairly low pressure - 60 psi or so.

Good luck.

Ed

Bead blasting is the route you want to go. Find a metal shop/automotive refinishing shop and ask them to do it for you. Less than 20 bucks will get it done and it would take about five minutes. It will be ready to paint when you walk out the door.

"DON'T MESS WITH ME WHILE I'M TRYING TO WORK!"

Paint strippers work best if you brush it on and then leave it totally alone for a while to let it work. It's tempting to futz with it and try to add a bit more here and there, but if you do that, it doesn't seem to work as well.

UPDATE!

Not much to update...did a bit of sanding yesterday during my lunch break. Woke up early again this morning and sprayed some more Aircraft stripper on, left it for about 30 minutes and then was able to get a bit more paint off. I'm usually a patient man but geez...I can only take so much of spraying, waiting, scraping. I'm in the process of calling some sandblasting places for quotes. One place quoted me $40 to sandblast and $100 approx. for powdercoating. Another place quoted me $80+ for blasting and another $80+ for powdercoating. Yet another place quoted me $50 an hour for sandblasting saying it would take them about 4 hours to blast my frame! Can you say WTF? I'm expecting a few more return calls this aft. so depending on quotes, I may get the frame sandblasted and possibly powdercoated. But then again, the DIY painting is very satisfying as a self-described DIYer. Decisions, decisions.

Paint on cars, bikes has wax\ polish I believe on top of the paint. The strip will not acid react on wax.

I suggest rubbing the paint with a scouring pad to remove the wax mantle, then apply strip.

I use gelled house paint remover. Takes 2-3 coats, 1\2 hour between applications.

Yes I ride a nekkid steeel frameworks.
Jef.

UPDATE!

Not much to update...did a bit of sanding yesterday during my lunch break. Woke up early again this morning and sprayed some more Aircraft stripper on, left it for about 30 minutes and then was able to get a bit more paint off. I'm usually a patient man but geez...I can only take so much of spraying, waiting, scraping. I'm in the process of calling some sandblasting places for quotes. One place quoted me $40 to sandblast and $100 approx. for powdercoating. Another place quoted me $80+ for blasting and another $80+ for powdercoating. Yet another place quoted me $50 an hour for sandblasting saying it would take them about 4 hours to blast my frame! Can you say WTF? I'm expecting a few more return calls this aft. so depending on quotes, I may get the frame sandblasted and possibly powdercoated. But then again, the DIY painting is very satisfying as a self-described DIYer. Decisions, decisions.

Depending on your area, forget the calls and just walk in around lunch time with your frame in hand and a twenty in your wallet. Any of the minimum wagers would be happy to blast the parts for beer money. Try a small mom and pop sand casting foundry for the best "price". Since their main business is not blasting, they will see it a a good deed vs. a way to make money.

Hope this helps,

ehenz

Yet another place quoted me $50 an hour for sandblasting saying it would take them about 4 hours to blast my frame!

That guy who said it would take 4 hours to sandblast a bicycle frame. He's either a liar and a cheat or he's never done one before. Maybe he just doesn't want to do it and is trying to scare you off.

Yet another place quoted me $50 an hour for sandblasting saying it would take them about 4 hours to blast my frame!

That guy who said it would take 4 hours to sandblast a bicycle frame. He's either a liar and a cheat or he's never done one before. Maybe he just doesn't want to do it and is trying to scare you off.

ya like 30 min to prepare the frame, 30 min on equiptment connection,site- suit, 30 min for coffee, @$$ scratch, 30 min to blast. Still jerking around, no more than 2 hours. 4 is stupid, maybe you said 'bike', they think motorcycle? Ehenz is right, stay away from custom car shops unless you don't care about cost.

Wow, that is insane!!! I was quoted $20-25 for mine from a local place that does sandblasting. Just looked them up in the yellow pages.