Bicycle Mechanics - Removing Powder Coat??

Hi,
I have an aluminum rack that is powder coated black and I want to remove the powder coat and polish it to make it look better with my vintage bike that has everything else polished. I've used easy off on anodized parts, but I don't know what would work well for powder coat that will be relatively inexpensive. Anyone know a good way to do this?
Thanks,
Scott

Gasket remover seems to work. Here's an article........

http://www.choppersurplus.com/global/articles/howtoremovepowdercoating.html

I've never done it....never had to, yet.......but, google's how I found out to remove anodizing which I have done. I also looked up powder coating a long time, too, and so remembered this article.

Awesome! That's very helpful, thanks. I tried easy off at first not really realizing the difference between anodizing and powder coat and it didn't do anything..

Ah.......well, if it works out, post up how it goes. Something I could keep in mind for future possibilities. ;)

i've been removing the powdercoat from 2 small posts on the decauler that i had painted. the shop didn't mask them and after painting the 2 decauler parts don't fit together anymore.

Here's my method:
- sandpaper cut into small strips the width of the parts to remove
- x000 spins of the rounded part while gripping the sandpaper tightly with my hand around it
- burns and blisters
- repeat every other day (after healing)

i'm nearly there and it's looking nice ;)

Gasket remover didn't work... It softened up the powder coat, but not even to the point that a wire wheel on a drill will take it off. I think if I were to wire brush it and do it one more time it would work, but I've already used a whole can and they're $9 for 4 ounces, so I'm going to see if I can find something else that will work first. A wire wheel on an angle grinder would probably work, but I don't want to take off a bunch of metal with it..

Drop it off with someone that does abrasive blasting, they will be better able to suggest the type of media to use. for the $20 bucks or so they would charge you, it's GOT to be better the effing around with gasket remover.

You can use aircraft coating remover. But as MTBerJim says it is probably better to have it blasted than to mess around with this kind of stuff

If there's a shop around you that does powder coating services, I'd ask them about it.

Paint remover will do just fine.

Use a sharp knife? Just a random thought- I've never tried it.
DMSO would probably soften it, but I don't suggest working with the stuff- it can act as a carrier for chemical compounds through the skin.

I could have predicted that easy-off wouldn't work. Anodizing is just chemical oxidation of the aluminum. Easy-off is a strong base which will convert the Al2O3 into Al + H2O + H2 (it bubbles, right?). Powdercoat is a plastic coating...doesn't react with strong base (at least not quickly).

Everyone is suggestng how to strip the powder coat, which is designed to be very tough, but have you thought of what the bare alu will look like after this, would guess unless you blast it with say walnut beads, it will come out pretty dull, and paint stripping will leave some residue in the hard to reach places and welds.

The end objective seems to be to get a polished rack, doubt you will get the result you want from stripping a powdercoated rack, would suggest the best way to get a stainless steel rack, or factory polished alu one. both will cost, but suspect that in the long run, will be cheaper for the time spent, have a more durable finish than you can give by hand polishing , and most importantly look better, than you will ever get by stripping.

Well, I can't argue with that- good practical advice.
But another thought on stripping is perhaps to use a red or green abrasive disc (like a grinding wheel but made of scotchbrite pad). They're about 10 bucks and abrasive as all get out.

Everyone is suggestng how to strip the powder coat, which is designed to be very tough, but have you thought of what the bare alu will look like after this, would guess unless you blast it with say walnut beads, it will come out pretty dull, and paint stripping will leave some residue in the hard to reach places and welds.

The end objective seems to be to get a polished rack, doubt you will get the result you want from stripping a powdercoated rack, would suggest the best way to get a stainless steel rack, or factory polished alu one. both will cost, but suspect that in the long run, will be cheaper for the time spent, have a more durable finish than you can give by hand polishing , and most importantly look better, than you will ever get by stripping.

+1
Good advice. The car people I know won't waste their time trying to remove powder coat.