Frame Paint Removal
 

I usually use Jasco Paint Stripper, but that usually lands up every where even with gloves on. I tried a Dremel today to sand off the pain and I don't have any patience for that and I don't have $50 for a good sandblasting job any suggestions? I already got the paint down so please just paint removal advise.:)

I would advice against sandblasting; it can remove material from the frame. If you do go the blasting route look for a place that uses plastic beads/crushed nut shells or some other non-abrasive. Look for "media blasting" in the local pages.

No other easy route for taking off old paint though, without blasting it's slow, tedious, and time consuming.

I use this on all the areas that it will reach.

http://www.deltaportercable.com/Prod...roductID=11053

I use Jasco and a wire brush on the areas that the sander won't reach. I also use a wire wheel mounted on a drill in those areas.

Any burns that I get from the stripper are superficial and no big deal. I have trouble remembering to put my gloves on. It could be hazardous to my health if I did it all the time, but I don't.

Sandblasting is tedious and unhealthy, too.

Sure, if you keep at it, you can turn the whole frame to dust!

You could do the same with sandpaper too, only it would take a F of a lot longer! :mad:

Me? I use BOTH!

First the Jasco (love that stuff;)). Then a quick blast with #60mesh sand to get the tight spots and give the rest of the frame some "tooth" for the paint.

I use a pressure feed blaster*, as opposed to a gravity or syphon feed.
The gravity feed takes FOREVER and uses 200 lbs of sand!
With the pressure blaster, I can do a frame & fork with about 40 lbs of sand. Maybe 60 lbs, if I didn't do the Jasco first.

*This is a picture of it. The sand is loaded in that small neck at the top of the tank with a funnel.
The nozzle is actually quite small, so it's perfect for bike frames. It's the tiny white tip at the end of the hose. The opening is about 1/4". Harbor Freight for about $150. Sand; $8 for 100lbs.

What's the frame material and construction? Welded or brazed steel or welded Ti are pretty tolerant of both chemical paint strippers and abrasive removal. Bonded Al and carbon are tolerant of neither.

My post probably makes more sense now that I added the link. :o

Sanding the tubes makes the little dings show up. I literally found dozens of dings when I sanded my Carlton. I spent weeks filling and sanding. I can almost understand why it's taking Dr. D so long to paint my PX10.

They make frames out of aluminum and carbon fiber now?

Look for a product called Tal-Strip. Available in auto parts stores. The stuff is amazing. Lp

Dr.D, you don't use a blast cabinet? I haven't, but find that my media gets everywhere, even when I try to contain it by putting the frame down in a large box. Any good (and cheap) suggestions?

I landed up going with the ole' Jasco and a scrubbers a a small sanding Dremel bit, I'll post the finish product when I'm done with the pain job, thanks for all the advise, I'll have to use the Tal Strip next frame Spinz@50.

Naah, I'm fortunate to have a yard to blast in. I put the frame on a piece of plywood and hang some old sheets around to contain the sand somewhat. Afterb 6-7 bags of sand are everywhere, I just sweep it up and shovel it in the truck. Off to the yardwaste pile at the dump.

One more question about frame painting
 

What do you use to plug the housing stops. I have some plastic covers for the water bottle braze ons.

If the frame has any rust, I would recommend bead/sand blasting. I twice stripped/ sanded a frame that had rust showing through and both times, over a period of a year or two, the rust came back. When I had it bead blasted, no rust problem ever again.

I am about to get paint and rust off of an old steel Peugeot frame, and I have been recommended "Naval Jelly". I have never heard of it, but found it at my local hardware store. I have been told it's particularly good at getting rust/paint combo off.

I have also been told that wire brushes strip a patina off and weaken the frame - i have heard this before. One more time and it qualifies as "true".

Naval Jelly is mostly just phosphoric acid and alcohol. You would probably do better with a real paint remover (take your pick) followed by a separate rust treatment (hard to beat oxalic acid, use the search function). Or as others have said, if the frame is a bit ratty and rusty, a good media blasting will clean it up like nothing else. Just make sure your blaster doesn't overdo it and eat into the metal too much, some bike tubing is surprisingly thin.

I'm a "big" fella, thus leery of disturbing the metal any more than very light sanding after removing the paint.

Try applying the stripper until all the paint alligators up, then wash it all off. It enough stripper is applied, long enough, it will loosen the paint all the way through. It can be sprayed on, but for small stuff (not production, that is), putting it on "fat" with a brush is o.k.

"Fat" - load the brush, then unload in a very short stroke, such that the yucky jelly is at least 1/16" thick (or more). Lots of loads, or dips! Recoat again after a while, and again...

Pressure washing works well.

"Let the chemical do the work."

I use a fine, sharp potatoe knife to scrape off paint. It takes about two days to strip a frame. It can reach any spot or corner. It's a slow process, but it's cheap: no hazardous products, no noice, no fumes, no masks, no protective clothes, just an ordinary potatoe knife. Sanding with waterproof paper, grain 600, makes the job complete. The result is imaculate.

Just about the silliest thing I've ever heard.

Naval Jelly Is for treating rust. You would use it after you remove the paint.

702 Aircraft Paint Remover

I'm using a Hyde 5 in one tool. Its taking a while but don't want to use paint stripper becuase I have kids in the house. Almost done.