Soy Gel paint stripper/remover?
#1
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: san jose, ca
Posts: 27
Bikes: Univega Sportour
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Soy Gel paint stripper/remover?
Anyone have experience with Soy Gel paint and urethane remover? Made from 100% soybeans and I guess without the same level of toxicity of other paint strippers. They list 'automotive' as one of the applications, and also state that removing paint from metals is part of what it does. It gets great reviews from non-bicycle folks, so I'm curious how it'd fare in stripping a frame. I think I'm going to purchase a smaller amount to see how it works on my steel bike. Downside is that it's more $ than more toxic paint strippers. But we'll see how it turns out.
#2
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Posts: 33,656
Bikes: '96 Litespeed Catalyst, '05 Litespeed Firenze, '06 Litespeed Tuscany, '20 Surly Midnight Special, All are 3x10. It is hilly around here!
Mentioned: 39 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2026 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1,095 Times
in
741 Posts
I assume the "soy" part is just the gel carrier, not the solvent/stripper. I wonder how "non-toxic" this stuff can be. Read the ingredients list before assuming it's really environmentally friendly.
#3
Full Member
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Chattanooga, Tn
Posts: 300
Bikes: 1977 Raleigh Record, 1987 Schwinn Prelude, 1971 Raleigh Record, 1988 Schwinn Traveler, 1967 (?) Carlton Super Course, 1959 Huffy Sportsman 3 speed, 1972 Raleigh Super Course, yet another 70-something Raleigh Record
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 50 Post(s)
Liked 18 Times
in
11 Posts
I bought the quart size about a year ago to try on some window trim -- not on metal. The old wood had many layers of probably lead paint on it. It didn't come off as smoothly as I'd hoped, but it did a decent job, I guess. One thing, though -- the resulting stripper/paint slurry seemed to get more dense with time as I used a scraper along with the stripping. There is still traces of the stuff stuck to the handle of my yard faucet. I'll probably buy some more for use on the house, though.
#5
BicycleBonnet
Join Date: May 2008
Location: California
Posts: 4
Bikes: Raleigh Lady's Tourist, Lady's Motobecane '70s
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
#7
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2020
Posts: 490
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 252 Post(s)
Liked 67 Times
in
48 Posts
I believe what counts here is the paint type there is on the frame, not what the frame is made of (although it might be worth it to test if it doesn't discolor aluminum).
Reason you usually need to use chemical stripper on metal instead of heat, like from torch flame, to soften paint, is because metal carries the heat from torch away too fast, paint barely has chance to get hot. Plus maybe it is not a good idea to use flame on bike frame to begin with.
Some paints can resist paint stripper, some give in but need several stripper applications. For steel bike frame, you may want to use small brass wire brush (paint shops sell those) to work the paint off after the stripper has acted. It needs to sit in generous layer on the paint for some minutes to soften the paint but don't let it dry completely. Nothing happens when you do but you have to apply the stripper again. For aluminum, maybe even just use plastic spatula? But if we talk about baked enamel or what is on bikes, maybe the stripper won't work at all or hardly at all. Never done such thing myself but I used the stripper in many situations otherwise.
I am guessing that in the end, if you really want the job to get done, you will need to buy the most noxious stripper, the traditional one. Your choice.
Reason you usually need to use chemical stripper on metal instead of heat, like from torch flame, to soften paint, is because metal carries the heat from torch away too fast, paint barely has chance to get hot. Plus maybe it is not a good idea to use flame on bike frame to begin with.
Some paints can resist paint stripper, some give in but need several stripper applications. For steel bike frame, you may want to use small brass wire brush (paint shops sell those) to work the paint off after the stripper has acted. It needs to sit in generous layer on the paint for some minutes to soften the paint but don't let it dry completely. Nothing happens when you do but you have to apply the stripper again. For aluminum, maybe even just use plastic spatula? But if we talk about baked enamel or what is on bikes, maybe the stripper won't work at all or hardly at all. Never done such thing myself but I used the stripper in many situations otherwise.
I am guessing that in the end, if you really want the job to get done, you will need to buy the most noxious stripper, the traditional one. Your choice.
Last edited by vane171; 05-11-20 at 05:54 PM.
#8
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: GWN
Posts: 2,541
Mentioned: 27 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1858 Post(s)
Liked 605 Times
in
402 Posts
Sometimes you just have to go toxic. I have tried some of these new "wonder" strippers and none of them have even phased old paint on a bike. Try pro form aircraft stripper. It even removes powder coat.
#9
Sophomore Member
Join Date: Jan 2019
Posts: 2,690
Mentioned: 12 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1628 Post(s)
Liked 1,057 Times
in
631 Posts
I bought some of this stuff recently, a quart of it:
I also had some airplane stripper which I used alongside of it, for comparison.
I must've gotten a particularly weak batch of aerosol airplane stripper (happens frequently in CA) or the paint on my '84 Univega was as tough as powder coating. Because i let that stripper sit for half a day, applying multiple foaming coats, and the paint not only failed to wipe off in sheets like it usually does, it just got "softened" a little bit. I had a drill with a wire brush and was making slight progress, but finally gave up, with about 80% of the paint remaining.
So I tried coating the frame with the citrus stuff. Used an old cardboard box in my bathroom with the fan going, and let it sit almost a day, re-coating with a brush several times in areas where the gel had thinned out.
Used a wire brush to start scraping the paint off. Really, all the citrus stuff does is soften up the paint a little, YOU do all the work with a brush scrubbing it off. But it does work, and you can (IMO) safely do it indoors. It's just a lot of work. I got most of the remaining paint off, now I need to re-coat a third time to get rid of the rest of the primer.
Personally, I prefer using full-strength chemicals outdoors, and getting the whole thing over quickly. But it's getting hard to find good chemicals that do the job, so the citrus stuff does technically work, just much slower.
I also had some airplane stripper which I used alongside of it, for comparison.
I must've gotten a particularly weak batch of aerosol airplane stripper (happens frequently in CA) or the paint on my '84 Univega was as tough as powder coating. Because i let that stripper sit for half a day, applying multiple foaming coats, and the paint not only failed to wipe off in sheets like it usually does, it just got "softened" a little bit. I had a drill with a wire brush and was making slight progress, but finally gave up, with about 80% of the paint remaining.
So I tried coating the frame with the citrus stuff. Used an old cardboard box in my bathroom with the fan going, and let it sit almost a day, re-coating with a brush several times in areas where the gel had thinned out.
Used a wire brush to start scraping the paint off. Really, all the citrus stuff does is soften up the paint a little, YOU do all the work with a brush scrubbing it off. But it does work, and you can (IMO) safely do it indoors. It's just a lot of work. I got most of the remaining paint off, now I need to re-coat a third time to get rid of the rest of the primer.
Personally, I prefer using full-strength chemicals outdoors, and getting the whole thing over quickly. But it's getting hard to find good chemicals that do the job, so the citrus stuff does technically work, just much slower.
Last edited by Lemond1985; 05-12-20 at 07:06 AM.