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View Full Version : How much for a good stripper



neksmerj
23rd Dec 2008, 05:56 PM
Nah, not that sort of Stripper, the chemical ones.

Adding to Bitza500's Thread on paint problems, finding a good stripper that actually works, seems to be hit and miss.

I came across the answer several days ago, Soy-Gel. Sounds impressive, doesn't dry out, dissolves in water, and removes up to 5 layers of paint.

It's marketed by a company called Let's Clean in Artarmon NSW
Let's Clean & Heim Surface Technologies (http://www.letsclean.com.au/)

Sent off an email asking if it was as good as they say, and requested a small free sample.

Their reply suggests it does as it says in the ad, "providing their instructions are followed". As for the free sample, no sorry, send $16.50 for a 50ml bottle.

50ml will cover an area 300x300mm. Wow, how much would it cost to strip a lathe?

I'm not here to have a go at anyone, but to simply ask, "What paint stripper works for you, and how much". Have you actually tried Soy-Gel?

I've tried your average stuff that dries in two seconds flat, and requires multiple applications, no good. I've tried another product called Citrus Strip, it's gel like and remains wet. Penetration is limited, again multiple applications required.

Solve this problem, and there will be a lot more people willing to restore their lathes.

Ken

endgrain
23rd Dec 2008, 09:36 PM
hi ken, we've been chemically stripping for roughly 23 years.
"callington haven" is the best by a mile. no alternative goes near it.
http://www.callingtonhaven.com/contactus.php
be prepared for a big hole in the cheque book tho', last drums we had sent up were around the $190 each.
cheers

Woodlee
23rd Dec 2008, 10:45 PM
Ken ,
I use caustic soda ,about $3.50 in the laundry section of the supermarket and you'll need a large plastic box from the $2.00dollar shop .
Just fill the box with water and add about 1/2 the container to the water and mix .
Be careful you don't splash any on your self or in your eyes.
I submerge my parts into it and leave for a couple of hours , then remove it a use a pressure cleaner to remove the crud. Just agitate it gently now and then.
Aluminium doesn't like it much it gets eaten away pretty quick so you need to keep an eye on any aluminium or cast alloy parts..

I used this method to remove 40 years of layers of paint from my power hacksaw parts during it's restoration.

Edit: OOPs you'll need a much bigger box to fit your lathe into .

Kev.

Penpal
24th Dec 2008, 01:57 PM
A photographers answer to your question would be F8 at half an hour, that answer won my mate a Colour TV .

Have a good ,worry free Xmas. Peter:2tsup:

neksmerj
24th Dec 2008, 03:17 PM
Hi Pete,

Good answer,

Merry Christmas to you, and all my Forum friends,

Ken

bitza500
26th Dec 2008, 11:57 PM
Ken ,
I use caustic soda ,about $3.50 in the laundry section of the supermarket and you'll need a large plastic box from the $2.00dollar shop .
Just fill the box with water and add about 1/2 the container to the water and mix .
Be careful you don't splash any on your self or in your eyes.
I submerge my parts into it and leave for a couple of hours , then remove it a use a pressure cleaner to remove the crud. Just agitate it gently now and then.
Aluminium doesn't like it much it gets eaten away pretty quick so you need to keep an eye on any aluminium or cast alloy parts..

I used this method to remove 40 years of layers of paint from my power hacksaw parts during it's restoration.

Edit: OOPs you'll need a much bigger box to fit your lathe into .

Kev.
Hi Kev, how does brass and copper go with the caustic soda ?? as I have the gearbox to do and do not want to have to strip the thing to bits and what about painting as most paints for steel are NON PRIMER paints or is it better to use Primer first as I have done this 3 times now and I am running out of brands of paint to use
all the best Derek

neksmerj
27th Dec 2008, 12:38 AM
In answer to a PM from Derek, my procedure to painting was this.

1. All old paint was removed by what ever means, mechanical wire brush,
paint stripper etc.
2. Brass name plates were carefully removed.
3. Obvious imperfections in castings were filled with body filler and sanded smooth.
4. Parts not to be painted were wire brushed, polished and masked off.
5. Castings were cleaned off with compressed air, then undercoated twice and allowed to dry for 24 hours.
6. Undercoated parts were lightly scoured, cleaned, then given several coats of enamel, and hung up to dry.
Time to fully harden was about two weeks. Finger nail test.

Undercoat-Dulux Quit Rust Etch Primer. Clean-up metho.
Topcoat-Dulux Quit Rust Epoxy Enamel. Clean-up turps.

I think the secret to the paint adhering was the etch primer.

Derek, I hope this helps,

Ken

endgrain
27th Dec 2008, 07:37 AM
"how does brass and copper go with the caustic soda ?? "

Must stick my two bobs worth in here (will probably be sorry)

We use an ammonia bath for the gearing on tower clocks, 19th century mechanical motors etc.
Formula goes back to my gandpop days,
Prep with a good degreaser.
12 - 24 hours in the ammonia brew (need to keep an eye on it), wash with water,leave to dry, then into the kitty litter, a careful c/a blast to remove residue, then onto the buffer. Sometimes a spray with a decent metal sealer if the customer is demanding.
Can vary the strength of the brew depending on what you're dealing with.
Note: Test all metals beforehand, composites don't behave well in acid washes.

Recommend stay completely away from the caustic stuff if only for your health, fumes are toxic :oo: let alone the drop or two of lead paint (carcinogenic :oo::oo:). We try at all times to think of the tradie who will restore the piece in another hundred years or so.

Finally, cover up. Protective clothing, masks, good quality rubber gloves, dedicated work area etc and read up on poisons/ acid burns. I have a mate who lost an eye using caustic soda.

Cheers

bitza500
27th Dec 2008, 11:11 PM
Ken ,
I use caustic soda ,about $3.50 in the laundry section of the supermarket and you'll need a large plastic box from the $2.00dollar shop .
Just fill the box with water and add about 1/2 the container to the water and mix .
Be careful you don't splash any on your self or in your eyes.
I submerge my parts into it and leave for a couple of hours , then remove it a use a pressure cleaner to remove the crud. Just agitate it gently now and then.
Aluminium doesn't like it much it gets eaten away pretty quick so you need to keep an eye on any aluminium or cast alloy parts..

I used this method to remove 40 years of layers of paint from my power hacksaw parts during it's restoration.

Edit: OOPs you'll need a much bigger box to fit your lathe into .

Kev.
Hi Kev, how big a plastic container are we talking ? and how much Caustic soda do I put in ratio water to Caustic and does it strp all the paint ??

and how do you get rid of the stuff once finished ??
Or from memory wasn,t Caustic used to unclog drains years ago ???
and if left in to long what are the Dilema's ???

as I found out with Molasses that after 4 weeks it starts building a sugar base on the casting
So am looking at a better efficent way of removing paint cheaply
Does Caustic Soda have any other names as well ???

Last one what if some of the parts are already stripped will the caustic do anything to them ????

Hope your 40+ years can help
all the best Derek

billrule
29th Dec 2008, 01:17 AM
caustic soda should get you what you want. Anyone who knows that it is actually sodium hydroxide will also know it as caustic soda. All metals will be affected to some extent, it's a matter of keeping an eye on things, especially aluminium-containing things! It's a bit of a crude but effective method, and I would take the trouble to use eye protection as well as gloves, if only to prevent you touching your eyes by accident. On your skin (I know you won't wear gloves!) it will feel slick and soapy. That's your skin dissolving! Wash it off thoroughly with water. If really particular, rinse in a little water with some vinegar in it, then rinse THAT off. Actually, a quick rinse with a weak vinegar solution is probably a good idea anyway...for the bits you are stripping that is.
What quantity to use? The stronger the mix, the faster it'll work, and more dangerous to handle. From memory, I used about 1 kilo (that's 1000 grams) in a bath of about 75 Litres (50 cm x 150 cm x 10 cm deep)

If there is any place that the liquid could be retained, such as porous gaskets or whatever, wash as well as you can, and definitely treat with the vinegar/water mix. This goes doubly if you use this to strip timber. A residue of caustic soda will prevent a proper finish on stripped wood or plaster (especially plaster) I make up the vinegar in a squeeze/trigger spray to finish off the rinsed pieces.
By the way, the chemical formula for sodium hydroxide is NaOH, and it will be placarded as a CAUSTIC chemical, and, yes, is used to clear blockages in drains.
Disposal depends on how much residue is stripped into the bath (as noted earlier, softened layers can be removed with a water jet, which has the beneficial effect of diluting the hydroxide in the runoff) If there is a lot of paint, I scoop it out and let it dry out for normal disposal. (I can't claim to have run tests on the lead content, but the tip it ends up in will have plenty of older bits of wood with red-lead primer in it)
As for the solution itself, while some will have been consumed by the process, there will still be plenty in the remnants. If you don't have the luxury of being able to put it down a post-hole, the plain-brand vinegar is pretty cheap, so slosh a big bottle of that in the mix, then dispose of according to your sensibilities. Remember, nature can take care of this if it's given time and dilution. (This is the stuff that gives your pretzles their tangy exterior, just greatly concentrated)
Will it affect other uncoated metals? Yes, but you would expect much slower than the effect on the paint! Keep an eye on the other bits.

Remember about the eyes; they may not be the best, but they're better than if they get a dose of this stuff in them!

take care, be patient, follow the instructions, and good luck.

Bill

endgrain
29th Dec 2008, 09:58 AM
Gentlemen gentlemen, for pity's and the environments sake, google the word LYE. Here: I'll do it for you. LYE (http://www.google.com.au/search?hl=en&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-US%3Aofficial&hs=WLj&q=lye&btnG=Search&meta=)
Now, do some proper research and read up on it. By the sounds of it, you ALL need an education and please don't believe everything you read. If in doubt call the CSIRO
1300 363 400

(it isn't rocket science as to what they will advise but if you don't believe them, go and have a look in the burns unit of your local hospital).
This stuff is lethal to animals AND plants PERIOD and it's not just the dangers to you and whats around you, it's the dangers to the next generation. Like idiots throwing the raw chemical under houses to deter vermin ! (typical in the US). So hearty congratulations to the next lucky plumber or suchlike who has to use the crawlspace.
It is an absolute disaster on timber (we've had to try and restore irreplaceable period pieces).
This chemical is impossible to completely remove from timber fibers. FACT.
Again, think of the next poor bunny who is using an orbital sander on a restoration job. (the sawdust will be toxic)
In fact it's outright ignorant but i bet you don't read the labels (http://www.minerals.csiro.au/safety/dangood.htm) on what you eat as well.

Bottom line is, I'm surprised the moderators haven't deleted the topic due to the obvious litigious ramifications.

Go figure.

End of hissy fit.

billrule
29th Dec 2008, 02:12 PM
People follow gurus because they give the illusion of certainty in matters where the evidence appears equivocal. Needless to say, gurus tend to be caught out in the end, as the facts slowly catch up with the rhetoric.
When you ring the CSIRO, and speak to someone like me, they will quote chapter and verse from the MSDS's (material safety data sheets) because of the aforementioned litigious nature of the subject. They will then happily proceed to use materials such as that we are talking about, in the manner we are talking about, because they understand the risks. Finishing a statement with the word "fact", whether in upper or lower case, does not make it a fact. The use of caustic soda in foodstuff is a genuine and unequivocal fact also, requiring perhaps a little explanation of what we mean by "toxic". I would be prepared to hazard a guess that the MSDS for tartaric acid, also commonly used in foodstuffs, will carry warnings against ingestion.
I must agree that the saturation of old joinery with this stuff is a dangerous misuse of it, and will irreversibly damage the wood-fibre if left too long, and provide a dangerous dust during subsequent sanding. The key is to monitor the process, wash thoroughly, and neutralise afterwards.

bitza500
30th Dec 2008, 04:21 AM
Hi Guys I was quite amazed as the plastic showed and stated for cleaning and unblocking drains
Then it says dispose of properly ?????

Now I am no Brain Surgeon but is that not a contradiction in itself ???
all the best Derek

billrule
30th Dec 2008, 01:11 PM
every dishwasher in the land is discharging this stuff with every load washed; that's why the dishwashing detergent is so robust in its warnings to keep away from children, and probably played a big part in developing the individually-wrapped tablets of detergent. Recently they have gone one step further with soluble wrappers so you don't even need to unwrap the stuff yourself. As I said earlier, it's not that the stuff is so bad, it's just dangerouse at the high concentrations we need it at to do the things we do. Disposal through dilution sounds suss in a drought, but it's really not a bad method.

Bill