Issues stripping paint from Al40s

[cummings66]

I have stripped some and mine were easy using the same strippers you did, but I have read recent threads asking if they changed the paint because they had a horrible time stripping the newer cylinders. Mine were older ones and stripped very easy, new ones, I've heard lots of people say it's not easy at all. I wouldn't try it myself but you're committed and I think you need to just keep working at it.

 

[SparticleBrane]

Yes you are correct -- I am committed now...nasty scratched up neon-yellow cylinders are worse than brand new neon-yellow cylinders.

 

[redacted]

Yes you are correct -- I am committed now...nasty scratched up neon-yellow cylinders are worse than brand new neon-yellow cylinders.

But they would work just just as well the way they are. It is an option.

 

[mike_s]

Awhile ago I ordered (4) Luxfer Al40s in the brushed no-coat finish. Due to a shipping/distributor error I ended up with these cylinders...in neon yellow. :shocked2: I really, really, really hate neon yellow cylinders. But, returning and shipping these back and forth would be a huge hassle, so the seller and I have come up with a deal but that's another story.


Thus I'm trying to get rid of this nasty paint job. These are brand new and have never been used.

I saw a thread awhile back about stripping the paint from aluminum cylinders, so I read that plus Luxfer's official recommendation.

The thread recommended using aircraft paint stripper so I went out and bought a can of that. I sprayed it all over the four cylinders, and while I could see the paint bubble a little it didn't bubble as much as some photos shown in the previous thread.

the above 'thread' linked is my thread on "recent Stripper pics" (of where I stripped tank a few years ago).

It worked great.....

Am I doing something wrong?! This neon yellow paint has to go...I just can't deal with it. I am trying to emulate this but obviously it isn't working out so well. Let me also say I've spent enough money on the aircraft paint stripper ($8/can) and the Zip-Strip ($13/can) as it is so I'm trying not to spend any more if I can. I probably still have 2/3rd's of a can of Zip-Strip left but I'm all out of the Aircraft stuff.

What I did was spray it on.... let it bubble a little while and then either wipped it off with paper towles or used a razor blade scraper that was mounted in a plastic "holder" and essentially "shaved" the paint off in big strips.

I found that did better than the paper towels...

then I repeated until it was all done. IN the end, the paper towels were used to wip up any smears of left overs.

It wan't a quick process. I wouldn't want to have to do 4 tanks.


Just some precautions, I don't know if you've ever used Aircraft Stripper/Remover before, but wear long sleeves, rubber dish cloves and eye protection. I got that stuff in my eyes a few years ago and about cried like a baby... luckily only a spec got in and a water rinse was sufficient, but man IT HURT.

It'll eat your hands raw also... yellow dish gloves work great. (get the largest ones you can, because the "sizes" they use must be for womens hands).


also when done, wash the tank with water or soap and water. I just used some dish soap and paper towels to scrub it down, then rinsed with the garden hose. washing it will help make sure that all the chemicals in the stripper agents are no longer "working" on your tank and keep it from oxidizing over time, or causing pits, or any other thing you'd be worried about.

I have stripped some and mine were easy using the same strippers you did, but I have read recent threads asking if they changed the paint because they had a horrible time stripping the newer cylinders. Mine were older ones and stripped very easy, new ones, I've heard lots of people say it's not easy at all. I wouldn't try it myself but you're committed and I think you need to just keep working at it.

Looking at his pics, I will say that his paint looks more like a "painted epoxy" that has more texture or is thicker than mine. That might make a difference.

Some of the tanks I've seen now days do seem to have better finishes on newer cylinders... so this makes sense.

Yes you are correct -- I am committed now...nasty scratched up neon-yellow cylinders are worse than brand new neon-yellow cylinders.

yeah... that sucks...


I don't know what else to tell you besides after spraying on and "getting some bubbles" in the paint, try using a razor blade paint scrapper to see if you can "shave" strips of the paint off. (when I say stripps, it'll all wadd on on the blade. then wipe the blade on paper towel rag and shave again).

hope that helps.

Mike

 

[SparticleBrane]

Thanks Mike -- I have been using the cheap plastic scrapers until now; I'll go grab some of the razors in a bit.

I was quite surprised at how thick the paint is. The stuff around the crown/neck of the cylinder peels off relatively easily, but that stops as it gets closer to the sidewalls. It would appear that the crown area is left normal after the heat-treatment process during manufacture but the sidewalls look like they were brushed, which I am assuming helps the paint adhere.


I'll keep this thread updated as I slowly get the paint off these things. I don't have to use them for awhile, which is good.

 

[mike_s]

I just used the "disposable" scrappers... fyi..

like below in the pic. I've got the nice metal holder ones that slide the blade in/out, but I was afraid the stripper would corrode it.

I piced up the cheap plastic ones with the blade made in it for cheap at Home Depot, Sherwin Williams, or Ace Hardware... (different places over the years).

I doubt you'll need more than a couple as I basically use the blade and "push shaved" the paint and let it wad up on top of the blade. the stripper helped as it was wet.

the hydro stamp lettering, I think i used a small wire brush and an old toothbrush.

I plugged the top of the tank with "screw in" tank plugs that my LDS just gave me.... they are plasic screw in with a rubber o-ring on them. I thought they would be better than the green plastic pop in's.

here's the type scrapper I got... usually in a plastic bin at the stores.

hope this is helpful

 

[msg]

You may need to find out what is actually on the tanks. Not all paint strippers are created equally. There may be a special stripper for that particular coating. I know that you used the stripper that Luxfer recommends, but it may not be compatible with this coating. If those tanks are coated with an epoxy, it will require something different than regular paint strippers. Hope you can resolve the problem.

BTW, how long are you letting the stripper sit prior to trying to remove the paint? Excessive brushing of the stripper will also cause it not to be as affective, but I'm sure you have seen that on the cans. I know that when we strip paint at work, we load it on by dabbing the stripper to the surface, let it sit, add more, and so on. It takes awhile and isn't always easy. You may also have to do multiple applications of the stripper.

 

[SparticleBrane]

I am actually considering calling Luxfer to see why their recommended paint stripper isn't working, and see if they have a better idea.

Mike, thanks for the info. I'll head out and grab one shortly...



I noticed that the paint came off easier when the chemical stripping agent was wet. The recommendation was let it sit and 'bubble' for 15-30 minutes (aircraft stuff) or 10-20 minutes (Zip-Strip), but at the end of that, everything was dry and the paint just laughed it off...

 

[SteveAD]

You might also try diving the tanks or at least soaking them in water over night. Once you have the first few defects in the original paint job, then give them a good soak any future stripping efforts tend to go easier.

 

[msg]

Once the stripper begins to dry, it loses its power. The stripper needs to stay wet for as long as possible, keep applying the stripper. Once you have removed the first layer, add more stripper.