Strip Paint from Aluminum Tank ??

[SinkFloridaSink]

Hello,

My LDS, Dixie Divers will be selling some of their rental gear this weekend. I'm thinking about picking up an aluminum 80 tank.


I'll want to remove the paint if they are in bad shape. Luxfer recommends stripping the pant using Zip-Strip. Will I need use a finish once the paint is removed? If so please let me know what product.

thank you in advance.

 

[TSwain]

I stripped one of mine and then polished it to a mirror finish and love it! But to answer your question, no you don't need to put any thing on it.

 

[spectrum]

Strip it, clean it an be done with it. Nothing will be easier and more effective to maintain than bare aluminum.

Paint with NEVER remain perfect and in those imperfections corrosives will lurk.

A plastic putty knife works great with the Zip Strip. It will soon wear to the radius of the cylinder and crap very well.

Pete

 

[Jack Hammer]

I've stripped the paint from a few aluminum tanks. I just go to the local auto parts store and grab a can of spray on aircraft paint stripper. Spray it on, wait a couple minutes. The paint comes right off.

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[SinkFloridaSink]

thank you everyone!
Remove the paint, wash the tank, dive. sounds good!

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

Bare aluminum is the way to go. Paint doesn't like to stick to aluminum very well without expensive automotive materials. It wouldn't be hard to rack up way more money in top of the line materials including alumiprep 33, alodine, etch primer, and a two part top coat than what the tank is worth, or maybe what you could buy a new one for.

 

[keyshunter]

Aircraft aluminum stripper. Spray it on, hose it off. But you need to remove most types of stickers first.

 

[SinkFloridaSink]

Thank you everyone for your feedback. My local dive shop was selling used tanks and they happen to have a non painted one which I got.