Best way to remove factory paint quickly?

[Zenobian_84]

I was thinking a pressure washer? :dunno: Am I being realistic here, or is there some other (faster and or easier) way that I can get everything off?

 

It's also worth mentioning that I'm removing rust from the inside/over the rails of my bed and priming the spots. The primer is going to come off and be replaced before I go send the truck in to be repainted at a later date (I myself am going to prime the truck before I send it in so that I won't have to pay a shop to do that part, thereby saving some $)

[Pete M]

why are you stripping it clean?

[Zenobian_84]

why are you stripping it clean?

 

Plans are:

 

Remove paint

Prime

Bed line

Get entire truck repainted

 

 

The last 2 are either or; whichever I decide should come first. I won't be doing this immediately, but I just would like to know how to get all the paint off for whenever I decide to start this process. :popcorn:

[raviolli]

get yourself some aircraft remover. its a chemical paint stripper. works pretty good but don't get it on ya...

a pressure washer will get it pretty clean, but it will only take the loose, chipping paint off

but if you want to remove all of the paint quickly and effectively, the chemical stripper is definitely the way to go

[dasbulliwagen]

I really don't mean to be rude here, but if you have to ask if you can remove automotive paint with a pressure washer, you really have no business doing bodywork. Aircraft stripper will get the job done, but its going to be a huge mess, and will need to be washed (neutralized) and sanded before primer can be applied. If all you have is factory paint and no additional layers, a good sanding should be all you need before primer is applied. And rust spots, you won't get a smooth surface after removing the rust, youll need filler like bondo to smooth it back out after rust removal. And if you use a regular grey laquer primer, and you let it sit too long before final paint, it will rust through the primer and then need to be done all over again. If you want to do this right, either save up and pay someone to do it all at once with the correct materials, or do some more research and try to do it yourself in as short of a timeframe as possible. I wish you luck.

[mnkyboy]

a little time with a sander is all you should need,but if you insist on stripping it take it to a media blasting shop and get it stripped.

 

there are media blasters that hook to a pressure washer to strip things but they are expensive.

[Zenobian_84]

I really don't mean to be rude here, but if you have to ask if you can remove automotive paint with a pressure washer, you really have no business doing bodywork. Aircraft stripper will get the job done, but its going to be a huge mess, and will need to be washed (neutralized) and sanded before primer can be applied. If all you have is factory paint and no additional layers, a good sanding should be all you need before primer is applied. And rust spots, you won't get a smooth surface after removing the rust, youll need filler like bondo to smooth it back out after rust removal. And if you use a regular grey laquer primer, and you let it sit too long before final paint, it will rust through the primer and then need to be done all over again. If you want to do this right, either save up and pay someone to do it all at once with the correct materials, or do some more research and try to do it yourself in as short of a timeframe as possible. I wish you luck.

 

The only reason I bothered to ask if there was an "easier" way of doing it, is that I already am in the process of removing the factory paint and clear coat via sanding. I just wanted to know for future reference if there was some alterior way to remove the paint faster than how I'm already doing it. Not trying to be an a$$hole, but just saying.

[Incommando]

I think their point is...

 

You do not have to remove factory paint to re-paint or bed line a vehicle. All that you need is a cleaned up surface. This can be accomplished by sanding the truck without removing the factory paint: think of it as "scuffing it up" to give the new covering a good grip. And that does not reguire taking the vehicle to bare metal and starting over.

[HOrnbrod]

I just wanted to know for future reference if there was some alterior way to remove the paint faster than how I'm already doing it. Not trying to be an a$$hole, but just saying.

 

If you're going to blast the good folks who gave you excellent advice, at least you could spell your major bolded, underlined, and italicized emphasis word alterior correctly. ASSume you mean alternative? Just saying.

[mvusse]

Best/fastest way to strip it clean would be a media blaster, but as stated before, I see no need to strip it clean. All you need is a DA sander, some sanding pads (anywhere between 80 grit and 220 grit, ask the paint shop what they think is best) as well as a couple of Scotch Brite pads to hand sand where the sander can't get into.

 

Also, if you're going to have it painted professionally I would pay the extra money to have the paint shop prime the truck when they paint it. They have way better materials than what you can get in a spray can.

[Zenobian_84]

I just wanted to know for future reference if there was some alterior way to remove the paint faster than how I'm already doing it. Not trying to be an a$$hole, but just saying.

 

If you're going to blast the good folks who gave you excellent advice, at least you could spell your major bolded, underlined, and italicized emphasis word alterior correctly. ASSume you mean alternative? Just saying.

I'm not trying to blast anybody here Don. I was just wanted feedback to see if using a pressure washer would be a feasible idea. Yes, I got good advice, but there wasn't any need for dasbulliwagen to tell me I have no business doing body work on my truck if I was just throwing the idea out about using the pressure washer. I appreciate everybody's feedback, no matter how silly this got blown out of proportion; and next time, I'll make sure not to ask some "ludicrously silly question" to the good folks here who jump the gun.

[dasbulliwagen]

I'm sorry if I offended you. That was not my intention, but re reading, I can see how it came off that way. I did not know the other details that you were in the middle of the job already. That may have made a differance in my advice. I just didnt want to see you start a job the wrong way and end up doing more work for yourself than you really needed to. Body work is a slow and tedious process and there really arent any GOOD shortcuts. It sounds like you are going in the right direction, so keep it up, and make that MJ something you will be even more proud of.

[mvusse]

The only time I have seen automotive paint stripped off with a pressure washer was with a 3000psi commercial unit, and it was unintentional.

 

Even with 3000 psi the dealership conceded the paint should be able to withstand that and was deemed defective. The truck got repainted as a warranty repair.

[HOrnbrod]

I'm not trying to blast anybody here Don. I was just wanted feedback to see if using a pressure washer would be a feasible idea. Yes, I got good advice, but there wasn't any need for dasbulliwagen to tell me I have no business doing body work on my truck if I was just throwing the idea out about using the pressure washer. I appreciate everybody's feedback, no matter how silly this got blown out of proportion; and next time, I'll make sure not to ask some "ludicrously silly question" to the good folks here who jump the gun.

 

:thumbsup:

[ParadiseMJ]

So, anyhoo, The best way to strip all the paint quickly is a sand or media blaster. The pressure washer might be a good final step before painting.

 

If you're just scruffing it up, just wet sand it and dull the shine/clear coat. The right primer and paint will have the factory paint as a substrate and will hold on better.

[Eagle]

Best/fastest way to strip it clean would be a media blaster, but as stated before, I see no need to strip it clean.

The BEST way (and fast) would be to send it out and have it blasted with baking soda. It will take off the old paint, but it won't damage the metal. It won't even damage the glass. A friend had his pride-and-joy 1949 Hudson coupe stripped to bare metal with a baking soda blast and it was beautiful. You can imagine what 60-year old windshield glass probably looked like, right? It came back from the blaster looking like new glass.

[ritzer]

If you are going to do a bed-liner. I would do that last if you are going to do an over-rail.

I do spray liners professionally. It is just easier to cover paint with bed-liner than it is to tape off your new liner and paint up to it.. it's a cleaner line. Plus if you stripped it, you have that chance of rust finding its way up there.

 

Just my $.02. :thumbsup:

[Zenobian_84]

If you are going to do a bed-liner. I would do that last if you are going to do an over-rail.

I do spray liners professionally. It is just easier to cover paint with bed-liner than it is to tape off your new liner and paint up to it.. it's a cleaner line. Plus if you stripped it, you have that chance of rust finding its way up there.

 

Just my $.02. :thumbsup:

 

Yeah, I believe that was what I originally intended to do. I figured whoever I brought it in to wouldn't want that junk to be in the way of their paint. :D

[ritzer]

 

Yeah, I believe that was what I originally intended to do. I figured whoever I brought it in to wouldn't want that junk to be in the way of their paint. :D

 

:cry: It's not junk.

 

Actually I hate the stuff, the raw chemicals are nasty.

 

You don't have to have them paint the bed either this way. I get brand new trucks in my shop with unpainted beds every once and awhile it's pretty nice.

[Zenobian_84]

 

Yeah, I believe that was what I originally intended to do. I figured whoever I brought it in to wouldn't want that junk to be in the way of their paint. :D

 

:cry: It's not junk.

 

Actually I hate the stuff, the raw chemicals are nasty.

 

You don't have to have them paint the bed either this way. I get brand new trucks in my shop with unpainted beds every once and awhile it's pretty nice.

 

Whoops :oops: Misread that wrong. I thought I was agreeing with what you said. :dunce: That'll teach me to re-read what I write.

[ritzer]

No offense taken.

[terrawombat]

In order to get the factory undercoating and paint off of the rear frame rails, I used a $7 can of aircraft stripper. A sander and wire wheel wouldn't take off the factory undercoating with much ease, plus it was flinging pieces of it everywhere. About 10 minutes of the aircraft stripper plus another 5 minutes scraping off the now gooped up paint/undercoating and I was down to bare metal, which is kind of hard to see in the pic because I had already applied the POR-15 Prep & Ready and the zinc phosphate coating was beginning to form.

 

Factory Paint/Undercoating:

 

Aircraft Stripper:

 

Paint:

 

The cost/time ratio of aircraft stripper versus sanding is ridiculous.

[89er]

If you do the primer yourself you may not get any kind of warranty from the paint shop. The paints used work with their own primers best, and if you have rust you need a primer/sealer to prevent new rust. If you can shoot the primer why not shoot the top coat? A good paint store can help a lot with the job as weather, temp, humidity all impact what type of catalist, not sure thats spelled right,will be needed. Shooting paint is the easiest part of the job, the prep is where the results come from. A crappy base can not be hidden with the best paint money can buy. If you like the primer result then you will most likely like your first paint job. Just remember there is about a 24 -48 hr period after primer depending where you live and in Fl it is really a little less for best results before surface rust so small you can't see starts. I live in N Fl and only paint in the spring and fall when temps are stable as I don't use a 20,000 paint booth, just seal and vent my garage. A good diy job will cost 400-500 to do. The free labor would cost you WAY more to pay someone else to do. Your first job will cost more as you will need tools and every paint job after will be better and cheaper, and it's a blast when someone asks you to paint their car. POR is worth every penny! Good luck in your efforts and if you need any advice just send me a PM Ron

[Zenobian_84]

In order to get the factory undercoating and paint off of the rear frame rails, I used a $7 can of aircraft stripper. A sander and wire wheel wouldn't take off the factory undercoating with much ease, plus it was flinging pieces of it everywhere. About 10 minutes of the aircraft stripper plus another 5 minutes scraping off the now gooped up paint/undercoating and I was down to bare metal, which is kind of hard to see in the pic because I had already applied the POR-15 Prep & Ready and the zinc phosphate coating was beginning to form.

 

Factory Paint/Undercoating:

 

Aircraft Stripper:

 

Paint:

 

The cost/time ratio of aircraft stripper versus sanding is ridiculous.

 

Ah... the elusive X frame. I still have globs of random factory undercoating keeping the rust at bay. Always thought about giving it the old cleaning and re-PORing, but that's far beyond my ability and patience to challenge something like that. I figure that when I take it to get painted I'll have everything under there given a clean and coat.

[Thunderbear]

In order to get the factory undercoating and paint off of the rear frame rails, I used a $7 can of aircraft stripper. A sander and wire wheel wouldn't take off the factory undercoating with much ease, plus it was flinging pieces of it everywhere. About 10 minutes of the aircraft stripper plus another 5 minutes scraping off the now gooped up paint/undercoating and I was down to bare metal, which is kind of hard to see in the pic because I had already applied the POR-15 Prep & Ready and the zinc phosphate coating was beginning to form.

 

Factory Paint/Undercoating:

 

Aircraft Stripper:

 

Paint:

 

The cost/time ratio of aircraft stripper versus sanding is ridiculous.

 

Garage envy rising..