question Using an Angle Grinder and Grit Flap Disc to remove paint

[LarryH57]

I bought an Angle Grinder and Grit Flap Discs to remove paint on my MV in order to take off a few coats of paint before repainting, as I prefer to do this rather than use paint stripper. As I'll be wearing coveralls, gloves, eye protection and a mask, I'm wondering if it is in order to remove the guard on the Grinder, so that all of the disc can be in contact with the paint rather than just half. I appreciate that a guard is needed for more serious work such as cutting with a grindstone, but would it matter to remove the guard with a Grit Flap Disc?

[Johnny]

I would use nitromors to shift the ir paint as it doesn't tend to touch the original deep bronze green.

 

Modern Nitromors is rubbish though.

The aggressive chemicals have been taken out to make it more environmentally friendly, but it doesn't work on most paints anymore!

 

Go to a trade car paint supplier and get hold of some Synstryp or similar - it actually works like Nitromors used to!

[LarryH57]

Amazing response - many thanks to you all, and yes I only have the Lwt for the moment. The idea originally was to get rid of the areas of paint were the 7 or more layers has chipped leaving a crater.

[Lauren Child]

Amazing response - many thanks to you all, and yes I only have the Lwt for the moment. The idea originally was to get rid of the areas of paint were the 7 or more layers has chipped leaving a crater.

 

From my experience you are much better with an orbital sander for that job, finishing off feeling by hand for any ridges. Be aware that the job escalates quickly though, as any loose paint will flake off. You will likely end up with a moonscape of craters in the paint to smooth out.

 

The rotary disc is more likely to chip the paint across on ridges, and you don't have the same control over where you are sanding that you do with the orbital sander's corners.

Edited January 8, 2015 by Lauren Child

[Pete Ashby]

If it's repair to surface rather than strip that you want then an orbital sander is for you, keep it moving around the edge of the area and avoid the low area in the center, then wet and dry used wet and elbow grease to feather down the edges then a coat of high build filler primer applied with a spot gun then more wet and dry at 600 to blend in before a top coat. If you can feel any edges at all they will stand out like a cliff when paint is applied.

 

There is no quick fix with this method if you want a good end result it's down to hard work with paper and block I'm afraid. At the end of the day it's up to you in terms of what quality of finish you want. It can often be quicker and will produce far superior results by stripping all the surface coatings off and starting from there. There are a number of commercial options available for this depending on the metal substrate ie grit blasting, soda blasting, bead blasting, dipping, electrolysis or as has been discussed above do it yourself with mechanical removal. All have pros and cons, maybe go on the web and do a Google search if you are not familiar with the options I always think a little bit of information is worth a lot of hard earned cash and wasted time .

 

Pete

[ruxy]

Yes, Maintain flatness with a small industrial quality palm sander, the RUPES I find although low on apparent wattage are not easily stalled - hence used by bodyshops , you are supposed to let the paper do the work , but pressure is always on.. Then hours of hand sanding & Scotchbrite , prep short-cuts are obvious to the discerning eye. You see - I remove light fittings to use a palm sander over as much of the panel as possible. Obviously - I stick to P40 (open) to get off the thick - that sometimes is not possible by chemical means.

 

This is a photograph of a photograph going back over 40 years , I prefer to remove all panels on a Lightweight to avoid not removing paint at rear body upper panels to tub.

 

You get set in your ways - but what you learn on one project you use on the next , but it is difficult not to get into the mindset that new products and techniques are to be avoided LoL

 

[LarryH57]

I might just stick with the Clive Elliot method, and paint it again like a squaddie. Do people wash their MVs before painting?:-D

[Lauren Child]

I might just stick with the Clive Elliot method, and paint it again like a squaddie. Do people wash their MVs before painting?:-D

 

lol! If the paint's that thick, you can always use filler