Topic: removing factory paint from gas tank

[gregwaits]

Does anyone have some tips re: stripping factory paint off a gas tank? I have been using a citrus non-toxic paint stripper to pretty good success...at least on the top of the tank. The paint on the sides is proving more stubborn.

I have gotten the tank down to bare metal on the top.

Should I switch to a stronger stripper or should I be using a grinder at this point? I don't want to mar or scratch the metal surface.

[736cc]

Zip-strip works if you let it sit a while, agitate w/ some steel wool. If theres any bondo, a blow torch melts it out ez.

[eurban]

Although it is nasty stuff, Aircraft Stripper (typical auto store will have it) will take off just about any paint.   Works much more quickly than the safe stuff but protect your skin, eyes and lungs.

[WJL75]

Ditto on the Zip Strip.  I've used it a couple of times and it works quite well.

[Blaize]

I did this last weekend and I also used zip strip. Juat like you It got the top just about bare but the sides not so much. I ended up using a scotch brite pad on a drill to do the sides. Worked great and damn near polished the metal underneath

[xtalon]

I used Strtoeeze by Savogran (Ace Hardware) and it worked pretty good.  I think it took 4 trys.  I put it on, let it sit for 20 minutes and then went at it with a metal scrapper.  I had to remove a paint job that was over the factory paint (including the factory stickers... yes, even the Wear a Helmet type sticker in front of the filler hole).

Once I got off what I could with the stripper, I wiped it down w/ paint thinner, let it dry and then sanded w/ 150 and 100 grit sandpaper and also used a stainless steel brush.

Did a little more sanding w/ some 220 I think.  I also used a stainless steel wire wheel on my drill to remove a couple places that were trying to rust. Not saying this is the best way, but it worked for me.

Oh yeah, I also removed the spraybomb paint job off of the GL1000 forks, hence why it's included in the picture.

--xTalon

[BobbyR]

You can increase the effectiveness of any stripper by covering the part tightly in plastic sheet or tin foil overnight. I learned this from custom painters. It keeps the volatiles from out gassing and allows them to work on the paint longer.

[Gordon]

Although it is nasty stuff, Aircraft Stripper (typical auto store will have it) will take off just about any paint.   Works much more quickly than the safe stuff but protect your skin, eyes and lungs.

I'll second the aircraft stripper.  Used it to strip my 550 tank and the paint was falling off after about 30 seconds.

[masonryman]

the aircraft stripper is some good stuff and if you do get it on you cold water neutralizes it very quickly.

As for the torch to the bondo I would stick to the grinder for that, heat on sheet metal is a bad idea unless you are looking to take up body work, the heat will warp and swell the sheet metal.

Mark

[jabbadeznuts]

Aircraft stripper

[Gordon]

Aircraft stripper

Sorry Jabba, but that's not a special kind of stewardess you get in first class.

[Patrick]

I use Aircraft sripper. It works very weel. The paint cmes off i sheets. It's also great for taking off old powdercoat. After an application of Aircraft stripper, powdercoat will come off with a toothbrush.

Patrick

[wesniles]

AIRCRAFT STRIPPER!
i worked  in a shop restoring classic cars and all we ever used was aircraft stripper. its really nasty if u get it on your skin and eats right thru latex gloves, so if u do use it put on a couple pairs of the blue butyl gloves.  it does take off any thing you can throw at it, even light coats of bondo and glass fillers.

[drlarryw]

For a non-chemical alternative.....I've used a round, medium grit sanding disk with my electric drill and in less than an hour had stripped original Honda paint and clearcoat off a Nighthawk tank.  Then fine sanding, cleaning and the tank was shiny aluminum, ready for priming.  What did I miss my not using chemical strippers?
Larry in Boston
[the same guy who uses molasses to clean rust out of gas tanks.]

[Pwfyrcat1]

Aircraft Stripper

[Gordon]

What did I miss my not using chemical strippers?
Larry in Boston
[the same guy who uses molasses to clean rust out of gas tanks.]

Who said you were missing anything?  Different methods, same results. 

[Loas 78 CB750K]

Larry in Boston
[the same guy who uses molasses to clean rust out of gas tanks.]

How does the molasses thing work?

[Zane]

Someone posted this before - I found it interesting.

http://www.chuckhawks.com/harley_prep.htm

[hymodyne]

aircraft stripper, or gasket remover.
I just took most of my frame down to bare metal with one can, removing about four layers of paint. I bought a 750 tank for my cafe project and striped it with aircraft stuff as well,then hit it with a jitterbug and some 100, then 220 grit paper, shot it with three coats of green death.

Hym

[Pwfyrcat1]

hymodyne,

what is 'green death'?

[jabbadeznuts]

Aircraft stripper

Sorry Jabba, but that's not a special kind of stewardess you get in first class.

Only in my dreams do I get an aircraft stripper.

[BobbyR]

Larry in Boston
[the same guy who uses molasses to clean rust out of gas tanks.]

How does the molasses thing work?

Larry, It turns out Molasses binds with rust on a molecular level through chelation. Acids dissolve the rust and of course the metal around it. It is safe and cheap and worth a try.

[Steve F]

I glass bead blasted mine.  20 minutes in the cabinet, and everything, including some bad bondo job was all gone.  The p.o. tried to bondo over the badge mounting bracket and the depression, and the bead blasting was able to remove the bondo from under the bracket.  After a littile dolly work and some thin coats of bondo here and there, it was ready for paint.  Mind you, I'm not the guy doing the body work, I just watched the pro.

[hymodyne]

"green Death" is how I have heard folks in the paint business refer to self etching primer.
I've got bondo and three coats of self etching on the bare tank, followed by two coats of sandable enamel primer.

going to sandblast the chemically stripped frame. By the way, I chose to try zip strip to keep my travel time down for stripping agent yesterday. It worked very well on tough places on the frame that the aircraft stuff had missed. I used a stiff narrow wire brush with stiff bristles to remove everything I didn't scrape off with a putty knife.

hym

[GNXFan]

I use my 5 gallon can of Berryman Chem Dip Professional Parts Cleaner, a.k.a. carb cleaner to not only clean carb parts but to strip paint almost instantly. It just melts any type of paint down to the bare metal. No sanding required. Obviously a tank or frame won't fit into the can but I just pour it into other pans, etc. until  they they can be submerged into the cleaner. This stuff costs about $75 at O'Reilly's Autp Parts Store.
I'll post some example pics later.

[Geeto67]

if the tank is rusty inside I usually have my local radiator shop boil it out. The Merc acid strips all the paint off it in the process. If you have good insides on your tank I don't recommend this as it will strip the factory coating right off.

[pelicanwheel]

wow...two pages of posts and I don't think anyone mentioned going down to your local sandblaster or powder coater (they have blasting booths) and having it done there.  I've done it twice, once in Chicago and in Phoenix.  Both times it cost $10.00 and took 10 minutes.  I'm all for saving money, but I think stripper and supplies could cost $10.00, but don't forget the cost of inadvertenly inhaled fumes to your body.

Pelican

[Steve F]

wow...two pages of posts and I don't think anyone mentioned going down to your local sandblaster or powder coater (they have blasting booths) and having it done there.  I've done it twice, once in Chicago and in Phoenix.  Both times it cost $10.00 and took 10 minutes.  I'm all for saving money, but I think stripper and supplies could cost $10.00, but don't forget the cost of inadvertenly inhaled fumes to your body.

Pelican

Um......look up 4 posts prior.    But yes, sandblasting is easy to do, no toxic substances, and you have to buy something else to get high.  Mot to mention, sandblasting (glass beading) reveals all kinds of things that may need attention....like pin holes.

[Zane]

Is there any danger glass bead blasting can be too aggressive?  Like, can it take off some metal and put the integrity of the fuel tank at risk?

I'd love to do my spare 400F tank by blasting it, but I'm nervous about making the metal too thin in places.

Cheers,

Zane

[Steve F]

Is there any danger glass bead blasting can be too aggressive?  Like, can it take off some metal and put the integrity of the fuel tank at risk?

I'd love to do my spare 400F tank by blasting it, but I'm nervous about making the metal too thin in places.

Cheers,

Zane

Glass bead blasting is very gentle, especially at lower pressures.  Better yet would be plastic media blasting.  The stuff is used on fiberglass and really thin aluminum too.  If you DO go with the glass bead blasting, or someone else is doing it for you, caution them to keep the pressure light, and not to blast straight at the metal (right angles) as this may cause heat and slight distortion.

[ProTeal55]

I use brake fluid and good ol' sandpaper to strip tanks (works really well).
Alittle degreaser after all is done, and paint the thing...

[drlarryw]

BobbyR.....I may regret asking, but what is "chelation"?  My observations support your knowledge that the molasses binds to the rust, as the effluent that poured out of my tank was, well, rusty molasses!  Mmmmm.
Larry

[pdrides]

yup, the zip strip works great. I've used it a few times. Spray it on and walk away for about 15-20 mins., then use a plastic putty knife to scrape it off.  Wipe the whole thing down w/de-natured alcohol then go after it with some steel wool or something of that nature. Don't forget to wear gloves and eye protection, it's pretty nasty stuff. Good luck.

[Zane]

Thanks a lot Steve F!  That's great - I'm lucky as I have access to a good sized blasting cabinet owned by the business of a friend of mine.

They only ever use glass beads to blast, so that's what I'll try.

I really appreciate the tip about controlling the angle of attack.  Plus the pressure control is right there - I'll go low ......

[scout18]

Hey  I used my heat gun and my pocket knife to scrape the paint off. Kind of tedious but only took an hour or so and as far as I can tell caused me no lasting harm harm haa ham ah hahahahahahhaa.

[BobbyR]

BobbyR.....I may regret asking, but what is "chelation"?  My observations support your knowledge that the molasses binds to the rust, as the effluent that poured out of my tank was, well, rusty molasses!  Mmmmm.
Larry

Exactly, you would up with rusty Molasses. Here is the most simple explanation I can come up with:

The word "chelation" comes from the root word, "chele" which is Greek for the claw of a lobster or crab.  So, "chelation" refers to a "grabbing" action as when a lobster grabs something with its claw.

Chelation is a process where some substance grabs another -- the more technical term would be that some substance "binds" to another substance and puts it into suspension so it can be flushed away.  This "binding" involves the actions of atoms and gets rather complex, at least in terms of chemistry.

When people have Mercury or Lead poisoning, these heavy metals get stuck in the body tissues. The Doctors use a chemical known as EDTA which will bind to the metal and and "covert" it to a form that can be excreted quickly. Some Holistic Doctors us it for other purposes, but I am not going there.

[drlarryw]

 THANKS, BobbyR.  I appreciate your fine articulation of the chelation process.  Also happy to know I can have the mercury removed from my tissues.  Actually, as a kid I did bite the end off a thermometer.  Everyone panicked, but I seem to have survived.  Maybe. Kind of.
Larry in Boston

[Lumbee]

...didn't see it mentioned anywhere, but I use a knotted wire wheel on my 4.5" grinder.  Looks like aircraft stripper is the favorite...I'll have to give that a try sometime...sounds messey though???