Sandpaper problems

Rat Rods Rule

Help Support Rat Rods Rule:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

53 stickfigure

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 27, 2016
Messages
437
Location
Ohio
I have no idea why i can't sand the paint off the 53. 40, 60, 80, and 120 grit all gums up instantly on the hood and 1 front fender. I've used flapper wheels in 40 and 60 grit and they've only lasted a few minutes. It's like the paint melts and smears when you try to sand it. Its apparently a repaint but is every bit of 20 years old. There's too many niks and deep scratches to just scuff it up to primer, and it wont just scuff up, it balls up. Any suggestions other than a stripper? 60 grit discs on the grinder last about 3 minutes. Im about ready to burn it off with a propane torch, in small sections of course. I've never had really old paint do this before.
 
I remember zzrodder saying he scrapes paint off. I for one would like more information about that. It might be an answer for you too.
 
I've seen old enamel paint do that. Unless a hardener is added, enamel never gets fully dry, it's always a bit soft. You may have to use a chemical stripper and a razor blade to get the old enamel off. If you get one that is water soluble, you can neutralize it with soap and water after you are through. I stripped a hood that had about six layers of unknown paint on it in about an hour. Got it down to metal and the original primer, washed it, let it dry then sprayed a primer sealer over it. Three years after I painted it, it still looked good.
 
I cleaned the hood really good last night, hoping it was a tree sap clear coat but turns out it is brush paint, probably an oil base enamel. Its not gonna scrape off without a stripper. I've never seen paint this hard.
 
I use a flat wire wheel, works well to get down to base primer or sometimes all the way to metal.
 
Your right, its not hard. I tried the scraping, its worked for me before on a few cars, but not this one. Its just the hood and fender so i guess I'll go ahead and make a mess with some stripper.
 
hmm we had a paint like that here in NZ .. (think it was a laquer )it was an ass to sand off even 24 grit 7'' resin back sandpaper disk .. use long a lateral stroke so theres a bit of a cool off - paint surface - helped get it gone but still took a couple of new disks..

or one of those 2000 watt electric hot air guns and a scrapper .. the panels do get hot . shouldn't warp though unless you concentrate n one spot too long..

paint stripper while effective is messy stinky and ive seen too many paint jobs wrecked - stripper left in joins even eats it way into seem sealers that look very well cleaned .. 6 months there rust cos the paint lifted..

luck
 
scraping tools

Model T Fords used JAPAN enamel and that paint just melts and smears. I use a stiff 4 in wide putty knife that I round the corners then sharpen raisor sharp on a fine grit belt sandaer then an oil stone.
Start holding the knife 90 * to the surface then adjust the angle untill you get the best results .I use two hands holding the sides of the blade. My willys had about 7 layers of paint
 
These discs are amazing and don't clog even when stripping enamel, undercoating, road tar etc.
https://www.sparkyabrasives.com/Item--i-U__34366P?gclid=CJqoioveutMCFYWEaQodG6EIwQ
clean-strip.jpg
 
Im gonna get one of those. I used aircraft stripper today, softened it up a little, but still couldn't scrape it off. I used a 40 grit flapper wheel after the stripper and it is starting to come off, but not easy. Ive had hundreds of cars and never had this much trouble removing paint.
 
paint

paint stripper or laq thinner works great for me. never seen any thing they wouldnt take of. dont use the spray can stripper. use the can and a paint brush
 

Latest posts

Back
Top