Removing powder coating from a frame?
What is the best way to do this? How hard is it?
I have been reading about using gasket remover to get it off, it seems to be parroted around on different forums, but not by people who have used it. I have read some reports that says that it doesn’t work that well at all.
I am looking at buying a frame with title for a new project bike. The price is very good, the bad part is that the frame was recently powder coated. I plan on doing some cutting and welding as well as changing the color of the frame when done. I probably won’t have to strip it completely if the powder is on right. From what I understand, you can paint or apply a second coat of powder as long as you prep it (feather the edges to bare metal).
Aircraft stripper, wire brushes and whatever implements you feel comfortable scraping your frame with.
My friend has one of those Eastwood home powdercoat units and 6 or 8 cans of colored powder. In the instructions they cite some type of cleaner NOT to use. His son used it, PurplePower perhaps, but the PC ran off like mascara.
oven cleaner is supposed to work pretty well
Have not tried it personally, but it could be used locally where you intend to modify
I just did about 30 pieces of my race car, so the negative reinforcement is fresh in my mind.
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First I tried bead blasting w/ TP Tools "Skat Magic"
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Then I switched over the Speed Bead, as the Skat was deadly slow.
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Then I bought a gallon of aircraft stripper at Pep Boys - about $45 in MD.
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Once I remembered to shake it well, 2 very generous gobbed on coats left in a warm place for 30 minutes gets nearly all of it off. Push off the big areas with scrapers, hose or pressure wash the stripper off, wire wheel, final bead blast.
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Parts are perfectly clean. The powder coat shop was most impressed.
In reply to motomoron:
DO NOT get aircraft stripper on your hands! Nasty Stuff.
