Fun with paint stripper

[jabberwocky]

DrPhil mentioned a while back that he wanted to strip all the paint off his Dirtbag. I tried to talk him out of it (and failed), and then volunteered to help. If a perfectly good frame was going to get exposed to toxic chemicals and possibly destroyed, I definitely wanted my hand in it. :D

This is the frame as it was brought to my place. Phil had already done the disassembly. We setup a place inside where we could do the scraping and prepwork.
http://img265.imageshack.us/img265/3386/simg2809vj6.jpg

Time to spray toxic chemicals! Phil brought this aircraft paint stripper that was in an aerosal can. All I can say is that it was nasty stuff. Even a drop on your skin caused it to start burning within a few seconds. We sprayed it on outside while wearing gloves and masks.
http://img520.imageshack.us/img520/5637/simg2811ae9.jpg

Frame parts are coated. It takes 20 minutes or so to dissolve the paint. We hung them up can went upstairs to watch a collective video for a little bit.
http://img184.imageshack.us/img184/1470/simg2812ag6.jpg

When we came back down, the paint was definitely bubbling off:
http://img252.imageshack.us/img252/3785/simg2813ky6.jpg

Time to start the scraping! We used plastic drywall knives to do most of the work. The majority of the paint came right off, but some places (behind the decals and in the nooks and crannies) needed quite a bit of additional work.
http://img520.imageshack.us/img520/3886/simg2815vo3.jpg

Work continues.
http://img520.imageshack.us/img520/9100/simg2816or2.jpg

Phil is almost finished the main triangle.
http://img252.imageshack.us/img252/8590/simg2817tq9.jpg

The completed seatstay:
http://img252.imageshack.us/img252/5903/simg2818vu0.jpg

We didn't quite get everything totally finished. There were still some areas where paint was stubbornly holding out, but I think another hour or so of hand work would get it done. It was definitely a learning experience. The frame actually looked quite nice with the raw finish, but I think I'll be keeping my bikes painted. :p

Some observations: I found the best way to get the paint off the harder areas (welds, nooks and crannies) was to coat it with stripper, and then scrub the area with a wire brush. Large flat areas were easiest using the drywall knives. Decals actually did a good job preventing the stripper from dissolving the paint, and needed to be removed and coated again.

Don't get this stuff on your skin. While scrubbing with the wire brush, I had a fleck come off and stick to my chin. Instant burn, and its still kinda hurts (as does my upper arm, which got some flecks as well).

[jabberwocky]

Oh, and big thanks to Squirrel Girl for dropping off her pressure washer to assist us in paint removal and frame cleaning. Service with a smile! Hope you had a good ride while I was enduring chemical burns, Babs. :thumbsup:

[Dr Phil mmkay]

Right on! It was definitely an enlightening experience, and somewhat fun (for me, as I didn't get chemically burned). I will agree however, that I will never be doing this myself again. If I ever want to destroy a perfectly good paintjob, I'll send it off to professionals to get it chemically dipped or bead-blasted.

Thanks for the help and for the pics, too, Chris. :thumbsup:

Ya, thanks SG for the pressure washer.

[Squirrel Girl]

Geez! And I thought I was the only geek around with my own labcoat.....

I didn't know if was Dr. Phil whose frame it was. I would have hung around long enough to meet him, to see how closely he looks like his avatar!

[Pinoy Rider]

I read the header of this thread way too fast, I saw "Fun with Stripper." I believe it's time to get my eyes checked. :o

[Dr Phil mmkay]

Geez! And I thought I was the only geek around with my own labcoat.....
I didn't know if was Dr. Phil whose frame it was. I would have hung around long enough to meet him, to see how closely he looks like his avatar!


You know, I actually prefer scrubs more. I remember having to wear my lab coat when I took organic chem a while ago, and kept on getting annoyed with the sleeve, rolling them up, and getting sulfuric acid burns on my lower arms... (Jab almost did the same thing this afternoon).

Yeah, I didn't realized you dropped by until I saw Jab walking around the back with the pressure washer. It would've been nice to meet you and say hi, too. Ask anyone on here that's met me, I'm the spitt'n image of my avatar.

I read the header of this thread way too fast, I saw "Fun with Stripper." I believe it's time to get my eyes checked. :o

It's ironic because when Jab rolled out the plastic tarp, I immediately asked, 'is this what ppl use to get rid of bodies?' :rolleyes:

[tuba_transport]

It's ironic because when Jab rolled out the plastic tarp, I immediately asked, 'is this what ppl use to get rid of bodies?' :rolleyes:

Did he give you a meticulously detailed response?

[Dr Phil mmkay]

No, he just said that the type we're using isn't thick enough. :rolleyes:

[Dirt]

Make sure you have something to detoxify the stripper on the frame. Even blasting it with the power washer might not remove all of the chemical residue. The stripper should have some instructions for how to treat the metal after you're done. If you don't completely deactivate the stripper, the new paint won't stick. Or it will look like it sticks, then come off in big sheets the first time you ride it.

I had a great laugh at a friend who had the above problem. I wasn't laughing with him. I was laughing at him. It was extremely funny.

Good luck. Looks like a fun project. I'm all for destroying perfectly functional stuff with nasty chemcials. :D

PEte

[Dr Phil mmkay]

If you don't completely deactivate the stripper, the new paint won't stick. Or it will look like it sticks, then come off in big sheets the first time you ride it.

Thanks for the heads-up, Pete. I'm actually going for the raw, untreated look of bare aluminum so I won't be repainting it (no, no hot pink). I'm actually going to keep it looking very tarnished and scruffed up and probably won't even try and even out the oxidation (by hitting everything with the scotchbrite).

This is kind of what I'm going for (at least, as close I as I can possibly get):

ex. 1 (http://www.sicklines.com/gallery/data/726/08_intense_socom_frame_raw9.jpg)

ex. 2
(http://www.sicklines.com/gallery/data/726/08_intense_socom_frame_raw2.jpg)
ex. 3 (http://www.sicklines.com/gallery/data/844/iron_horse_sso1.jpg)

ex. 4 (http://www.sicklines.com/gallery/data/844/iron_horse_sso13.jpg)

The first two shots are of the Sicklines Socom project, with an Intense Socom in "works raw" finish.

The second two are of Sicklines' new Iron Horse Sam's-Sea-Otter project (a super custom 6Point-esque variant frame with slack & low DH geometry for Sam Hill's race at Sea Otter a few seasons back).

[redclayrambler]

Hey do you know if the paint you removed was powder coat or not?
I'm wondering because I have heard that powder coat is really tough to get off.
Thanks,
Clay

[jabberwocky]

I'm not sure Clay, but I suspect it was. It didn't come off easy (it took a few re-coats of stripper and 90 minutes or so of handwork to get some of the paint off).

[sevenforty]

I had thought about doing this over the winter months to my Stinky frame and give it a unique paint job (since my Stinky is a complete custom build). But then I just figured it was going to be a tremendous hassle. Thanks for validating that for me, he he. :D

[jabberwocky]

But then I just figured it was going to be a tremendous hassle. Thanks for validating that for me, he he. :DI'm pretty sure the purpose of my life is to serve as a warning for others. :D

[Dr Phil mmkay]

I'm pretty sure the purpose of my life is to serve as a warning for others. :D

You lead by example. :thumbsup:

[sevenforty]

I'm actually going to keep it looking very tarnished and scruffed up and probably won't even try and even out the oxidation (by hitting everything with the scotchbrite).

You should go with one of those crazy paint schemes like Specialized does with their DH/FR bikes. Or go "murdered out" and paint EVERYTHING black with no logos, haha.

I'm pretty sure the purpose of my life is to serve as a warning for others.

Like the Marlboro Man after he got cancer? haha

[Dr Phil mmkay]

You should go with one of those crazy paint schemes like Specialized does with their DH/FR bikes. Or go "murdered out" and paint EVERYTHING black with no logos, haha.

Well, after stripping all the black OFF my bike, repainting it black would make the whole stripping idea moot. I mean, we wouldn't want Jabs to have suffered chemical burns for nothing now, would we?


BTW, I spent a couple of hours the other day finishing up all the other spots we missed and endured a few moments of "holy-sh!t, I think my arm's burning..." The frame looks atrociously sloppy, just like I wanted, pretty shabby.

And what the hell's the deal with "murdered out"?! I'm seeing more and more people use that slang on mtbr now, it makes absolutely no sense and it confuses me.:confused2: You kids and your damn street talk...

[sevenforty]

And what the hell's the deal with "murdered out"?! I'm seeing more and more people use that slang on mtbr now, it makes absolutely no sense and it confuses me. You kids and your damn street talk...

You need to add it to your lexicon post haste. :D

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=murdered%20out

You would have to paint everything black, even the seat post, the fork, rims, shifters, brake levers, etc, etc...and tint your goggles.

[Dr Phil mmkay]

You need to add it to your lexicon post haste. :D

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=murdered%20out

Goodgawd, man! :D The next time I see an all pink bike, I'll use that term. I'm sure the single-speed guys would appreciate it. "Damn, son, that whip be murdered out. Wordddd." ;)