Any expert strippers? (of paint....)

[ex-Gooserider]

Part of my Invacare chair project is making a spacer and extra caster mount in order to increase the distance between the front casters, so that I have room for the center foot-plate when I move the seating back...

I got an extra frame that I cut up in order to make the caster mounts, and I'm trying to strip the paint off so that I can powder coat the parts once I have all the machining on them done... (We have powder coating equipment here at the Asylum, so no sending it out...)

However I am having an amazingly difficult time getting the old paint off - I have tried:

1. A "green" citrus based stripper... Got some paint off, but left a lot... It also gave me some nasty chemical burns on my hands (hint - surplus nitrile gloves from the cath kits are NOT adequate... )

2. A stronger traditional stripper - Savogran "Strypeze" - a couple of times - got more off, but still didn't do very well...

3. Propane torch - no visible effect...

4. Baking in toaster oven for an hour at it's highest setting (supposedly 450*F) - no visible effect...

So I did some searching and found lots of suggestions for "Aircraft Remover" - supposedly the "nuclear option" paint stripper - seriously nasty stuff, the MSDS is 12 pages explaining all the nasty things it could do to you - the hazard diamond thing that summarizes was all red except it isn't very flammable...

So I got a can of that, it was the aerosol version rather than the brush on, which may have been a mistake, but.... Same deal, it got some of the remaining paint off, but didn't do a lot better than the first two overall... I'm seriously underwhelmed

So any ideas about what Invacare used for paint on their chairs? It isn't powder-coat, as it has a primer layer under it. The stuff that did come off did so with scraping in some cases, and other areas just peeled, but I didn't get the paint 'bubbling' up like I've experienced with other times I've stripped paint...

Even more importantly, ideas about how to get it OFF? I'd rather not do mechanical removal as I don't want to damage the metal, (and our sand blaster isn't accessible) there are also some T-slots and other areas that really only can be reached with chemicals...

ex-Gooserider

[Burgerman]

Throw in in the sea for a couple of years.

Its 2 pack paint.

[flagman1776]

My brother remembered the brand we used at our marina... we used to use Rock Miracle paint & varnish remover. I'm surprised they still make it. It's caustic as all get out. Do not get any on your skin. Seriously, do not get ANY on your skin. It'll eat through clothing. Ask me how I know! Left over will eat it's way out of a steel can (back then).

[hank]

Glass bead blasting or fine sand blast if all fails

[Burgerman]

My powder coater has a hot acid bath.

[rustyjames]

DuPont makes (or used to make) about the best stripper that I've ever used. The Aircraft stripper comes in next. Never used any areosals though. The trick with using stripper is to lay it on heavy, but avoid a lot of brush strokes, it's not like applying paint. Keep it wet with the stripper, and let it work. While it's wet hit it with a wire brush. I usually finished up with a coarse scuff pad. When the paints off neutralize with water, paying attention to the nooks and crannies.

Personally, I think it's a waste powder coating a wheelchair, it's not like it's going to be subject to extreme environments, unless you're BM or Will

[Burgerman]

Two pack paint, and laquer is better than powder coating. But its too easy to drop off a huge box of parts and let them dip in acid, remove prepare, powder coat, and return it all... Striping powder coat is hard, and it comes off like a hard plastic sheet.

It also depends on how good your powder coater or paint guy is. Esp with powder coat. Mine is used to doing motorcycle wheels, etc. So quite good. Many are mostly industrial and what they produce is servicable but not glossy and smooth. And will not or cannot finish things as well as below. So in that case, two pack paint is better.

This is good powder coating. Even the silver part. It is super glossy and hard. And I do every last part, and polish every last stainless steel bolt. So every part of the chair is this clean/perfect. Even the parts you dont ever see. Because I am completely OCD. And it drives me mad otherwise. I cant use a steel bolt. Or a part thats not perfect.