Stripping paint off small parts
A large can of carburetor cleaner works great for this! Get the kind that
comes with a dip basket. Don't get the little $10 kind; get the bigger
$25-$30 size. Dip'em in painted, pull'em out bare.
The only trouble with carb cleaner is that it's alkaline in nature. So
new paint won't stick to your parts. Fix this with a bucket of MetalPrep,
which you get at the auto paint store. Pour about two-thirds of a bottle of
Metalprep into a five-gallon plastic bucket. Then fill the rest of the bucket
with water. Make sure you have a tight-fitting lid for the bucket before you
start. After dipping the parts in carb cleaner, pull them out, RINSE THEM, and
put them into the metalprep bath. If they're rusty, leave them in until the
rust is gone. Then rinse them, dry them, and paint them. Metalprep
acid-etches the parts, leaving them in ideal condition to accept paint. When
you're through, close the bucket tightly and put it away for your next painting
project ( the stuff lasts forever ).
The one exception to the above treatment is high tension steel parts, like
springs. Do NOT put springs into an acid bath! The "Hydrogen Embrittlement"
will eat them alive! The treatment for springs is to remove the paint the the
carb cleaner, and then just clean 'em off good with rags and lacquer thinner.
Then paint.
- Jerry
|