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removing paint with a grinder?

Old 10-20-2006, 03:16 AM
  #1  
Sean W.
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Default removing paint with a grinder?

haha, not quite.

but with a grinder.

i am at teh point on my car where i cant do anything else to it with out spending some big bucks. so, the next cheapest thing i can do to it with out spending a lot of money is stripping the paint. i was going to use teh air craft paint stripper, but someone told me to use something like a wire wheel on a grinder. anyone ever done this, or heard of someone doing this. any help, comments, scoldings or questions are welcomed and requested. thanks.
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Old 10-20-2006, 03:50 AM
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Shifty101Easy
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Default RE: removing paint with a grinder?

i used a stripper disc to start stripping paint off my car, seems to work well. really dusty though.
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Old 10-20-2006, 03:50 AM
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6t9 stang
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Default RE: removing paint with a grinder?

wouldnt recomend it. when i was restoring my car i asked the same question. if your not careful you can end up with uneven spots in the body. the way to go is paint stripper and razor blades. it sucks and its a lot of work but it's a safer route
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Old 10-20-2006, 04:08 AM
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THUMPIN455
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Default RE: removing paint with a grinder?

Although the quickest way through a huge thick infestation of bondo applied way back in the 70s or 80s is with a wire wheel on a large grinder..

Chem strip or sanding for he paint though.. Chem strip doesnt warp or bend the metal and it will come off nice ifyou follow directions.. You do follow directions dont you?
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Old 10-20-2006, 10:16 AM
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Soaring
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Default RE: removing paint with a grinder?

I have a wire wheel set up with the grinder on the other side of the motor and this thing is on a stand that I welded together using an old wagon wheel and 4" pipe with a square stand for the top so the motor sits on it. I use that sucker just about every day for cleaning up parts, renewing bolt threads, etc. But, I would never even consider using a wire wheel to take paint off a car. Either chemical stripper or media blasting is the only safe way.
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Old 10-20-2006, 10:20 AM
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P Zero
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Default RE: removing paint with a grinder?

Ive found Dot 3 brake fluid to be a VERY effective paint stripper . Pour it on let it sit for a couple of hours, bust out your plastic razor blade and just watch the paint come off.
-P.
PS: Had a caliper piston seal go out in another car, stripped the clear coat right off my custom rim [:@]
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Old 10-20-2006, 10:28 AM
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Soaring
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Default RE: removing paint with a grinder?


ORIGINAL: P Zero

Ive found Dot 3 brake fluid to be a VERY effective paint stripper . Pour it on let it sit for a couple of hours, bust out your plastic razor blade and just watch the paint come off.
-P.
PS: Had a caliper piston seal go out in another car, stripped the clear coat right off my custom rim [:@]
Absolutely.....that stuff is wicked on paint. Kinda costly though.
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Old 10-20-2006, 01:23 PM
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rigwelder
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Default RE: removing paint with a grinder?

you use a wire brush on your car a youd do more damage than good. ive seen it done before. it leave fine circles all over the car. ive seen the lines come right through the primer before the car was painted. the old boy had to sand her dowm with a fine grit paper by hand and never could get them all out. he basically did alot more damage than good!!!
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Old 10-20-2006, 01:43 PM
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highhilleer
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Default RE: removing paint with a grinder?

I did mine with 80 grit sand paper on a Mikita sander/polisher set to a low speed to avoid heat. Did the car in a weekend. Had to do some "clean up" in corners and crooks using stripper. This is the recommended method at Autobodystore.com, IMHO the best auto painting forum on the web.

Hopefully you have the bucks to spray the car with an automotibe quality epoxy primer after stripping the car? What are your painting plans? Many shops will not follow on someone elses work. I would suggest that before you start removing paint you have your whole painting plan in order.

Good luck
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Old 10-20-2006, 03:23 PM
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THUMPIN455
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Default RE: removing paint with a grinder?

ORIGINAL: rigwelder

you use a wire brush on your car a youd do more damage than good. ive seen it done before. it leave fine circles all over the car. ive seen the lines come right through the primer before the car was painted. the old boy had to sand her dowm with a fine grit paper by hand and never could get them all out. he basically did alot more damage than good!!!

The 71 fastback has deep gouges where some brain donor used a grinder to remove the paint from the quarter panels. I plan on either using a thin layer of filler or some high fill primer and block sanding it untill I die or its smooth. Whatever happens first. only when it is perfectly smooth with no hint of anything bad in the primer will it get color.. its gonna be a long long time before it sees paint.. thts why its a Pit of Despair..
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