The Cal-look Lounge

Sitting here stripping the paint off my hood with some aircraft stripper. Is there any other job in rebuilding a VW that is less enjoyable than stripping paint? The crap stinks, it burns, its messy and it never gets all the paint off. So then you end up sanding everything down with a power tool anyway. I guess if I wasn't such a cheap skate I could pay someone else to do this. Anyway, back to inhaling stripper fumes and killing brain cells.

--louis

Hi Louis when using stripper it is best to tape off all the jambs the trick with a good aircraft stripper is to put a heavy coat on with a brush and let it do the work, when the paint starts bubbleing real good scrap it with a putty knife then give it another lite coat to get any paint that did not come off the first time. if you run in to any repaired areas that have Bondo if you get stripper on the Bondo it will have to be removed and redone, also work n a well vented area and Wear Gloves LOL   I got that stuff between my toes one time  LOL I was stripping it bear footed  LMAO  just buy some cheap drop cloth's  then just toss them when your done you can also use a small wire brush to get the paint out of the cracks. I Feel For You Buddy  LMAO ;D ;D ;D

One thing that is helping is I have discovered they sell the aircraft stripper in an aerosol can now. A little more expensive but so much nicer than slopping it on with a brush.

--louis

I like to use the stripper first thing in the morning then get rid of old paint. No really do it in the morning when it's cool so the stripper does'nt avaperate in the heat. if there is bondo try useing propane torch on backside of panel , It really keep's the dust down and less grinding the better. My three and a half cent's

Thanks for the tip on the bondo. I will give that a try.

--louis

is there any wallnut shell blasting guy's in your area. It is something to think about , by the time you buy the stripper and your time stripping , plus the nasty shit your breathing is it worth it ? plus getting ride of hazzardest waste. something to think about

Yeah, every time I do this I swear I will pay someone else to do it next time. Its such a PITA. I am just doing the bolt on stuff. Figure I will have the shell stripped by a professional. Doing the fenders, hood and doors is not too bad.

--louis

Oh the joy been there done that buddy. Although sandblasting the entire underside of the rear pakage tray and apron was no joy either. If you do brush it on go in one direction only. Feel for ya buddy.

If you are doing a big area slop it on and then drape an opened up plastic garbage bag over it and it will force the solvents into the paint instead of the air. I think prepping a pan is worse work (old tar boards....grease....etc..) ;)

Just replace the brake master cylinder and that usually will drip fluid all over the place and solve two problems at once...

Yeah well not all of us are going to turn our pan into something that belongs in an art museum either.  :P

--louis

Dangerous.  A warped panel could result in the hands of a beginner.