I've got a 37 chevy truck I'm getting ready to start sanding the paint off. It's half surface rust and half with layers paint. Any Ideas on the best method to remove the paint and rust without sand or soda blasting? Someone told me a "D A" sander would be the way to go.
There are a lot of different ways to strip paint and rust. Each has advantages, and disadvantes. Without going into boring details, stripping paint...sandblasting (low pressure, and not on flat or thin metal), regualr sanding, paint stripper discs (my new favorite), Scotchbrite discs, grinding discs (removes a lot of material, be careful!). Most of these methods will also remove the top layer of rust, blasting usually removes it all. The problem with mechanical sanding, stripping is that rust remains in the pores of the metal, and must be removed. These appear as dark spots on the metal. To remove these ******s, spot blasting works well, acids, like Dupont MetalPrep (5717 s) work, as well as oxygen stripping chemicals (Oxy-Solv, Neutra Rust, Evaporust). Some of these can be labor intensive, and the acids can be dangerous to get on skin, or breathe. They are ususally slow acting, as well. I try to stay away from rust converters ( POR-15, Rust Bullet, Zero Rust) on the outside of the car, under nice paint. I do use them on interior panels, and undercarriages, as well as coating the backsides of patched, or rust prone panels
Thanks dude, that gives me alot to go on. I think i will probably just sand off the paint where the chopping will take place, and then take it to a soda blaster.
Soda blasting won't remove rust. They will have to use sand, gl*** bead or slag, or aluminum oxide to do that.
I use a DA sander to get most of the surface rust off, then once that is done, go and get some Naval Jelly (It's like $4 a jar) and pour some directly on the car. Use some steel wool and rub it all over the car for around 5 minutes. Leave it on the metal for a while and every 5 or 6 minutes, spray it with some boiling water mixed with dish soap to keep the chemicals in the jelly active (they wn't work if the jelly is dried up). Then all you have to do is take a paper towel and wipe the jelly off, then spray the area yu just worked on with lots of the soapy water to clean all of the jelly off, and wipe it clean/dry with a paper towel. Depending on how much rust there is, you may have to do this a few times over the same spot, but the rust will eventually be gone. And the naval jelly WILL NOT affect the bare metal at all, s you don't have to worry about that. It's probably the most time-consuming way to strip yur car, but it gets the job done well, and you could probably have all of the rust off of your car for around $40 worth of naval jelly. Hope this helps!!
3m makes this mesh style grit pad that takes off all the paint, but no metal...it could be a way to go.
i'd suggest the medium stripping discs from eastwood (item 31112 on eastwoodco.com). They come with a velcro backing and work very well on paint and surface rust removal. If you're careful with pressure you will remove very little metal.. Be sure to move around alot and change the pad as soon as it begins to foul since it will start building up heat and or damaging the metal. Note that there are many scotch brite type stripping pads on the market.. Be careful with what you buy.. Some are VERY aggresive and can remove alot of metal. you will then still have issues with rust in the pores so you should follow up with some 5717. Work it in with a stripping pad and they wipe clean with plenty of mineral spirits.. use a good rust killer primer like rustoleum rusty metal (ruddy brown) where you can't reach too well (if spot blasting isn't an option). i used this technique on my last project and had very good results.. I couldn't aford blasting and this was well under a 100 in materials.
I think this is what eastwood sells.. Mcmaster also carries them but it takes a little trial and error to find the right ones since mcmaster tends to be vague with this kind of stuff.. they are cheaper through mcmaster..
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