Hot Rods Is this tool good at removing paint or would I be better with a DA sander?

If it stops cutting as well take the drum off and turn it around, use the "other side" of the fibers.

 

The tool shown is a variation of what's known in the trade as a "strip n clean wheel" the strip wheel part is also available with a boss on to fit in a drill or as a disc to fit in an angle grinder, They were originally made by 3M. As others have said they are great for removing paint etc. The wheel attachments I mentioned are also great for removing pitted rust without removing metal and they build up very little heat in use. If I was removing paint from a panel to bare metal I would lightly score the surface in a diamond pattern then use paint stripper then finish off with the strip n clean wheel then DA sand prior to epoxy etch primer to keep the panel from surface rusting. Please wear adequate breathing protection as COPD and other breathing ailments isn't fun. When/if you apply paint stripper don't go tight to the edge of the panel unless completely stripping it. This will stop the stripper creaping around aperture edges that you may not want to strip.

 

I have the HF model. It works, but I disagree with the majority that posted that it works good for the purpose of stripping paint on a vehicle.
I can strip paint faster, cleaner and better with my 8" mud hog DA sander and 40# grit, followed by 80# on a DA. Try doing a roof with that tool. It blows all the dust right in your face. Not fun. DA doesn't do that.
I've stripped over 30 cars complete over the years and the DA is my choice.
I have used the tool shown for cleaning rusty frames and flat steel, and liked it for that. It does have a purpose, but like others stated, one tool won't do it all.
I wouldn't buy it again knowing what I know from experience now.

 

Not all paints are the same. Did a killer job on this fender

 

I've got an Eastwood Contour that that HF unit is a clone of and it works great at taking paint and light rust off and does not (so far) damage the metal surface, They will make you know that you did physical work though. I can't find the photo but I pealed paint and surface rust off about half of a 48 Chevy truck door in about 5 minutes. I bought a batch of the drums off Temu the other day for Not much more than one costs from Eastwood but haven't tried them yet.

 

Using a DA sander with 80 grit. Will this remove metal?

 

Sounds like a lot of countries , including ours . Corporate espionage has existed forever .

 

I have used them just for this, to shape/contour and smooth 3mm or thicker brackets. (maybe I am doing something wrong).

 

Any abrasive will remove metal. It is up to you to stop it.

 

I sure do miss the liquid spray-on "Lightning Strip". A quick buzz with an 80, didn't even need to be complete, just rough it a bit. Spray it on, within moments you were seeing sheetmetal. It was NASTY and you didn't want to be downwind of the mist. It felt like hot sparks on a bare arm but hot damn it was fast AND easy to clean up.

 

I guess it depends on how many vehicles you intend to strip the paint off, and get down to bare metal. I've used these discs to strip a car and a truck. 2-3 discs will remove the paint from a vehicle at the cost of about $10 each, and you don't have to buy any special tool. I attached the discs to an air grinder I already had.

If you think you will be stripping several cars/trucks, I suppose buying the tool is a good idea, but I'm not into spending money on tools I may never use again, if I already have a tool that will get the job done, by buying the right discs.

 

I stripped most of my Henry J with a razor blade scraper. The paint was old and fairly thick and came off in splinters.

Gary