[Harvey]

It warmed up today to about 45. I thought I would strip some old paint of some wheel covers. I was using aircraft stripper. I didn't touch the paint. Does it have to be warmer to work?

 

[Bad69cat]

No - just don't do very big areas at one time...you need it scraped off when gooey but yet not dry. It's slow going....

 

[1969XR7Vert]

AS is a PITA in my experience. And metal stripped with it will rust in a NY minute whereas stuff sanded with a DA sander for some odd reason stays rust free for months. This has been my experience.

 

[a70eliminator]

I used aircraft remover to strip my entire car one fender & door at a time then the whole shell 2 layers of paint. It will soften bondo too, also worked excellent on spoiler and scoop with no damage whatsoever to the gelcoat, I can't imagine it not working even in low temps. Unless the covers coated by some other process that AR won't touch.

 

[Harvey]

they are the 68 XR7 Wheel covers, black and argent silver. It seems to be working but definitely not a one application project. Specially since I cant scrap. Everything is polished aluminum or chrome below the paint. What ever type of paint they originally used sure was tuff stuff. In regards to the argent silver. Does someone out there sell that? I haven't seen it in Eastwoods catalog course really wasn't looking hard at the time either.

 

[1970fastcat]

I noticed that the stuff did well on some types of paint, but not others. I was trying to sandblast my headlight covers (which had been previously painted with Imron) and it was pretty much doing nothing but bouncing off. I switched to aircraft stripper and it took the Imron right off, but did little to nothing to the original paint below. The weird thing was that sandblasting took the original stuff off like it was cheap chalk. I guess the softer the paint is, the harder it is to blast off, and the harder the paint it, the harder it is to chemically strip.

 

[Bad69cat]

That sounds about right Mike! The aircraft stripper turns laquer into this sticky gob of goo that I just can't tell you how much of a PITA it was. When it dried though - you needed a Chisel to get it off!! Bob's right about the flash rust as well. Prime the parts immediately after stripping with an acid etch primer.

 

[quattrothedog]

Not what I was expecting when I saw the word "stripper".
:deflated:

 

[doctordesoto]

try this---put the stripper on ond cover each wheel cover with some heavy clear plastic bags---it keeps the stripper from drying out and you can leave it on over night---4/0 steel wool will also help and will not hurt the stainless---last resort is soda blasting---wont hurt anything
i hope you went to a sign guy before stripping so he could make so pre-mask stencils that you could just stick on and spray
doctordesoto

 

[Zen Dog]

Stripper is made to be used between 60 and 80 degrees. Too cold, it is not as effective, too hot, it dries too fast. Try scuffing the area you are stripping, with some 80 grit, to break the surface. The stripper will work much better after that, but not on chrome or stainless, of course.

Aircraft is one of the better brands.

 

[Harvey]

I didn't go to a sign guy but it is a great idea. I have more hub caps that I have not started on and I think I will give someone a call. I was thinking tape but I do know someone with a laser cutter that cuts stencils. That would be an awesome way to mask for repaint.

 

[Bad69cat]

Now there's a trick I coulda used a few years ago! Never though to cover it with plastic - that would help under hi temp conditions too I bet. I did my whole car in the dead of summer....it was slow going just because I couldn't work very large areas. Thanks for the tip doc!