Replies

1. 
   DougU | Aug 18, 2008 05:35am | #1

   gh

   I usually opt for the striper that's banned in 49 states, I want the stuff to do its thing and do it fast!

   You should be using a striper that's paste form so that it stays on the wood, cover it with plastic so that the striper doesn't evaporate because once it does it stops working.

   I usually do all this work over old newspapers and then let it dry up, then I just roll it up and dispose of properly. I guess I'm assuming that your taking the woodwork off, maybe the newspaper idea isnt of any consequence.

   If you are taking it off make sure  to mark it so that you can put it back in the same place.

   Another options is to have it sent out to a striper that does this professionally but if you have Chestnut woodwork I'm not sure that I would trust it to someone else, that is unless I knew them well enough and they did good quality work.

   Others should come along with some other ides. I have no knowledge of a "green" product to strip with. Like I said, I want something with some power and I'd wonder about anything that was considered "green", maybe there is something out there, I just don't know about it.

   Doug

2. 
   Sphere | Aug 18, 2008 05:44am | #2

   Heat gun and sharp scrapers is my choice, I hate sloppy strippers and peel away products are really spendy.

   I approach it this way..

   Variable heat gun, start about 900 degrees, and use a dullish putty knife or 5-in-one tool and PUSH the crinkled paint onto the un=stripped area, the hot swarf helps preheat the soon to be heated..a screwdriver for tight areas is really helpful.

   Then after the major goop is gone, I re-heat, and PULL scrape with shave hooks or homemade blades, like a pc of hacksaw blade with the teeth ground off , inserted in a dowel and epoxied, and then bent slightly.

   Then, I sand away any patches, with about 80 grit, and then move up to about 120-180 grit. Getting down to a clear finish takes some serious time, and gouging is NOT an option. Take the time.

   Chem strippers leave paint in the pores anyway ( esp Chestnut) and still need both nuetralizing and sanding, and the resulting goop is just as bad as fried chips, so thats my reason, plus heat is cheaper.

   Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks

   Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations

   You gonna play that thing?

   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32Ln-SpJsy0

1. 
   Jeff_Clarke | Aug 18, 2008 02:54pm | #3

   Not all Peel Away products need to be neutralized.

   Jeff

1. 
   Sphere | Aug 18, 2008 02:59pm | #4

   I didn't think I said they did. But honestly, I have had a SW rep out to my site, pushing the product, and they even applied it and tested an area..it was just plain wrong to even think that it is a viable option for this job.

   A 100 Y.O., 9000 sqft home. It would cost an inordinate amount of $$$ compared to heat stripping. Not to mention the caustic nature of the stuff.Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks

   Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations

   You gonna play that thing?

   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32Ln-SpJsy0

1. 
   rasher | Aug 18, 2008 06:29pm | #5

   I second Sphere's heat gun technique. It's SOOOOO much faster and cheaper and cleaner than chemical strippers. Luckily for me, my house is all paint grade, so don't have to be so meticulous with gouging. Go to the hardware store and buy yourself the expensive ($80) heat gun, though. The cheaper ones don't work at all...

1. 
   Sphere | Aug 18, 2008 07:05pm | #6

   I think I paid about 40 for a wagner with an LED temp readout..goes up to 1100 I think. It's actually been my main gun for year now ( I have been burning paint almost a day a week for a year).

   My other gun is an ACE Hardware cheapie, just HI and LO switch, and it too has been in action for 5 or 6 yrs. I would like to get a heat plate, but THEY are REALLY $$$$.

   I just spent 3 hours this am , burning off one side ( after removing all the glass)  of a 3/0 X 8/0 21 lite exterior door, with the ACE gun. About 6 layers of paint in the first burn, then the final scrape of the old oil based primer that was surprisingly well stuck.

   Not trying to make an issue, just saying it has been working well for me.Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks

   Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations

   You gonna play that thing?

   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32Ln-SpJsy0

3. 
   DianeA | Aug 18, 2008 08:40pm | #7

   In my experiences, heat works best as the first wave of attack. I use both a heat gun and the infrared paint remover and some good scrapers. If you don't want to shell out the $$ for the expensive speedheater, you can build your own using the instructions here http://www.oceanmanorhouse.com/?page=paintremover.

   In my case after the heat I can often just clean up the remnants with denatured alcohol but if not that's not enough, that's when I will use a stripper. Personally I like the soy based remover SoyGel but that's just my preference. Works well, non=toxic and cleans up with water or denatured alcohol.

   Most of your time will be corners and crevices. My advice here is cheat a little with cover up sticks or other tricks. You'll drive yourself nuts with all the little specks in the cracks and corners.

   Diane

4. 
   gh2 | Aug 18, 2008 09:43pm | #8

   Thanks to everyone who responded. It seems heat gun has won out. I'll start with this technique and if needed will use the soy based product that was suggested.

1. 
   rasher | Aug 19, 2008 12:01am | #9

   By all means, get yourself some stripper and try that out too. You wouldn't want to start the utterly miserable process of stripping paint with a heat gun without knowing just how much more hell it is to use chemical stripper!

1. 
   Sphere | Aug 19, 2008 12:06am | #10

   LOL..so true.Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks

   Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations

   You gonna play that thing?

   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32Ln-SpJsy0