BEST WAY TO STRIP PAINT OFF OF FIBERGLASS

I'd just sand it. I don't know if i'd trust a chemical stripper on fiberglass, but honestly i've never tried.

a better question might be, why? It's not like you're stripping it for powder coating, and it's not a rust issue.
 
They have stripper for fiberglass. Go to an automotive paint store, they should have it. It will say safe for fiberglass on it. I have used it to strip more than one Corvette.
 
Z2Z said:
They have stripper for fiberglass. Go to an automotive paint store, they should have it. It will say safe for fiberglass on it. I have used it to strip more than one Corvette.

boom.
 
Yeah even aircraft stripper comes in a fiberglass safe formula (won't eat gelcoat). Local auto store has it here.
 
jsharpphoto said:
I'd just sand it. I don't know if i'd trust a chemical stripper on fiberglass, but honestly i've never tried.

a better question might be, why? It's not like you're stripping it for powder coating, and it's not a rust issue.

I agree with sanding though. In most cases I'd just sand it unless its really flaky or patchy.
 
Thanks for the information. I was trying to take the easy way out but sanding sounds like the best option.
 
the only reasons I can think of to go with a chemical stripper instead of sanding, would be because the surface is too large to sand (like a corvette) or the shape is too intricate.

get you some 80 grit sand paper and one of those semi-flexible sanding pads.
 
I have looked ito it for my BSA tank. Best recomendation is to go to a Marina... most boats hulls are fibreglass. Also my local auto body supply house can get it ('vettes). The top one (Aqua Strip) is water based and was highly recommended , it's even available at HomeDepot

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Wet sand it with 220. Takes paint right off, and doesn't leave deep scratches in the gel. When you get the paint off, block it down to 800 or 1,000 to get it ready to paint again.


And, block sand it, so you don't create dips in the gel. I use durablocks.
 
I attended an aircraft composites repair forum last week and the presenter - from one of the best training schools in the business - said "Don't use any chemical stripper on fiberglass / carbon fiber / any composites".
Sanding is the way - which is what I've been told for the last 30 years or so...
Depending on the part, you might want to start with something a little coarser than 220 though.
Pat
 
Thanks. That has been the popular opinion so that is the way I am going. Once I started I realized that there is not as much work as I thought and it is coming along nicely. Working on some old saddle bags off of a 1979 shovelhead. They are cleaning up nicely. Thanks for all of the good information.
CLY
 
I guess it really depends on what you are trying to achieve. When I posted about using stripper I was refering to trying to restore the appearance of the factory gelcoat of a rare BSA Spitfire tank.
Here is one example I had found that suggested using the "aqua-strip" product.... and what I am looking to do to mine.

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I would like to take it back to original gel coat but this has been painted numerous times and just looks like crap. Pits in the paint and chips all over. None really go to the fiberglass thank goodness. I will work on the inside closest to rear wheel so if it does not come out quite as nice. May be no one will really be able to see it without looking. That tank looks really nice. I did not think it was possible to remove paint like that.

Thanks
 
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