Easiest way to remove finish on a gas tank?

[Rottyfan]

I have decided that I want to go with a bare metal gas tank. I guess I could sand the paint off, but I don't want to do that -- too much work for my lazy ass. My other options seem to be using paint stripper or sandblasting. Does anyone know if paint stripper will take the paint off down to the bare metal? I'm going to look into having it blasted, but I cringe at how much the shops around here will charge.

Also, the tank is from a Suzuki GS450 and I will be putting it on a Honda CB360T. What do you guys think of using solder to fill in the area that the emblems screw into? It probably won't match exactly, but at least it will have a metalic look to it.

 

[CanadaDan]

I can't see media blasting costing that much... and chemical stripping is going to be a task and a half.

I would have a VERY compentent welder fill in the holes and then he or you can blend them in... solder just doesn't have the staying power for a hole fill.

 

[locOleoN]

You'll be surprised, sanding the tank down with 50 grit paper then again with 200 grit is not has hard or time consuming as you think... That paint comes off pretty fast... Ive done it 4 times....

The issue you'll have is keeping it from rusting... Clearcoat doesn't take well to bare metal...It will peel off like plastic skin...

I used 2 cans of spray-on clear cloat and so far its holding but I resanded it rough after my first buff and polish didnt like the clear-coat. Now, even after 2 cans, I can see very small specs of rust coming out again...

I buffed an polished it the first time then clear coated and it never took.

 

[Tim]

Don't let Noel fool you - I stripped his last tank

Bought a cheap paint stripping 'wheel' for use in an electric drill. Think it was $5. Took the paint off quick right down to nice bare metal. Bit of light sanding mostly to make it look nice after.

 

[duncan]

i stripped two tanks this winter, just using liquid paint remover. one tank was painted with a rubberized coating (for pick up truck beds). the other had a DIY paint job on top of factory paint. just ordinary household 'paint and varnish remover' from cdn tire.....a bit messy, but worked just fine.

 

[Ease]

As was said above, sanding isn't much of a hassle at all... I just finished sanding / priming all of my tins, plastics and headlight bucket...

Sanding the headlight bucket to bare metal was a very time-consuming battle, requring various shaped brushes on a drill... but the tank went easy.. Just used some 80-120-220 and a l'il elbow grease and she was beauty.
I suggest hitting it with some sandpaper before sending it out, just to see how easy it really is.

Hope you dont find any filler / dents along the way (though a dent in a bare metal tank still looks badass).

 

[Tim]

I prefer sanding/mechanical removal over stripper - too messy, but wear a dust mask if you're sanding etc. Don't want that crap up your nose.

 

[Ease]

I prefer sanding/mechanical removal over stripper - too messy, but wear a dust mask if you're sanding etc. Don't want that crap up your nose.

Noone likes Black Boogers!
(this is from a guy who sanded his black primer earlier today without a mask... Duh).

 

[Tim]

Mine were blue! I did it without a mask too, but it included a couple finish coats of blue metallic paint.

 

[locOleoN]

Don't let Noel fool you - I stripped his last tank

Bought a cheap paint stripping 'wheel' for use in an electric drill. Think it was $5. Took the paint off quick right down to nice bare metal. Bit of light sanding mostly to make it look nice after.

Ok...OK...The truth be told!!...
The easiers and cheapest way to get your tank stripped to bare metal, is to get TIM to do it for FREE!!!... LOL..
;D
Now how can you beat that???!!!!LOL...Tim, Ur one hell of a pal!!