So i decided to turn mybold mtb into a gravel like thingy. I had the amazing idea of painting it, and once i started sanding it a bit the paint jumped off. So naturally i went all in to remove all the paint. But here i am now, with most of the paint off but the thing just won't come off. I've tried with paint stripper but it doesnt work as magically as youtube shows. Any idea how to continue? I dont need all the paint gone as i'll be painting over it, but at least have it all levelled so it doesnt feel like the moon's surface.
by well_done_man
7 Comments
Use a heat gun to soften the paint and a wire brush to brush it off the frame.
Use paint stripper. Aerosol in a can worked best for my bike, paint just falls off.
Sorry, but you created yourself a pain in the ass. Old paint – if it is sticking to the frame – is a very good foundation for modern acrylic paint. Just sand it a bit to widen the surface and done. Aluminium has to be preconditioned with a special primer before any paint will stick on it. You can leave the residue of paint on your bike and start overpainting it.
Some advises:
– You will need a primer on your frame.
– After paint you might want to add a coat of varnish.
– You really should have removed that bottom bracket.
– Avoid cans (primer, paint, varnish…). They are convenient, but create super thin layers that are damaged with ease. It is better to use a compressor with a paint gun, layers will be much more solid.
– Before painting check everything you use on a separate peace. Some coats might destroy previous layers, especially if they are from cans, which use a lot of thinners.
Wire wheel.
Removing paint is never easy, one of the reasons a new paint job costs so much.
Your best tool here would be an oxy/gas torch – it burns off paint with just momentary contact. If you do it right, the metal below should still be safe to touch. (be real careful if you choose to test that)
Next best is a bead blast cabinet with appropriate media for aluminum.
Lacking either of those, have you considered lowering your standards? Any other option means many, many hours of manual sanding/scraping.
If you plan on doing this a lot in the future, a sand blasting cabinet is a great investment.