Removing powdercoat on cradle?

Status
Not open for further replies.
Joined
Apr 6, 2013
Messages
1,451
Country flag
Any good ideas on how to remove it?

I had the engine cradle powdercoated before I knew any better and need to remove some of the coating.
Going to mask of the area with tape and try some aircraft paint remover.
 
Re: Removing powdercoat

I've been able to soften PC up with strong, old fashioned, solvent based paint remover. Then you can scrape the area off.
Jaydee
 
Re: Removing powdercoat

If the area to have the powder coating removed is circular, perhaps scribe the outline of the area to protect the boundry and with a sharp wood chisel carefully remove the unwanted material.
 
Re: Removing powdercoat

A fabric-backed Dremel wheel works well, it won't cut into the metal.
 
Re: Removing powdercoat

If it's just a small area try a scalpel or Stanley knife blade (Box-cutter?)
If you cut towards the area you want cleaned off there's a chance you won't dig up a big flake for further peeling off.
Once you get a blade under the coating it seems to lift off rather easily in my experience, hence I'm not a fan any more.

I've seen the stuff flake off in rather large chunks, but lots of variables involved I expect - I'm sure the latest coatings are an improvement on the stuff I've had done.
 
Re: Removing powdercoat

I've used a box cutter on places that are easy to get to and don't matter, but the dremel works easier in the end.
 
Re: Removing powdercoat

Various paint and oven cleaners can lift off powder coat in time bu the good stuff for a whole frame is methylene clhoride &/or acetone or toluene. These can migrate under surroundiing coat so stick with the artist knife and sanding tedium and mask off next time. Best wishes the luscious deep coating stays that way.
 
Re: Removing powdercoat

If you had a drillpress you could do it like the old machine turned aluminum . Which apparently hid the ripples .

Might have to mask it and grit blast . :?
 
Re: Removing powdercoat

hobot said:
Various paint and oven cleaners can lift off powder coat in time bu the good stuff for a whole frame is methylene clhoride &/or acetone or toluene. These can migrate under surroundiing coat so stick with the artist knife and sanding tedium and mask off next time. Best wishes the luscious deep coating stays that way.

+1 on the methylene chloride and toluene. I've had success with MEK as well. Aircraft stripper is mostly methylene chloride. The more potent stuff is simply a higher concentration.

Slick
 
Re: Removing powdercoat

Powdercoat is often professionally stripped off using heat - a large gas flame simply burns and bubbles it off,
using a large scraper. A small lpg flame etc will do small areas quite neatly.

It is important to paint around the edges at least of the stripped off area afterwards,
so moisture doesn't have any obvious entry points under the powdercoat.
Or it will then eventually peel and fall off like you see on cheap garden furniture...
 
Re: Removing powdercoat

Is anyone here running a powdercoated cradle and frame without having removed/blocked-off the powdercoat around the mating points?

Oldbritts article has got me worried.
 
Re: Removing powdercoat

elefantrider said:
Is anyone here running a powdercoated cradle and frame without having removed/blocked-off the powdercoat around the mating points?

Oldbritts article has got me worried.


I have the front mount coated and have not noticed any looseness where it attaches to the engine. It doesn't have too many miles on it but so far, so good.
 
I am thinking of just running it. I scraped off the area where the swingsarm meets the cradle but the rest of the holes would be a major PITA to remove. I will block off the frame to isolastic tabs when i have the frame done but thats it. If it losens, i'll go back and do it.
 
I was surprised how much PC builds up. I got a single piece axle from madass and when I put it on, the nut was almost 3/8" short of tightening up on the axle. Turns out I didn't mask the brake plate, the swing arms where the axle mounts, etc and once I removed all that stuff, the nut went on the axle fully.

If I were you, I'd remove what I had to to make it right. Dremel works good.

I read that OB article on masking, but my PC guy wouldn't let me put nuts/bolts/washers on the blasted frame because of residue oil, he had all sorts of plastic masking circles and other stuff to mask with, so I spent a couple hours with a helper masking everything I could think of, but missed a lot I had to remove.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top