prepping aluminum for new paint

ArtS
ArtS Expert Adviser
edited November -1 in HUDSON
What's the best way to prepare an aluminum sun visor for a fresh coat of paint? Take it down to bare metal or lightly sand off a layer or two (or three) of the old color? I figure grinding is no good for this soft metal so does anyone have advice about a chemical paint stripper that would be safe for bringing this part down to bare aluminum? Thanks very much!

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  • rambos_ride
    rambos_ride Senior Contributor
    ArtS wrote:
    What's the best way to prepare an aluminum sun visor for a fresh coat of paint? Take it down to bare metal or lightly sand off a layer or two (or three) of the old color? I figure grinding is no good for this soft metal so does anyone have advice about a chemical paint stripper that would be safe for bringing this part down to bare aluminum? Thanks very much!
    If you want to strip it you should be able to find a local auto paint supply house and get a gallon of "Aircraft Stipper" it's nasty stuff but safe for aluminum.

    They will also have a type of acid wash and/or a "wash" primer that you need to use on aluminum so that fill-coat primers and paint will adhere to the aluminum correctly.

    Otherwise it will start flaking off and peeling as you motor down the highway!
  • ArtS
    ArtS Expert Adviser
    rambos_ride wrote:
    If you want to strip it you should be able to find a local auto paint supply house and get a gallon of "Aircraft Stipper" it's nasty stuff but safe for aluminum.

    They will also have a type of acid wash and/or a "wash" primer that you need to use on aluminum so that fill-coat primers and paint will adhere to the aluminum correctly.

    Otherwise it will start flaking off and peeling as you motor down the highway!

    Hi Dan:



    Thanks for the quick response. Checked with Autozone and they carry the aviation stripper you mentioned. But, as you indicated, this stuff presents some hazardous waste problems so I will go with sanding. Got some advice from another forum user about this process and I can probably do a decent job with materials I have on hand. Best wishes with your Commodore 8 rod/restoration. Your photo gallery is an outstanding resource for a beginner like me. Art
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    Go to your local automotive paint wholesaler or an trusted body shop and ask them. Remember they are in business to put out good paint work that they have to guarntee, So they will be able to give you the straight scoop. Not some YOYO who is only interested in making a sale in a retail store.
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User]
    the aircraft stripper is not that terrible. i have done most of my 46 fenders, cowl and front splash pan because it was easier than sanding. just follow the directions, works better in a warm shop with ventilation. it stinks like heck for a while but your only doing a small area. i used a hard plastic scraper to remove the paint. it worked wonderful and i just did a small part at a time to avoid over exposure of the fumes.

    davidh
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User]
    Make sure you treat the bare aluminium with metal prep solution designed for aluminium. Your local auto paint supply has the metal prep solution, and can reccomend which primer will adhere best to the aluminium substrate. Also, most of the major automotive coatings mfgs. have online data sheets that you can download to get detailed instructions on how to use their various products.



    Here is a link to PPG's page that has a downloadable data sheets. Find 'Aluminium Prep' in the list.



    http://www.ppg.com/cr-refinish/phase1/frmFindProduct.asp
  • dave s
    dave s Senior Contributor, Moderator
    ArtS wrote:
    What's the best way to prepare an aluminum sun visor for a fresh coat of paint? Take it down to bare metal or lightly sand off a layer or two (or three) of the old color? I figure grinding is no good for this soft metal so does anyone have advice about a chemical paint stripper that would be safe for bringing this part down to bare aluminum? Thanks very much!

    After you have visor prepared, prime with green zinc chromate primer. The underside does not get top coated, it stays in green primer. It is available at NAPA or most parts and paint stores.
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    I'd go with the stripper too. I've used it many times without any problems. Depending on your local juristiction, it's pretty easy to dispose of. Water will dilute it down to next to nothing if you can wash it into a drain. Where I live, we are allowed to put newspaper down to catch the "drippings" and old paint and then dispose in the trash which goes to the land fill. Each juristiction is different but remember you won't be using a lot of it anyway. A commercial operation would be quite different.
  • ArtS
    ArtS Expert Adviser
    Thanks to all for the recommendations. The majority seem to be in favor of chemical stripping, which of course is less labor intensive. One thing that I forgot to consider is that I have access to a large chemical fume hood at work so containing the solvent should not be a big problem. Also, my wife informs me the garage is off limits for this particular project. Thanks to Dave S for mentioning the zinc chromate primer. This solves the problem of what underside color to choose to make the visor "factory correct". Art
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