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Tadpole
02-08-2011, 01:12 AM
What's the best way you guys have found to strip Aerothane? I've got some parts needing repaired and I need to get the paint off of them first. I've heard MEK doesn't work so well on the 'thanes, so I tried some regular paint stripper. Had some success with that, but I wasn't impressed. Is it just hard no matter what?

Wanting to get these things cleaned up so I can drag them to Steve's restoration seminar, hoping to learn how to repair them there.

d.grimm
02-08-2011, 08:33 AM
Tadpole,
I've had good luck with a stripper called Soy-Gel.
Made from soybeans and doesn't smell or burn the skin.
Put it on heavy and cover with Saran Wrap so it does't dry
up before it can do it's work. You'll have to Google it and buy on line.
Worked good for me and didn't kill any more of those precious
brain cells.
Dave

Gilbert Pierce
02-08-2011, 11:13 AM
If you can get to the back of the fabric painted with Aerothane, soak it with MEK. That will soften and release the Poly Brush and Poly Spray and the Aerothane will come of with those undercoats. Soak rags in mek and then leave them on the back of the fabric for awhile. All the paint coatings will then come off.

Tadpole
02-08-2011, 11:48 AM
Put it on heavy and cover with Saran Wrap so it does't dry
up before it can do it's work.

That may be the key there. Up here at 7,000MSL and low humidity things dry quick. I'll have to try that, thanks.

Tadpole
02-08-2011, 11:48 AM
If you can get to the back of the fabric painted with Aerothane, soak it with MEK.

I should've mentioned these are metal items, lower cowling for example.

Steve Pierce
02-08-2011, 03:51 PM
Sunshine or heat help immensely. If you can scratch the surface also it will start to bubble at the scratches.

Tadpole
02-08-2011, 09:55 PM
I had heated up the room pretty good, I'll try tossing on some more scratches. It didn't click, but it did bubble up more around the damaged areas.

Jim
02-09-2011, 07:01 AM
Hi,

I've yet to find a remover that works as well as one called Aircraft Stripper. Costs a little more than what you'll find at the local hardware, but it'll go a lot farther.

Steve Pierce
02-09-2011, 07:07 PM
Jim, That is what we use and we get it at O'Reily Auto Parts.