How do I get the paint off inside of boat?

[JMAC]

I've got the transom off of my Rhodes 18 and have easy access to the inner planks and frames under the aft deck. There's many coats of paint on the cedar on oak surface. Is paint stripper the way to go? The frames are pretty close together so I think disk sanding isn't an option. Also, I'd like to get up under the foredeck and do the same treatment at some point. What's the easy way?

[Peter Malcolm Jardine]

I think a heat gun would be the easiest... I find chemical strippers to be messy, stinky, corrosive, and did I say messy?

I use a heat gun for most of my brightwork refinishing, and it works well. I have a variety of scrapers, some homemade, and along with the gun, I can strip quite quickly, then just vacuum it all up.

Edited to add: Thanks for the marquetry advice. I am now building a cabinet/rope locker for my cockpit with a marquetry top. The hatch turned out much much better this time.

[ 02-18-2006, 08:31 PM: Message edited by: Peter Malcolm Jardine ]

[JMAC]

Pictures?

[Keith Wilson]

Heat gun and scraper; it's tedious but better than the alternatives. There seems to be little significant differnece between cheap and expensive heat guns (absolutely none in heat output). I'd recommend the Pro-prep scraper without reservation; it's absoutely the best IMHO.

http://images.rockler.com/rockler/images/29962-is.jpg

[Peter Malcolm Jardine]

Look at the end of the marquetry thread I originally posted JMAC, like I said, thanks very much, I admire your work.

[JMAC]

Took me a while to find it, but you did a fine job, good choice of woods, and it's beautiful. Nice, glad I could help.

[Stiletto]

A painter rriend once told me 'If the paint is stuck hard, leave it and paint over it.'

[Paul Denison]

I'll second the Pro Prep scrapers. Used them for the first time yesterday with a Milwaukee heat gun. It was amazing!