Hull Stripping???

[besmith]

I'm about to begin stripping the hull of my 1953 40' DCFB Chris Craft.

I would appreciate any tips that would ease the process of paint removal, ..and save my arms!

Any recommendations on using, wood penetrating epoxy?

Thank you

[Bob Cleek]

You really need to use the search function, or if it isn't working, do the google alternate. There's tons of stuff on this in here. Use a heat gun, or for large areas outdoors, a propane torch, and a sharp metal scraper. It will come off easily.

[RonW]

For paint stripping there is a fantastic stripper on the market called - back to nature- they have a website and miller bros. paint stores sell it, home depot might. It is totally harmless, you do not even have to wear gloves in using it. It is thick like sour cream and you brush it on kinda thick. Let dry and it turns to white powder, it works unbelievably well.

I have used it to strip a very good epoxy paint off of concrete floor when all else was failing to work. It will lift many layers of paint and is very easy to scrape off. I have found only one drawback with it, it is $50 a gallon and a gallon does about 50 square feet. But in the long run it saves a lot of time and work.

[Gary E]

Quite some time ago the "This Old House" guys, Tom Silva and gang used a spray on remover on a really big clapboard house, 2 or 3 stories and lots of dormers, etc. The remover was developed for refinishing aircraft so that may give you a clue as to where to start looking if the This Old House site cant help. Anyway, after spraying on the paint seemed to just fall off as the scraper touched it with little effort and dry chips fell to the ground.

Never used cps, so I know nothing of it.

[Stiletto]

On an English site I have seen them recommend the addition of wallpaper glue to liquid strippers to make them stick to vertical surfaces. It all washes off with water.

[Meerkat]

A giant boostier, 100 yards of feather boa and set that old hull to bumping and grinding off her old paint by herself... ;) :D

[Domesticated_Mr. Know It All]

Make sure you use a "pull type" scraper, like this......

http://www.woodzone.com/Merchant2/graphics/00000001/pro-prep-single.jpg

.....not a putty knife.

On a 40 ft. boat I'd have to consider chemical strippers but they are such a mess. :rolleyes: Your going to need a power washer too. ;)

[Bob Cleek]

I wonder how many of you guys have ever wooded a bottom... come on, let's see a show of hands! Lotta bull**** getting slung around here. Do you have any idea how much any kind of liquid chemical stripper is going to cost to remove layers of bottom paint from a hull of any size? Have you ever tried to apply it on an overhead surface like a hull? Have you ever scraped it off and had it fall down all over you? I doubt it!

The standard method in the industry for removing bottom paint from wooden hulls is a triangle scraper and a heat gun or blow torch. As heat guns don't put out as much heat as you'd like working outside in the wind, the torch is much faster. The scrapings cool and dry immediately and can be swept up. Far less mess than with wet chemical systems.

That's how it's done.

Now, if you want to go out and buy a bunch of chemicals and try to melt the stuff off, go ahead. Just remember somebody here told you how to do it right and you just didn't listen.

[Bill Poole]

Sounds as if a few guys are giving opnions and directions but never wooded a hull. Heat is the best way but not a heat gun or even a torch, they're good for touch up but a 40 foot hull is a job. I use a weed killer torch for cleaning sidewalks, f you want to clean a hull in an afternoon instead of making it your life work. Cost about $20 plus a grill size propane tank. Bubble the paint and it falls off. Use a long handle scraper like a grilling spatula. Need more tips,drop me a line.

[Wild Wassa]

Originally posted by Bob Cleek:
"I wonder how many of you guys have ever wooded a bottom... come on, let's see a show of hands!"

Not at 40ft, just littlies but if I add their hull lenghths together, 40ft looks small, :rolleyes: . Heat gun or grinder, I'm not big on chemicals.

Warren.

[ 07-10-2005, 10:06 AM: Message edited by: Wild Wassa ]

[Jay Greer]

Been there, done that, more times than I want to remember.l Chemical stripping a bottom is a hassle! Burning off a bottom and breathing toxic fumes is worse! There are guys who specialise in bottom stripping. Most often, they work in full protective suits and wear a hood with an air supply. Find one of these guys and save yourself a @#$% pot full of grief and suffering!!

[Jay Greer]

Topsides are another matter. The most effective chemical stripper we have used is the two part product called STAR TEN. Paint on #1 and go have a cup of brew. Come back and paint on another coat. Keep this up till the entire film is disolved to the bare wood. Pressure wash and scrub with 3M Scotch Brite Pads.
When dry, scrub with #2 to remove any stubborn spots.
Less hassel. This stuff costs bucks but saves time!

[Dave Hadfield]

Propane bottle. 8ft hose. Burner nozzle. A home-made crimp-on sheet-metal fitting which makes the flame take a fan-pattern. A scraper. A good mask or hood, or perhaps a big fan to keep blowing the fumes away from you.

It goes faster than you think.

If you're burning off bottom-paint, don't breath it.

[Clyderigged]

I agree with Bob Cleek on removing coatings. I tried both chemical and flame assisted removal. Using a propane torch was so much faster – no contest….use heat. I have been hauled out in San Rafael for almost 10 months doing a 6-week haul out. 6-week haul out in 10 months – I know I am ahead of schedule , but that is another story. ;)
At least I got to see a master craftsman, Bill Garvie, launch his Sharpie yawl the other day. I am including a photo that illustrates the difference between chemical stripper and the napalm approach.
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid177/p536c34c2dc4d4da07cf5e7d9b99e1c03/f350fdc5.jpg
The starboard side was done, then redone, then finally done using a chemical stripper. The stripper would lift only 1 or 2 coats. It never lifted the paint off to the wood until you freshen the nip several times. The propane torch lifted to the wood or first coat in seconds. Using a stiff putty knife, the paint fell away like blowing on a dandelion or shaving in the morning. Mr. Cleek is spot on with his comments. Using a respirator is a must when using the heat/flame approach.

[Katherine]

If you want to take the hull down to bare, clean wood, try walnut shells through a sandblaster. No chemical crap to deal with and it works much faster. Use a medium fine shell and a light hand so you don't score the wood. I have a 35' Owens with 40 years of bottom paint on her. So far this is the only method that has worked well, and I tried all the others first.

[ 07-11-2005, 12:17 PM: Message edited by: Katherine ]

[P.I. Stazzer-Newt]

The thing I hate about chemical strippers - is the residue.

If the stripper is effective - and some are - it will lift your carefully applied new paint even faster than it managed the old hard stuff.
This is not fun.

[ 07-11-2005, 01:22 PM: Message edited by: P.I. Stazzer-Newt ]

[Bob Cleek]

Hey, Clyde! Good to see somebody else is trapped in the "San Rafael Triangle!" I'm the guy with the Vertue on Gate 4. Keep up the good work on your Tahiti ketch! Sorry I missed Bill Garvie's launching. He told me how they were going to crane her over the street and shop buildings. I've watched Bill build several boats. He's now about 85 years old. This one took him about seven or eight years to build. He's slowing down! LOL (The last "project" he did was the pusher tug "Humphrey" and the crane and dump barges. He and Matt Butler welded them up right there in the yard.) The burning question is... "Did she float on her marks?" Thanks for reminding me. I have to get down to the yard and see.

[ 07-11-2005, 02:52 PM: Message edited by: Bob Cleek ]