Silent paint remover

[dstevens]

Has anyone had experince with The Silent Paint Remover, an infrared rig that touts itself to be the greatest thing since sliced bread?

[Wild Wassa]

What are you intending to strip? ... that is the determining factor as to the efficiency of using a silent paint stripper (an infrared stripper) and the lack of careful masking can be ruinous.

The thing about an infrared stripper is it must be protected from wind. Wind reduces the efficiency of the radiation. I wouldn't use one in preference to a 'Linbide' tungsten carbide scraper (two cutting edges on the blade and reversible). They're made in New Zealand. In the time that you spend masking, waiting for the paint to soften and build a windbreak (if outside), a carbiide scraper will have the job finished ... get a Linbide carbide corner scraper as well.

We stripped the paint off the exterior of our house a week before Xmas in one morning, using one of these things ... a 3500 psi hydro blaster. Using an infrared stripper would not have been practical, I'd still be stripping paint. The hydro blaster is definately not a silent paint stripper but the spray was wonderful in the heat ... and it washed the bricks.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid154/p9c87c386f6a117b888fb09973490a780/f57dbef1.jpg

Warren.

[ 01-13-2005, 05:03 AM: Message edited by: Wild Wassa ]

[Chris.]

No, but there was review of the product in WB #179 p 102. It seems pricey for an amateur/occasional user at $495.

The reviewer's (Matt Murphy) bottom-line?

"Is the tool worth its price? To decide, consider the cost of a gallon of chemical paint stripper: between $20 and $40. These products are effective but can be messy and harmful; they can contaminate the work surface and burn holes in your nice T-shirts. Heat guns work only a small patch of area at a time and, as noted, they can scorch wood - a big drag on bright-finished surfaces. For the occasionaI job, the purchase of this tool may or may not be worth it, but a shop facing multiple refinishing jobs will quickly justify the expense. Just don't drop it; the tool's delicate tubes are bound to be smashed, and they cost ($70 to replace.) For a professional varnisher facing multiple stripping jobs per year (adjacent surfaces can be masked with heat-reflective tape), it's as good as having an eager apprentice by your side-and far superior to a heat gun."

[Wild Wassa]

"... and far superior to a heat gun." That is a very easy thing to say but it also depends on the user. Chris I don't know how often you strip wood but this is what I find, when heat is taken away from most paints the paint rehardens quickly ... you have seen the fragility warnings about infrared strippers from the article?

I've stopped using a heat gun for stripping the different paint bases. A heat gun is far too slow to use compared to just using tungsten carbide scrapers which give a higher quality result with less overall finishing involved, I find.

Warren.

[ 01-13-2005, 04:54 AM: Message edited by: Wild Wassa ]

[Dan McCosh]

The guy in the next well over has one, and he loves the thing. He did the cabin side of a Pilot sloop in about an hour and a half . It heats just about enough area to scrape easily. Shields focus the heat. For big jobs, the idea is supposed to be to hang it on a rail, and push it ahead of the scraping. It's expensive,however.

[Chris.]

Warren,
As i said earlier, i have not used one of these devices. The opinion that "it is far superior to a heat gun" in Mr Murphy's not mine.
However, I heartily concur that heated paint rehardens very quickly, and unless working with an offsider this approach can be counter-productive.
A device such as this is for most people out of the question (especially for someone like me who has a habit of dropping tools), but it does sound attractive because of its purported efficiency in paint removal.
Strong fore-arms and a steady supply of sharp scraper blades is likely the best way for most of us.
Chris.