I'm looking to sand some of the large areas of the truck since my sandblasting machine took a turn for the worse and to get it sandblasted is out of my budget right now.

Looking for a good sanding tool that will take the paint off with minimal effort.

I've looked all around at chemical and mechanical means but there is way to much out there do I'm looking for personal experience with products and links if possible. Keep in mind I have a smaller budget I'm working with until things turn around.

Thanks for the help in advance.

Mike

 

For mechanical stripping, the best way I know is to use either an air or electric polisher. Not a grinder, as the rpms are too high. And not one of those orbital units, either. The correct unit looks like a big grinder, but only runs about 1700 rpm instead of 3500. Use an 8" backing pad that you can stick 8" 40 grit sanding discs on and go to town. Just remember to keep the machine moving to prevent creating too much heat in one spot. Keep the pad flat on the surface to make the most use of the sandpaper, and not dig grooves in the metal.

 

I keep recommending "clean and strip" type disks made by 3M and others. They can be found in the abrasives area of the tool dept at Lowes or Home Depot. They are dark grey plastic mesh wheels that look like course steel wool that was dipped in molten plastic. They come mounted on an arbor. They run about 6.00. Mount them in a standard 3/8" electric drill. They make quick work of removing old paint, bondo and rust without generating much heat or reducing metal thickness. They are much safer than a wire brush, but do wear a face shield and dust filter and avoid running across a sharp metal edge. Don't apply much pressure let the wheel do the work.
I have a lot of sanding and grinding tools and materials in my shop, but these are what I reach for to strip an area of body metal to prepare for repair or repaint. I can strip an area ~ 3'x3' clean in less than 10 minutes. The older the paint the faster they strip it off.
For getting into tight areas, corners and around bolts or brackets I like the nylon "wire" brushes they sell at ACE hardware. They are available in end bristle and disc shapes, look like they are made from bright colored stiff plastic strings, the color designates the grit impregnated into the string: course, med or fine. Don't let the "toy" appearance of the bright colors fool you these work exceptionally well, and the colors make them easy to find on the bench and easy to tell the grit. They don't shed or stick in you like metal wire wheels, are very long lasting and work fast.

 

subscribing

 

I also like the grinder with an 8" mushroom pad and sanding disc. Key is to watch your heat buildup as mentioned above and wear a respirator.
I bought a cheap electric 7" polisher from harbour freight for about 30-40 bucks, it has variable speed and comes with a backer disc. self adhesive (or velcro backed) sanding discs are available at an auto paint store or online.
Have fun!

 

Ahhh, great minds think alike.

 

I second the nylon bristle wheels AX recommends - you can also get these to fit a mini grinder. They work fantastically well, and there is nothing kinder to the metalwork underneath.

 

Thanks for the posts so far. A co-worker mentioned to use aircraft stripper first, scrape it off, then use a sander for the stubborn stuff. Has anybody used this method? Seems to me the stripper would be a bit of a waste if I have to sand anyway.

 

I personally stay away from aircraft stripper. There are the toxic/chemical issues and you usually end up having residue that has to be sanded anyway. Chemical strippers are a pain and most strippers I have tried in the past doesn't do very well against the old factory finishes. Try some chemical stripper on the back of the cab and you will see what I mean. Get a strip disc like others have suggested and sand away. It is a nasty job but when its done you will be happier.

 

Chemical stripper is far messier than using the wheels I suggested and when it gets into body seams it's near impossible to neutralize/clean out. Sooner or later the residue will creep back out and ruin a new paint job or lift body filler. The method I use is dusty but much better in the end. Trust me I've tried them all.

 

I have used the chemical stripper on many projects over the years. I am now using the mechanical stripper like recommended here or the flex sanding, stripping pads. I try to keep a fan running against my work to carry the dust away. The fan does not take place of the dusk mask but keeps the area cleaner. Outside is better.

 

You can always use a shop vac to help keep the dust down. Hold the end of the hose just under the stripping wheel, or make an adjustable stand to hold it for you. Try the different nozzle ends on the hose to see which is most effective at catching the most dust. Woodworking stores like Woodcraft or Rockler sell a number of different shapes and sizes of dust catcher setups meant for woodworking tools that could be adapted.

 

I have a DeWalt random orbit electric and use a vac attachment to cut down on the dust. Different grits are avail. This is very similar in action to a DA random orbit air sander.

 

If you have to buy anything, just get a DA sander. You have a compressor. If you have a 4 1/2" grinder, the plastic stripping disc's do well. What do you have to work with? I've used a plain old electric jitterbug sander. 80 grit paper and careful around the sharp edge's.

 

A DA sander is worth it's weight in gold when it comes to painting a truck. About 95% of the work when it comes to painting is sanding. So much sanding.

I've used a couple things to remove paint when I did my car. A DA does work, but not the best, though it might be easier on these old trucks than it was with the harsh lines my '67 Mustang hand. Aircraft stripper works well if it's warm enough outside. Though I don't think I like it, it does make a hell of a mess and then you have to be sure you've cleaned it up good and proper so it doesn't leave anything behind. A wire brush wheel works well, but can scar the metal easily and is also pretty dangerous as those little wires come off way too easy when the wheel gets worn, and they like to stick in your closes, safety glasses, gloves, faceshield, ect. A good media blaster might be worth looking into.


If you have to buy a tool, the DA orbital sander is the way to go, it will be the most useful to you in the whole process, though maybe not the quickest when it comes to paint removal. But when you have to sand filler, primer, and clear coat, suddenly it makes your life so much easier to have.