Trailer paint removal

Steve Hill wrote:

Easy huh...pressure wash, tide wash, stripper on...scrape, pressure
wash...and dispose....then you need to Alodine 1200 the entire
surface...then use a good "metal etching" primer ( I prefer Montana
Products) and re-paint the whole thing and WHITE....is really the only
choice....

Years ago, I compared two nearly identical "Minden Fab" style aluminum
trailers, one painted white and the other without paint.

* for the skin in the direct sun, the unpainted aluminum did get
noticeably hotter to the touch than the painted skin

* out of the sun, both skins were the same temperature by touch

* The temperatures inside the trailers within 6" of the top were about
10-15 degrees F hotter in the unpainted trailer

* The temperatures at the gliders (inside the cockpit, near the major
fuselage and wing pieces) were essentially the same

* the top third of the fin was hotter in the unpainted trailer

These temperature comparisons didn't change significantly with the sun
directly overhead or from the side (with the sun at 10 am, for example).

My analysis:

* the hot air inside the trailer rises to the top, which forms an
insulating layer (that 6" of hotter air I measured)

* the sides of the trailer without sun (and the floor) conducted enough
heat away to keep most of the inside of the trailer only a few degrees
hotter than the outside air (both trailers)

I decided the effort and cost to paint the trailer would keep the glider
less than 5 degrees cooler, so I didn't do it.

--
Change "netto" to "net" to email me directly

Eric Greenwell
Washington State
USA

I sell and have used Staz-Wett paint remover....see
http://www.wingsandwheels.com/Stazwett.htm
works great
tim

"Chris Davison" wrote in message
...
Does anyone have experience of removing flaking paint
from the skin of a metal trailer? About 1/3 of the
paint is coming off...I want to strip all the paint
off and preferably leave the metal skin 'bare'. Is
this just 'buy a big can of paint remover and a large
brush' or is it more complicated? Not really keen
on a streaky finished product.

Any help much appreciated.

Chris

Chris Davison wrote in message ...
Does anyone have experience of removing flaking paint
from the skin of a metal trailer? About 1/3 of the
paint is coming off...I want to strip all the paint
off and preferably leave the metal skin 'bare'. Is
this just 'buy a big can of paint remover and a large
brush' or is it more complicated? Not really keen
on a streaky finished product.

An alternative to chemicals is a heat gun (available at electronic
parts distributors such as Digi-Key). Just soften the paint with the
gun & scrape off with a plastic knife.

Do not try to sand blast!

Tom

All sounds good stuff to me...
I used a jetwasher on my huge Oly trailer, and the
old paint came off in sheets. If you can get a steam
cleaner, then that'd probably do it even better.

Following all the advice listed here, I'd be tempted
to try the jetwashing first-that'll get the loose stuff
off first, then nitromors or similar on the more stubborn
bits.

The advice about catching all the sh1t on a sheet is
a good advice, otherwise you could end up in serious
poo with the environmental laddies. Don't use the nitromors
with the trailer standing on your lawn, or on your
neighbours driveway either!

The most important thing once you've got the old stuff
off, is to get a good coat of etching primer on the
bare metal. Etching primer combines(don't ask me how!-no
doubt some spod will write and tell you exactly..)
with the Ally and forms a solid base for the top coats.

Have fun!