Removing paint from AR
- Thread starter dogzilla
- Start date
Craftsman 441
CGN Regular
- Location
- Wainwright
Goof Off 2 is a bleedin' miracle chemical for removing paint!
I have used it to remove years-old Krylon from plastic butts and furniture. IME, it doesn't hurt plastic, parkerizing, bluing or anodizing.
Home Hardware carries it and it comes in a small, orange pump bottle that is enough to do a few guns.
I have used it to remove years-old Krylon from plastic butts and furniture. IME, it doesn't hurt plastic, parkerizing, bluing or anodizing.
Home Hardware carries it and it comes in a small, orange pump bottle that is enough to do a few guns.
I used it on a few thermold stocks and a few ar front end`s
what happend so I know not to do the same thing ?
worst ever leaves behind a white film and eats thermold away
Etching? like the white letters ? my etching is in steel cant rub it off with sand papper
You won't damage the anodizing with lacquer thinner, Just buy enough lacquer thinner to submerge the parts for about 30-60 min and you should have everything off. If its a quality firearm finish your pretty much hooped as it will need to be sandblasted. In the shop I use lacquer thinner for degreasing and removing cheap paints before I start to refinish them. You might have to use a brush to scrub some of the hard to get places, but this is the best method. Then when finished dry with shop air, then lightly oil the anodized finish to clear up the chalky dry look.
Deltasilver
Regular
- Location
- Right behind you...
I'm not an AR guy, but in the R/C biz we use oven cleaner to remove anodizing from used parts when the finish is damaged or the colors don't match. Usually leaves 'em in a nice natural finish after about 30 minutes and can then be clear-coated to prevent oxidization.
One thing I CAN say for sure - anodizing lasts longer on media-blasted surfaces than it does on tumbled/polished surfaces... as with most industrial coatings the life of the finish is all in the prep work before it's applied. If it's slightly rough under your fingers (looks parkerized), it's blasted or acid etched. If it's mirror smooth it was probably tumbled to remove the machining marks and you need to be gentle.
Gonna go with Murdoc and the laquer thinner.
You can test your chosen cleaner by soaking a grade 8 steel bolt (a grade of high strength steel that is anodized yellow) from the hardware store. You probably have a few in yer garage. Not fool proof but getting closer.
As for brushes, if it has bristles it's ok for anodizing - if it's a brillo pad kinda deal it's not. Most pads are too abrasive and will haze your finish.
Since this is a gun part that probably cost more than some of the crappy old bolt actions in my cabinet, proceed carefully. If it's a currently produced part a quick e-mail to the manufacturer or distributor?
Let us know how it works out please... Pictures always appreciated
One thing I CAN say for sure - anodizing lasts longer on media-blasted surfaces than it does on tumbled/polished surfaces... as with most industrial coatings the life of the finish is all in the prep work before it's applied. If it's slightly rough under your fingers (looks parkerized), it's blasted or acid etched. If it's mirror smooth it was probably tumbled to remove the machining marks and you need to be gentle.
Gonna go with Murdoc and the laquer thinner.
You can test your chosen cleaner by soaking a grade 8 steel bolt (a grade of high strength steel that is anodized yellow) from the hardware store. You probably have a few in yer garage. Not fool proof but getting closer.
As for brushes, if it has bristles it's ok for anodizing - if it's a brillo pad kinda deal it's not. Most pads are too abrasive and will haze your finish.
Since this is a gun part that probably cost more than some of the crappy old bolt actions in my cabinet, proceed carefully. If it's a currently produced part a quick e-mail to the manufacturer or distributor?
Let us know how it works out please... Pictures always appreciated
On all metal parts its safe to use Toluene (that goof off ftuff is essentially toulene if you read the label)
On plastic, well Im not sure what to use without melting it. Try experimenting and post the results here.What parts are plastic? Handguard, pistol grip and stock? Just replace em with new ones if they get ruined, check the EE theres tons of those parts to be found there often very very cheap.
On plastic, well Im not sure what to use without melting it. Try experimenting and post the results here.What parts are plastic? Handguard, pistol grip and stock? Just replace em with new ones if they get ruined, check the EE theres tons of those parts to be found there often very very cheap.
tacticalfan
Member
- Location
- Edmonton, Alberta
Be careful with the lacquer thinner. It can and will soften or even melt some types of plastics. We generally use it at work to remove spraybomb overspray off the exterior of company trucks. I have even used it to clean the interior of one after a spraybomb exploded, but man do you have to be careful not to oversaturate / linger on a spot too long.
