Aircraft stripper

Better start this with a proper mood ..........

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VdaKwt5cHEk"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VdaKwt5cHEk[/ame]

Now that we're all stripped and a lil sweaty ...... time to get down and dirty.

Sorry Christopher, but the aircraft stripper probably won't make much of a dent either if the prep work and cure time were done properly. If you just made it mad with what you already tried before, I'm inclined to believe it was a well done job.

The only chemical that will remove it is DeSolve made by Solvent Kleene Inc. The last time I checked it wasn't available to the general public though. It's marketed under the name of Paint, Powder Coating & E-Coat Dissolver through Eastwood but you pay a premium for the privilege ... it was $59.99 a gallon.

P/C stripper does NOT mix with water, evaporates very quickly, smells absolutely awful and makes your eyes water (don't get it on your skin either), and it only works where the part is fully submerged. Just imagine the container you'll need to drown your air cleaner, not to mention 2 or 3 gallons of the stuff to cover it ... and don't forget, that container has to be something the DeSolv won't eat through too which just adds to your challenge. :-D The only good things about it: it works quickly (15-45 minutes), you can use it at room temperature, and strain it through an old sock, pantyhose or a new Scotchbrite pad when it gets yucky and reuse it. But its effectiveness diminishes highly with use. I thought it was a waste of money if you want the truth.

But besides all of that, I can't recommend using any chemicals on it at all if your air cleaner assembly is aluminum. That's a very porous metal and even serious outgassing at a few hundred degrees for a few hours doesn't always pull it all out. It can come back to haunt you later depending on what your refinishing plans are once you get it stripped.

The most cost effective way to remove powder coating is to blast it off but it takes awhile (lots of wear/tear on your compressor). It's best to set your air at no more than 90 psi and try to get under it from an angle rather than aiming the nozzle straight on and trying to blast through it. If you find the 'sweet spot' where it seems to melt away -- basically the opposite direction the powder was originally applied from -- you'll do all right and it won't take two weeks.

Personally, I just try real hard not to screw anything up so I don't have to strip or blast it off. Powder coating's tough stuff!!! :-D Good luck my friend -- let us know what you decide to do.