24 replies to this topic

[One step at a time]

Can anyone suggest a way of removing powder coat from alloy wheels at home?
I can not afford to get them dipped or blasted so it's a diy job I'm afraid.
Will nitro do it or will I need another chemical?
Thanks In advance.

[ANON]

you need nasty stuff to get powdercoat off. 

[rally1380]

Funnily enough i'm just starting doing the same. Some numpty had painted (very badly) over the standard powder coat finish and they looked a mess. I've used Screwfix's own brand paint stripper and it has worked OK on the paint to coat but hasn't touched the powder coat finish.

 

This might be a happy accident as i want the original finish - time will tell how well the powdercoat looks after its revealed.

 

Sorry it doesn't help with how to remove the powdercoat - it is durable stuff!!!

[ANON]

comes off dead easy with the right stuff  

[rally1380]

A quick Google and a Methanol based stripper will do the trick.

 

ANON - what nasty stuff do we need?

[Coxie]

Blasting is pretty cheap really. I've just paid £35 for 5 wheels

[One step at a time]

Blasting is pretty cheap really. I've just paid £35 for 5 wheels

Where did you get it done at??

[1984mini25]

Having worked stripping powder coat from alloy wheels, the type of stripper used is not the sort you want to be messing about with at home.

[ANON]

A quick Google and a Methanol based stripper will do the trick.

 

ANON - what nasty stuff do we need?

 

the stuff i use is made up with dichloromethane methanol, dichlorobenzene, cresylic acid and and hydrofluoric acid. basically nasty nasty stuff, full green bean suit, breather, goggles and face shield when using it. the vapour gets down your gloves and starts to burn your hands after a while!!

 

have had some wheels come out back to bare metal after two minutes in it!! it's the only thing that gets epoxy primer off without taking forever.

[One step at a time]

Thanks rally1380 for the helpful hint to do a Google search ( why didn't I think of that first?)
ANON, your mix is pretty potent stuff and as I had read before asking it's not for the home user.
Is the only real answer to save up for either an acid dip or sand blast?

[ANON]

blasting doesn't get powdercoat off unless you go for high pressure and flow with ally oxide, ie industrial, even that struggles, also makes a mess of the surface. 

Edited by ANON, 03 January 2015 - 11:19 PM.

[69k1100]

Try acetone. Only reason I mention this is nail polish will bleed into powder coat, great for repairing scratches.

[rally1380]

 

A quick Google and a Methanol based stripper will do the trick.

 

ANON - what nasty stuff do we need?

 

the stuff i use is made up with dichloromethane methanol, dichlorobenzene, cresylic acid and and hydrofluoric acid. basically nasty nasty stuff, full green bean suit, breather, goggles and face shield when using it. the vapour gets down your gloves and starts to burn your hands after a while!!

 

have had some wheels come out back to bare metal after two minutes in it!! it's the only thing that gets epoxy primer off without taking forever.

 

 

Sounds like stuff that you definately don't want to confuse as shampoo!!!!

[Tamworthbay]

Blasting is pretty cheap really. I've just paid £35 for 5 wheels

Where did you get it done at??

City powder coaters in Birmingham are cheap, and not too far from you. There is also a guy in Lichfield but he is more expensive.

[MR J]

Not tried it, but maybe a hot air gun would be able to soften or maybe burn it off. I've got some MR2 Teardrop alloys that need the powder coating removing so may try it myself.