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Removing bitumen


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I made the mistake twenty years ago of painting the front deck with bitumen and then just bunging more on top. I'm now trying to get it off... Any ideas? Sanding disks clog up in seconds and it's stuck too well to scrape. I can't use anything too vile as some is bound to end up in the water.

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1 minute ago, mrsmelly said:

You need a scabbler, will do it very quickly.

Scabblers will just stir up a sticky mess in this weather, the teeth will not enjoy it.

White spirit and scrapers might be your best bet, and make sure you have plenty of hot water for regular showers.

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Just now, matty40s said:

Scabblers will just stir up a sticky mess in this weather, the teeth will not enjoy it.

White spirit and scrapers might be your best bet, and make sure you have plenty of hot water for regular showers.

Or possibly diesel, seems to do a good job when its on the water.

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2 minutes ago, matty40s said:

Scabblers will just stir up a sticky mess in this weather, the teeth will not enjoy it.

White spirit and scrapers might be your best bet, and make sure you have plenty of hot water for regular showers.

Ahh, a good excuse not to do it then, too hot this weather and too cold and rainy int winter :clapping:

Oy Matty look what I've got ?

 

15907696876712891993054054031974.jpg

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Try one of those vibrating multi-tool things with the knife attachment. Perhaps use a knife or chisel to do a small test first. My Lidl special made short work of some PU sealer that needed removing. I expect you will have to use some solvent to get the last bits off.

Edited by Martin Nicholas
speling
  • Greenie 1
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Just remembered

When I had to remove tiles that were stuck down with a layer of bitumen I used a pole scraper and a heat gun, lifted easily once hot and almost all of the bitumen scraped off the concrete.

 

https://www.wickes.co.uk/Wickes-Professional-Heavy-Duty-Scraper-150mm/p/190002

 

https://www.wickes.co.uk/Wickes-Multi-purpose-Heat-Gun-with-Nozzles-2000W/p/141163

 

Only downside is it needs power :(

 

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56 minutes ago, mrsmelly said:

Ahh, a good excuse not to do it then, too hot this weather and too cold and rainy int winter :clapping:

Oy Matty look what I've got ?

 

15907696876712891993054054031974.jpg

5 litres would only do one side of my proper sized boat, probably enough for 2 coats of yours though...?

  • Haha 1
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I have cleaned bitumen of the hull using a wire cup brush on an angle grinder. It does tend to melt, but the wire brush flings it all clear and you end up with a clean polished steel surface to recoat with the blacking or paint of your choice.

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I removed years of bitumen off the hull of VS using a scrabbler. True, the teeth tended to 'gum' up but I found that a tray of white spirit and an old paint brush cleaned them up in seconds. It took me a day to do a 55' hull. 5 years down the line I need to strip the roof after a rip off professional 'back to metal' re-paint. I've already tried a wire wheel on a 4.5" grinder (slow and v dusty) and 40 grit pad on a 150mm DA sander (very slow and very heavy on discs, maybe 200-300 to do roof) I've ordered a 140mm scrabber off e bay for £125. If needed replacement teeth are £75. Will it work? Don't know. Is it worth the gamble? Yes 

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Similar problem on our share. The front deck was bitumen coated in the eighties, and has since had umpteen coats of oil paint. It lasts a few months then peels. Hoping to get a quote for scrabbling (must look that up in the French dictionary) if we ever get her to the boatyard for her dry docking. The steel is far too uneven for scraping.

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31 minutes ago, Onewheeler said:

Similar problem on our share. The front deck was bitumen coated in the eighties, and has since had umpteen coats of oil paint. It lasts a few months then peels. Hoping to get a quote for scrabbling (must look that up in the French dictionary) if we ever get her to the boatyard for her dry docking. The steel is far too uneven for scraping.

You'll probably find much of the lumpiness is in the paint. The steel underneath may be pretty smooth.

 

A flap wheel in an angle grinder will be a bit slow, but will get rid of the paint and bitumen and leave a smooth surface in unpitted areas.

Edited by David Mack
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Have you tried a carbide blade paint scraper? I used something like this then a soak of paraffin & lots of rags for a similar job. Only downside is that the paraffin then needs thoroughly removing to stop paint adherence issues (I used a blowtorch and then multiple cycles of white spirit, detergent, water....)

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bahco-Carbide-Edged-Paint-Scraper/dp/B000288LP6

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I have used a chisel bit in a SDS drill (cheepo from screwfix) but I found it best to do it when it is very cold(frosty). It comes off easily when cold and is not difficult to clear up. I am afraid this is not very helpful at this time of year anthing else seems to end in a sticky mess.

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Just now, Mike Adams said:

I have used a chisel bit in a SDS drill (cheepo from screwfix) but I found it best to do it when it is very cold(frosty). It comes off easily when cold and is not difficult to clear up. I am afraid this is not very helpful at this time of year anthing else seems to end in a sticky mess.

Which is why I didnt recommend a scabbler in these temps.

We so use a scabbler on bitumen.....but not above 20celsius...

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Mini angle grinder and some of these, leather gloves, ear defenders and good eye protection. You'll need to give it all a decent vacuum afterwards too and get rid of all the loose wire bristles. Use a sidehandle and keep the cable well away from the wire wheel.

 

Ebay has the best deals and some of these aren't bad quality.

 

s-l1600.jpg

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/4pc-Twist-Knot-Semi-Flat-Wire-Wheel-Cup-Brush-Kit-To-Fit-115mm-Angle-Grinder-Set/283552128312?epid=6035827351&hash=item4205061d38:g:XhUAAOSw9yldMF6i

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