Angle Grinder

[WotEver]

This is better at getting tar type paints off http://tercoo-rotating-blaster.co.uk

I have the single - it's brilliant

 

Tony

[dave moore]

Regarding paint stripper, the problem these days is to source something that actually strips paint. The old industry standards, Nitromors and Polystrippa have been reformulated and are as much use as a vibrator without batteries in my experience. I have a local source of some stuff that actually works, though the thought of using it on a cabin side fills me with dread, both time and amount required wise.

 

Scabblers are often used by the painters I work with to get back to bare steel, followed by a random orbit sander.

 

Cheers

 

Dave

[matty40s]

Regarding paint stripper, the problem these days is to source something that actually strips paint. The old industry standards, Nitromors and Polystrippa have been reformulated and are as much use as a vibrator without batteries in my experience. I have a local source of some stuff that actually works, though the thought of using it on a cabin side fills me with dread, both time and amount required wise.

 

Scabblers are often used by the painters I work with to get back to bare steel, followed by a random orbit sander.

 

Cheers

 

Dave

Dave, so tell us about your experience with vibrator without batteries......

 

 

Use a bloody scabbler if the paints rubbish. Then use an angle grinder with wire brush down the bits the wire brush wouldn;t get to.

Then sand the whole thing with a 80/120 grit rotating sander, and you might just have a surface worth painting after rust treating. If you want a brand, try MIRKA - I havn't found a better one yet, and if you can afford to hire the mirka sander/hoover system, you don't even need a face mask.

[Robbo]

I have the single - it's brilliant

 

Tony

I have the double, but I have yet to use it in real anger.

[magnetman]

Regarding paint stripper, the problem these days is to source something that actually strips paint. The old industry standards, Nitromors and Polystrippa have been reformulated and are as much use as a vibrator without batteries in my experience. I have a local source of some stuff that actually works, though the thought of using it on a cabin side fills me with dread, both time and amount required wise.

 

Scabblers are often used by the painters I work with to get back to bare steel, followed by a random orbit sander.

 

Cheers

 

Dave

I don't really "do" paint myself but the bloke who bought a narrow boat off me about 10 years ago apparently succeeded in removing all the paint from the cabin sides and top using paint stripper and scraping. He bagged up the waste and binned it.

 

I was suitably impressed.

 

I need to paint the top of my rather large cabin this year so quite interested - will probably just chuck more paint over the existing coat .

[matty40s]

I don't really "do" paint myself but the bloke who bought a narrow boat off me about 10 years ago apparently succeeded in removing all the paint from the cabin sides and top using paint stripper and scraping. He bagged up the waste and binned it.

 

I was suitably impressed.

 

I need to paint the top of my rather large cabin this year so quite interested - will probably just chuck more paint over the existing coat .

has it got antislip or not??

 

If not, a good sanding will give a good base/key to paint over.

 

If yes. you can either remove it all using a scabbler etc, or sit on top for two days and use a wire brush to rough up enough to give some sort of key and paint over, several coats.

[Robbo]

I need to paint the top of my rather large cabin this year so quite interested - will probably just chuck more paint over the existing coat .

If the paint isn't coming off then a orbi sander is all that's needed.

[matty40s]

If the paint isn't coming off then a orbi sander is all that's needed.

If its got non-slip areas, the orbi sander pads will not be able to work properly

[Robbo]

If its got non-slip areas, the orbi sander pads will not be able to work properly

Good point

[bag 'o' bones]

_{If the paint is basically sound sanding back to bare metal is not really necessary.}

 

_{As others have said a random orbital if the tool for large areas. Angle grinders should only be used linish back the rusty bits.}

[BruceinSanity]

I wish you hadn't said that!

 

I've just had a back to metal re-paint that involved removing existing paint with scarifier/scrabbler. I know the original metal was not grit blasted as I've owned the shell from new.

 

Sleepless nights in store!

 

 

Frank

Oh no, sorry about that!

[Paul C]

There's just so many variations on preparation of existing paintwork/metalwork for new paint, its impossible to say if an angle grinder mounted wire brush is the right tool or not. And there's varuations on how to approach the same thing too - not necessarily one right or wrong answer.

 

Without detailed info and/or seeing the boat, only genetal/vague guidelines can br given.

[Montecarlo]

There's just so many variations on preparation of existing paintwork/metalwork for new paint, its impossible to say if an angle grinder mounted wire brush is the right tool or not. And there's varuations on how to approach the same thing too - not necessarily one right or wrong answer.

Without detailed info and/or seeing the boat, only genetal/vague guidelines can br given.

Love this site, you get answers to questions you've not even asked! But I've taken on board advice given and just stripped back a 2 foot square section with a sander. I'm starting with the non slip area. Contrary to advice given on my mooring the coarse pad had taken paint back to steel on the edges which arnt anti slip and made a decent job of taking the non slip areas down to an over paintable finish.I'm not going down to bare metal , I'm not too bothered about a mirror finish. The paint work I'm down to is sound . I may very well need a dozen sanding pads thou! And a couple of spark plug wire brushes for the rails. Many thanks all.

[Sea Dog]

Love this site, you get answers to questions you've not even asked!

 

So it seems!

 

Without detailed info and/or seeing the boat, only genetal/vague guidelines can br given.

[Paul C]

 

 

So it seems!

 

 

Ooops! Unfortunate typo there.

[DHutch]

 

Screwfix, Bosch blue one.

Bosch Professional are good. Mines a 5" Makita* which has also had no issues with various use/abuse, nice feel, rubber cord etc. Hitachi also make a solid product if not quite a nice in feel.

*Identical to the 4.5" other than the guard, but was on 60% special offer to clear at screwfix.

 

Assuming......

What I would do depends hugely on the current condition, desired end product, as also the size.

• Grinding wheel is the only thing bare shot blasting which will remove mill-scale, but you will have to run over it with a sanding disk for the finish to be anything like, and go over with high-build primer and sand back for smooth finish. So only really suitable for small areas and or b-surfaces such as under blacking.
• Sanding disks are good for taking quite a lot of paint off and leaving an ok finish, if not good for taking thick paint to steel over a large area, or in my mind good enough to gloss over unless you are careful and go back to steel.
• Wire wheels are good for knocking back light rust ready to rust convert, and I use them for buffing clean and adding a bit of a key to our non-bituminous based blacking. But otherwise are fairly mixed in usefulness.
• Needle scalers are good for tight areas of rust, and thick loose rust, as well as thick poorly adhered paint, but need a largish air compressor, minimum 1.5hp ideally 2-3hp.
• Scablers are good for getting back to steel over large areas I am told, but have never used one.
• Belt sanders often leave marks, if not always, so while they remove a lot fast they often mainly just make a mess.
• Orbital sanders are the only way to get a good finish that I know of, we use one quite a bit, if only just to put a light key on otherwise sound paint. Pays your money, cheap ones are close to useless. Ditto cheap paper.
  

 

Love this site, you get answers to questions you've not even asked! But I've taken on board advice given and just stripped back a 2 foot square section with a sander. I'm starting with the non slip area. Contrary to advice given on my mooring the coarse pad had taken paint back to steel on the edges which arnt anti slip and made a decent job of taking the non slip areas down to an over paintable finish.I'm not going down to bare metal , I'm not too bothered about a mirror finish. The paint work I'm down to is sound . I may very well need a dozen sanding pads thou! And a couple of spark plug wire brushes for the rails. Many thanks all.

Have fun!

Daniel

[bizzard]

I'm in the 4.1/2'' Black and Decker camp. Over the course of most of my lifetime of vehicle repairs, grinding and welding MOT failures ect, I've got through umpteen angle grinders, from cheap £10ers through the expensive Makita, Bosch, the yellows coloured ones ect and found that Black and Decker grinders were the only ones that stood up to the severe treatment for a really decent length of time. The one I still have is about 18 years old which I still do a fair bit of work with.

[Psycloud]

I've been wondering how best to achieve a sound surface on the cabin sides that are flaking badly which I think is down to poor preparation by the previous owners. After reading this thread I think I will get. 6" random orbital sander rather than use flap discs in my angle grinder - or are flap discs a viable option?

[Robbo]

I've been wondering how best to achieve a sound surface on the cabin sides that are flaking badly which I think is down to poor preparation by the previous owners. After reading this thread I think I will get. 6" random orbital sander rather than use flap discs in my angle grinder - or are flap discs a viable option?

 

If you want a nice finish a random orbital sander is a must as you can use it to sand down between coats. For removing paint the flap disc in angle grinder is better.

[Psycloud]

Thank you. I think I will have both available when I start.

 

On the roof I want to remove the gritted paint completely as its in very poor condition. I was going to hire a scabbler but have heard people getting good results with a multi tool and scraper accessory. Might take longer but I would be able to do it in sections rather than strip the lot in one go in order to return a hired tool.

[Robbo]

Thank you. I think I will have both available when I start.

 

On the roof I want to remove the gritted paint completely as its in very poor condition. I was going to hire a scabbler but have heard people getting good results with a multi tool and scraper accessory. Might take longer but I would be able to do it in sections rather than strip the lot in one go in order to return a hired tool.

 

You can never have enough tools.

 

If you have a large area then the scabbler will defo be quicker. Before I heard of the scrabbler, to remove my gritted paint I used paint stripper which softened the paint and a scraper like this...

 

 

As I now only have a few areas left I would do the same (will look at the multi tool scraper as I have the multi-tool). Can understand doing it in sections, the scrabbler hire option seems to be good if you have ideal conditions over a few days/week.

Edited April 27, 2016 by Robbo

[matty40s]

The scabbler will let you do an entire roof in a couple of hours max.....make sure all removable items are off before you pick it up and you can hire it for half a day.

[Robbo]

The scabbler will let you do an entire roof in a couple of hours max.....make sure all removable items are off before you pick it up and you can hire it for half a day.

 

I think it's more prepping it and then painting it afterwards. Okay if undercover and have time, but if doing over a weekend, doing it in sections is understandable and hiring a scabbler becomes less attractive. Now if you could spend around £100 on one that would be different!