Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[petermeachem]

Looking at all the wings, bonnet bootlid etc I am currently stripping and derusting, there is too much to hang up and paint in one go. This means I have to have enough thinners to thin the paint and clean the gun. I reckon I might be a bit short. Do you know what else I can use to clean the gun? I don't really want to buy a litre of the stuff

[D4B]

Paint factors will sell you 5 litres of cellulose thinners or gun wash for a reasonable price, I use these people:

http://www.expresspaints.co.uk/default.aspx?pname=Home&upid=1

[petermeachem]

I have cellulose thinners, I don't think it will dissolve the epoxy, not sure really.
I cleaned the gun out with a little epoxy thinners and then blew some cellulose through. Next time I looked at the gun some epoxy had dribbled out from somewhere and set. I used a dental pick to clean it out, the stuff sets like cast iron. I suppose if I slosh it about in cellulose thinners that should clean it.
Once it is set the epoxy thinners won't dissolve it, I'm just worried that cellulose won't clean it properly.
Express paints are good. I mail ordered a load from them. The thinners tin was damaged on arrival and was leaking very slightly. They sent me another 5l and an empty can to decant the first one into. Nice company, very honest and very cheap postage.

[whiteshadow]

I must admit I was a bit worried that I might have a problem cleaning my gun, so I brought extra #17 thinners...
So far due to a lack of space and working piece meal I have been making up small batches and simply brushing it on. This obviously leaves a poor surface, but my plan is to flat it all back in the summer and I just wanted the protection.

.......doing this last night, after manually grinding their FE-123 off......didn't work too well, (maybe the temp!)...but given how large areas flaked off, i'm glad I did!

PS> once the Epoxy cross-links (cures) it will effectively be immune to almost all solvents. It becomes a bit like solid plastic, its not like celluslose dissolved in solvent which you can reapply.......Heating it beyond its cure temperature will bring some temporarily softening, but the key is to get before it cures!

[petermeachem]

I'll try and do a thorough job with a bit of No 17 and good amount of cellulose thinners.
That's a good part of the problem. It takes so long to get the acid coating off and then clean the panels and the garage that the first panel would be going rusty before I'd got to the last one. Tiring too.

[D4B]

Didn't realize you were using epoxy ~ I haven't ventured there yet

[colwyn500]

When I used that paint I simply used standard thinners as for any other gun cleaning. The special thinner is essential to the proper dispersion of the paint when applying, although being fairly thin, it needs very little of it. It isn't a paint that is insoluble in solvents other than its own.
On the other hand, you should have seen what trouble I had with Rustseal chassis paint. It seems to be made from Superglue and nothing shifts it dry or wet.

[petermeachem]

Excellent, I will follow your example.

D4B, it's good stuff. You get plenty of time to apply it, it's not like painting with araldite. Sticks well to bare steel and sets very solidly. You mix Part A which has the colour in it and needs a damn good stir, 4 parts of that to 1 of Part B which is like golden syrup and then 10% thinners or it won't come out of the gun. The kit is 1.2l for, I think £30 which is plenty for the Austin.

[Farmer John]

An associated point, for cleaning hands tools containers etc when using epoxy I use white vinegar and paper towels. Might be no use at all with paints but the cost (it is free in our pantry) makes a test worthwhile? Removes lots really quickly but still need thinners after to get perfectly clean

John