Easy way to remove powder coating?

[gerrymoore]

I had a sculpture on a plinth blow over in the recent winds and it bent the 3mm base of the plinth. This had been powder coated white and now, after straightening the steel, the powder coating has split in places and I would like to remove it all and possibly just spray the base with white rattle cans.

Is there an 'easy' way to remove the coating...I was thinking a blow torch??

 

[super noob]

Fire will do the trick

 

[colnerov]

Hi, I've bought a number of bullbars for the land Rovers over the years with usually quite distressed powder coatings. I always just chuck them on the bonfire and they come out the other side with a good clean surface that just wants a dust off.

Colin

 

[eSCHEn]

As the others say Gerry, heat removes it as it's essentially a plastic coating.

When it bubbles up just wipe it off with a wire brush. A quick going over with some emery gets it looking good.

 

[rtbcomp]

As long as the item itself can withstand the heat fire will work. I had a motorcycle frame in for blasting, the guy had burnt the PC off and the frame stank to high heaven, so watch out for fumes.

There's a product called Atlas-T which strips PC very quickly, but is probably more hazardous than fire!

 

[gerrymoore]

Thanks guys...I can't put the whole thing in a fire as the main plinth 'upright' is fine. Although brand new 3mm plate, it does seem to be rusty under the powder coating as it just lifts off in places. I'll try going carefully with my small blowtorch and see how it works....watch this space...can't start on it until tomorrow anyway.

 

[barracuda816]

What about a paint stripper gun and scraper, would be a bit more controlable.

Also this is a problem with powder coating, and why i dont ever use it. i would prefer a decent epoxy paint system (jotun or the like).

 

[JohnRUFC]

Just do the best you can, should it all go wrong you can always send it off to be sand blasted and powder coated again!

 

[Turbo]

You could try chemical paint stripper. Nitromors is useless since they took out the good solvents but I believe starchem still contains the good stuff. I've had mixed results using it to strip powder coated wheels - sometimes it works, sometimes not. I think it depends on the formulation of the powder.

TBH I don't bother stripping them any more. I've got a local firm who will blast & powdercoat a wheel for £20-£30 a wheel.

 

[Kent]

Thanks guys...I can't put the whole thing in a fire as the main plinth 'upright' is fine. Although brand new 3mm plate, it does seem to be rusty under the powder coating as it just lifts off in places. I'll try going carefully with my small blowtorch and see how it works....watch this space...can't start on it until tomorrow anyway.

One thing I hate about powder is this tendency to rust under the finish then peel imo and experience powder is a thing for indoors or disposable items

 

[gerrymoore]

Certainly right about rust under the coating!! I ended up using a flap disc and have removed all the PC from the top and just cleaned out any rust and 'flattened' underneath. Will prime and then spray it white...the coating on the rest of the plinth seems to be OK.

Thanks again everyone for all the tips and advice :-)

 

[chester dylan]

i had to remove some powder coat yesterday and found that a sharp 30mm wood chisel and blow torch worked a treat. Held it in a vice got it soft and a good posative rake angle with a good bit of force and it came of in big strips and left clean steel underneath didnt even need to wire brush after

 

[langy]

One thing I hate about powder is this tendency to rust under the finish then peel imo and experience powder is a thing for indoors or disposable items

A good powder coater will prime it first

 

[Kent]

A good powder coater will prime it first

Still even when I used to make BT stuff ( back when it was all yellow) and we had all the kit and a host of testing procedures the stuff failed
Great for indoors stuff outside it's no good as far as we can get to see with our own eyes regularly
Been told alsorts by blasters as to why thier work won't fail it seems even they don't agree some say it must be done like x the next goes for y
One told me it all has to be blasted first just recently
Just not my choice personally As it can't really be patched up

 

[langy]

Still even when I used to make BT stuff ( back when it was all yellow) and we had all the kit and a host of testing procedures the stuff failed
Great for indoors stuff outside it's no good as far as we can get to see with our own eyes regularly
Been told alsorts by blasters as to why thier work won't fail it seems even they don't agree some say it must be done like x the next goes for y
One told me it all has to be blasted first just recently
Just not my choice personally As it can't really be patched up

Yes the problem with it is its brittle and once chipped it starts to rust creep, but my point was that every powder coater I have dealt with has always asked me if its exterior or interior, if they don't ask they ain't gonna be much cop in my opinion.
It has its uses and a lot people powder coat chassis which in my opinion don't last very well.

 

[Robotstar5]

A good powder coater will prime it first

The one I used for motorbike frames put what he called a "Chromate primer" on after blasting then epoxy powder coat, one of the frames looked as good as new 10 years later when I sold the bike.

 

[langy]

The one I used for motorbike frames put what he called a "Chromate primer" on after blasting then epoxy powder coat, one of the frames looked as good as new 10 years later when I sold the bike.

Yeah that's the stuff, my chap says never coat anything that lives outside without it.

 

[lexi]

The ally road signs are tough as old boots.
I don't know what the prep and coating is, but even burning doesn't take it off properly. Maybe epoxy powder coat?
I have had better results getting ally powder coated.

 

[colnerov]

I think the Ali road signs are vinyls because they're reflective.

 

[cianh91]

I only powder raw for inside of its for outside its galv then powder works perfectly