Odd wheel coating

[Mr Fro]

Hey guys. Though I'd pop on here and ask about a strange coating on my bike wheels...

I had a go stripping my spare track bike rims a few weeks ago with some bog standard paint stripper. It got the top colour coat off eventually but left a rubbery base coat which I couldn't shift.

I took the rims to my local powder coat place who used a media blaster which didn't touch it. They borrowed a bigger blaster which still didn't shift it. Then they sent the rims to some other place that did an acid dip and a solvent dip - again, no dice. Now they're up in Halifax where they've defeated the mother of all sand blasting machines.

The rubbery stuff can be peeled off in tiny bits but seems impervious to everything else in the world.

The wheels are 20 year old Kawasaki items. Has anyone got any ideas what to try next or will it just be them and the cockroaches left at the end of time?

Cheers,
Fro

 

[rtbcomp]

I've had this on wheels in the past.

Bog-standard paint stripper is not good these days. Blasting just damaged the wheels.

You could try neat methylene chloride (Dichloromethane), put the wheel in a vat of th stuff with a layer of water on top, or there's a product called Atlas-T which should shift it.

Both of these chemicals are very toxic, maybe best to find a firm that uses them rather than have a go yourself.

 

[the snooper]

Hey guys. Though I'd pop on here and ask about a strange coating on my bike wheels...

I had a go stripping my spare track bike rims a few weeks ago with some bog standard paint stripper. It got the top colour coat off eventually but left a rubbery base coat which I couldn't shift.

I took the rims to my local powder coat place who used a media blaster which didn't touch it. They borrowed a bigger blaster which still didn't shift it. Then they sent the rims to some other place that did an acid dip and a solvent dip - again, no dice. Now they're up in Halifax where they've defeated the mother of all sand blasting machines.

The rubbery stuff can be peeled off in tiny bits but seems impervious to everything else in the world.

The wheels are 20 year old Kawasaki items. Has anyone got any ideas what to try next or will it just be them and the cockroaches left at the end of time?

Cheers,
Fro

Do a forum search for alloy wheel paint stripping it has been discussed and you should find what you are after in the thread

 

[Parm]

I've had this on wheels in the past.

Bog-standard paint stripper is not good these days. Blasting just damaged the wheels.

You could try neat methylene chloride (Dichloromethane), put the wheel in a vat of th stuff with a layer of water on top, or there's a product called Atlas-T which should shift it.

Both of these chemicals are very toxic, maybe best to find a firm that uses them rather than have a go yourself.

This is the only thing gauranteed to shift paint but like said toxic.

 

[Chris Stevens]

You need to find someone with a dip tank used for stripping powder coating.

 

[anjum]

When you find out what it is, tell us! It sounds like the elixir for rust-proofing.

 

[Chris Stevens]

I do repair work for local wheel refurbishing company and they have a dip tank with water based chemical which can strip powder coated wheels in less than 30 minutes. Its also great for bike parts in advance of blast cleaning. Everything back to bare metal......................dread to think what it cost though!

 

[Mr Fro]

They are a powder coating company and have tried dumping them in methylene chloride and even stuck them in the powder coat oven and whatever it is wouldn't budge.

It's got them stumped but the boss has declared it his personal mission to get them sorted.

Snooper - I've looked through previous thread and couldn't find anyone who has encountered this sort of thing.

 

[rtbcomp]

^^ In That case Atlas-T may well be your man. It strips powder coating in about a minute.

 

[Screwdriver]

Maybe they are plastic wheels

 

[brightspark]

+anything rubbery or plastic and shotblastings no good. rubbery bounces off plastic the shot bed s in and builds up I put the stuff to use in a post a few weeks ago . meth chloride methanol and hydrochloric acid . put the parts in for 20 mins and its loosened .anything that's bad sh ,,
is the best