Paint Stripper Cleanup

[JoshStratton]

How do you wash down your metals when you are done using paint stripper on them? Water will cause flash rust and I am not sure what else to use.

[toxicz28]

I've used water to clean up chem strip before, and the only places I got flash rust was where the metal was sanded before. This was on an '82, so the factory metal coatings might have something to do with that though.

[race-rodz-inc]

i use rubber gloves, red scotch brite, laquer thinner.... then pressure wash off whatever may be left over. flash rust doesnt bother me too much, its kinda like a "guide coat" for sanding the bare metal in prep for primers.

[JoshStratton]

...but doesnt the rust on the panel worry you at all? I wouldnt want to leave rust on metal at all.

[race-rodz-inc]

it doesnt bother me at all, i never ever ever spray primer on anything that isnt sanded, 80gt da to prep the metal takes all the flash rust right off, if you are really worried about... they have lots of metal washes on the market that you can use.... but. i have never had a problem with my normal way of doing it, i HAVE had problems when i used a metal wash.

i do about 1-3 harleys a week, every one of them is stripped to metal just like i described, bikes i did 5 years ago still have no problems. cars i did 10 years ago still have no problems.

as long as you prep it and get ALL the flash rust off..... i see no problem with it.

[JoshStratton]

Ohhhhhhhhhh I understand your previous post. I read over the 'guide coat' part. I thought you were saying you leave it on there. :pat:

I guess I should explain why I wonder about the metal stripper. I am cleaning out the underside of a fender that has crevases where the thinner can get into, and probably has. If I use water to clean it out, it will rust in there, and there is no way for me to get to it with a sanding implement. That was why I sent out a post earlier about metal washes. I was wondering if they would do the trick in those hard-to-get-to places.

[race-rodz-inc]

ok... that make a lil more sence, yes... on the back side... i would say go ahead and use a wash/converter. then epoxy prime over it. good to go.