paint removal

[qh187]

I got some aluminum rims that somebody painted gunmetal. How do I remove the paint from it? I don't really know what kind he used.

[w00tw00t111]

Do you want to get it back down to the stock aluminum?

[qh187]

yeah they're oem integra rims.

[88Accord-DX]

You can sand blast them or use aircraft paint stripper & steel bowl. Here is a link that discribes it.

http://www.wardsweb.org/busa/hayabusa_mods_wheels.html

[Vanilla Sky]

the best way seems to be bead blasting. if you can't do it yourself, i'm sure you can find a shop that can do it for cheap.

and i'm not against chemical strippers, either. just seems that the abrasive glass bead seems to be thre preferred method.

[88Accord-DX]

the best way seems to be bead blasting. if you can't do it yourself, i'm sure you can find a shop that can do it for cheap.
and i'm not against chemical strippers, either. just seems that the abrasive glass bead seems to be thre preferred method.

Bead blasting prolly isn't a bad idea, but the time hunting down a place that has equiptment to do it compaired to buying aircraft paint stripper at Pep boys along with few other things would be less trouble & efficient. Whether that is a preferred method, no comment.

[Vanilla Sky]

yeah, that's always up for debate. i would prefer bead blasting if i had the resources or a shop that ould do it reasonably. if not, paint stripper it is.

[qh187]

why would bead blasting be better?

[88Accord-DX]

Good luck finding a place to glass bead the rim(s) at a resonable cost to stripping them. Sandblasting will leave pits.

[w00tw00t111]

Yeah ddude is right. Sandblasting or any form of media blasting will leave traces of it being done. If you're not old enough to buy aircraft stripper or can't find it you can always try acetone.
Side story: I love painting and for the longest time I looooved painting Warhammer *rpg models*. When my friends saw that I had more talent then them at it they enlisted me to paint them. Well I had to find a way to remove the paint that they had slathered on there. I tried acetone in a bowl and just let the models soak. Then took them out and the paint literally just wiped off. I know that some of the models had acrylic and some enamel. Not sure what the guy used to paint but it should work with a little bit of patience, work, and elbow grease. :)

[88Accord-DX]

Yeah, acetone or paint thinner should take it off. I wanted to mention that, but thought the aircraft paint stripper was the best. Good call. I think toluene will take it off too.