Aluminum Hull Stripping

[Bob1944]

I am restoring a late 70s Crestliner Nordsman II. It is an all aluminum boat and I am using aviation stripper to strip a section of the hull that is about 24 feet by two and a half feet of really ugly brown, yellow and black paint.

I wonder if baking powder blasting would be faster and what does it cost per square feet. Is baking powder easier on aluminum than sand? That is, can it be used? Or what does your wisdom suggest in getting all this crap off the hull fast and with the least amount of expense?

bb

 

[Bifflefan]

Re: Aluminum Hull Stripping

Powercoat Specialty or something like that in greenville can do it in a couple hours for you. Probably around 100-150 bucks for the whole hull and then you can go with what ever color you like.
I thought of having the powercoat an alum hull once, I just dont own one.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Aluminum Hull Stripping

of really ugly brown, yellow and black paint.

Ayuh,...Besides Ugly,... Is the paint Sound,..??
If so,... Sand,+ Prime, then paint it...
It saves Alotta time, money,+ chemicals.....
Stripping aluminum Bare should only be done for necessarities...

 

[Bob1944]

Re: Aluminum Hull Stripping

It kind of rubbery. There are kind of ridges in it like there was a strip of paint and then they painted over it.

Makes sense though to paint over it. Heck of a lot easier.

bb

 

[Bondo]

Re: Aluminum Hull Stripping

It kind of rubbery. There are kind of ridges in it like there was a strip of paint and then they painted over it.

Ayuh,... Your Prep Sanding should fix That....

 

[Bob1944]

Re: Aluminum Hull Stripping

Just for my education, why is it not a good idea to strip aluminum bare?

bb

 

[Bondo]

Re: Aluminum Hull Stripping

Well,... Bare aluminum Requires chemical treatments,+ special primers,...
Over,+ above the normal priming,+ painting...

Aluminum starts oxidizing as Soon as it's bare,... It needs special treatment,+ special primer, Immediately after treatment...

 

[Bob1944]

Re: Aluminum Hull Stripping

Once again, iboats forum has saved my bacon.

 

[66liner]

Re: Aluminum Hull Stripping

I was given a quote of 30 to 50 bucks a foot (per side) to have my 24 foot Lone Star soda blasted down here in Oklahoma. So I am gonna do a stripper and sand method. I have a thick layer of coal tar epoxy to remove, plus about 3 layers of of paint as well.

 

[Bob1944]

Re: Aluminum Hull Stripping

Ayuh,...Besides Ugly,... Is the paint Sound,..??
If so,... Sand,+ Prime, then paint it...
It saves Alotta time, money,+ chemicals.....
Stripping aluminum Bare should only be done for necessarities...

One of the posts suggest auto paint so talked to an auto body man in the neighborhood. He suggests the rubbery paint is house paint and should be removed with a stripper. I have used a stripper on a little of the side and and strips down to a white cover on the hull, it does not go down to bare aluminum.

He suggests a light useage of the stripper to get off the house paint but not the original blue factory paint.

Would you concur?

 

[Bondo]

Re: Aluminum Hull Stripping

Would you concur?

Ayuh,... If you're able to take only the offending Crap off,..
Leaving the original base coating,..?? Go for It..... Absolutely...

You'll still want a rattlecan of a zinc primer to cover any spots that are exposed Bare during the stripping or sanding process...
I'd never had a problem if primed as it's turned Bare, skippin' the chemical wash...
(as in maybe hours old, rather than Days bare)
There's going to be some sand thru's as you cloud the original paint for repainting,...
Just cover 'em with the zinc at the end of each work session....

 

[Bob1944]

Re: Aluminum Hull Stripping

much thanks for invaluable info

 

[evildocrsx]

Re: Aluminum Hull Stripping

I stripped my boat using Aircraft Paint Stripper. I got that at a paint/autobody store for 45 bucks. The reason I stripped it was because there was graffiti on there and I wanted to get all that removed. I didn't strip to the bare aluminum. I just stripped to the Zinc coating. Zinc coating is really hard to take off. Now I'm just gonna lightly sand and touch up with more zinc coating.

I would recommend to strip as deep as you have to. Zinc coating is not cheap. In other words, don't over strip it or work overtime when not needed.

post some pics.