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Overspray Removal

YotaBota

YotaBota

Mike
Premium Member
Query for the painters in the crowd.

I have an EDEN toolbox (pre 1990 New Zealand origin) that has an old, over 35 years, nasty amount of overspray on it that I'd like to remove. It's some kind of industrial coating that was used on the big WM garbage bins you see all over the place. Lacquer thinner and varsol don't touch it and I don't want to hurt the original paint. Autosol works reasonably well but it's super labour intensive and it's a hammered finish in a really dark green over copper so the gray overspray stays in the hollows. The Autosol cleaned up the stainless handles well but again, very labour intensive. I used a red Scotchbrite pad on the orbital sander and have gone down as far as I dare without hurting the original paint.

I'm going to send a note to the manufacturer and see if they can give me a type and colour code but I'm not holding out any hope for info on this old of a toolbox.

Any ideas would be appreciated.

TIA

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No to the spray on type, that may be my try. I've tried one of the brush on removers that I have but it worked to quick and started at the original paint before I cold get it off. Good thing the test was on the back bottom corner.

I have very little experience with chemical paint removal especially when just trying to take of a thin top layer of over spray.
 
I've seen others try the junkyard test stuff and none of them worked as advertised.

Acetone also didn't touch the stuff, granted the stuff I have is fairly old so maybe isn't good anymore.
 
I'm not quite understanding the problem area. You mean the yellow is fine but the top and/or black area is the problem? Or the yellow has overspray & that's what you're trying to remove?
 
If it were just relatively fresh overspray on a glossy finish a clay bar could work. With as heavy it is and obviously been there a while, I think sand & prep the top, light coat of primer, sand smooth and new hammertone.
 
It's the dark parts that are the problem. That is a gray overspray on a hammered paint finish.The overspray is heavy on the horizontal surfaces, there was a very light coat on the yellow that came off easy. The handles took a lot of effort but came out good.

The overspray is old and well cured, I'm trying to save the original finish.
 
YotaBota said:
It's the dark parts that are the problem. That is a gray overspray on a hammered paint finish.The overspray is heavy on the horizontal surfaces, there was a very light coat on the yellow that came off easy. The handles took a lot of effort but came out good. The overspray is old and well cured, I'm trying to save the original finish.
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If its putting up that much fight with industrial strength solvents, I'd just refinish it. Whether it would benefit from a coat of primer is even debatable if the top coat will be textured in any way. I've only shot hammered once (rattle can Rustoleum). It looked pretty good & was reasonably tough. Another option is any shade of Tremclad you prefer & use a foam roller. I kind of snickered at this myself, but it leaves a very even, I'll call it mildly textured finish. Do as much as you can with the roller, not a brush. Any nooks or crannies use a foam brush. I used this on my mill stand more as a time saver & it just looks way better than how a brush looks. Did a few other steel objects & really, its a pleasing finish. Best if you can test it on something beforehand.

ps you can get decent quality foam rollers on Amazon in various lengths (2-4") various diameter (1-2"), with/without round-over edge for feathering or 90-deg for tight corners. This Mister Rui brand seemed pretty good, I just bought some refills. They fit standard handles & less cost than evil big box stores.
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I’d try a random orbital with just a piece of 1/4” foam so the surface conforms to the hammer finish. I’d start by sprinkling some baking soda on the surface as abrasive. If that doesn’t work, try blasting beads or sand blasting grit.
You could also try a gentle soda blasting. I suspect the original finish could be powder coating and a fair bit tougher than the overspray..
 
FatherWes said:
I’d try a random orbital with just a piece of 1/4” foam so the surface conforms to the hammer finish. I’d start by sprinkling some baking soda on the surface as abrasive. If that doesn’t work, try blasting beads or sand blasting grit.
You could also try a gentle soda blasting. I suspect the original finish could be powder coating and a fair bit tougher than the overspray..
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Interesting idea, that would be more gentle than any sand paper.
 
I've got baking soda, rubbing compound and the sander so I'll give that a try.

I've rattle canned the Rustoleum hammer finish as well and it comes out pretty good, that may be my way ahead.

Thanks to all for the input.
 
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