How to remove powder coating

[Matt Thorn]

For once, an answer, rather than a question. :p

Changed your mind about something you had Tim powder coat for you? Damaged the surface and want it redone? Mess up a powder coating job yourself?

Never fear. Removing powder coating is remarkable easy, if you use the right tool: Permatex 80646 Gasket Remover.

I learned about it here (http://www.choppersurplus.com/global/articles/howtoremovepowdercoating.html). The instructions are all there, too, but I would add a couple of notes.

First, though it sounds like something that might burn a hole through your skin and ever other non-metallic surface, it actually isn't such a big deal. It doesn't even make any fumes. EDIT: I did notice fumes the second time around, but they are not very strong. Still, standards precautions about ventilation apply. But it's probably a good idea to wear gloves of some kind (and eye protection, in the unlikely event that some of it flies in the direction of your eye) when using it. I used common rubber dishwashing gloves, and they haven't dissolved yet. ;) I just set my piece on a piece of cardboard and sprayed away. You can see the effect immediately. The instructions say to let it sit for "5-10" minutes. I would add, don't let it sit for more than 10 minutes. It seems that when it dries, the bubbly, flaked powder coating re-adheres itself to the metal, making it a nuisance to get off. If that happens, just repeat the process till it's all off. I had to do it four times to get all the Candy Red off a Yoda hilt.

Note: This method requires no sanding! Indeed, I strongly advise against sanding, particularly if you're working with a non-MHS piece. Before discovering the Gasket Remover method, I tried (futilely) sanding the Powder Coating off my Yoda hilt, and ended up scraping off some kind of surface that gives the Yoda its brushed steel appearance. After removing the Powder Coating with the Gasket Remover, I found that the damage was pretty visible, and that more sanding and buffing just made it worse.

I was able to find the Permatex Gasket Remover even here in Japan, so you should be able to find it easily wherever you are. :D I have no idea if other brands of gasket remover would also work. I also don't know if the 80645 Low VOC Gasket Remover listed on the Permatex site will work. (I don't know if they have stopped manufacturing the 80646, since it's not listed on their site, but it's still available al over the place.)

Hope this info comes in handy to someone.

P.S.: I'm going to try to salvage my Yoda hilt by powder coating it with an opaque chrome. It won't look like the MR version, but hopefully it won't look too odd.

[Jagahati]

Now this is good information to know!

Dang good find and thank you very much for sharing.

[Kal El Rah]

What Jagahati said!

[Matt Thorn]

Glad to be of help. I've learned so much from these forums, I figure I should try to give back what little I can. :oops:

[Onli-Won Kanomi]

Excellent find, thanks!

[Master Jedye]

Great find, Matt! (and "Hi! It's been a while!")

I'm gonna try this next time....I'm tired of sanding. lol

[Matt Thorn]

Great find, Matt! (and "Hi! It's been a while!")

I'm gonna try this next time....I'm tired of sanding. lol
Long time no see, MJ! Yeah, this is definitely better than sanding. :p

[Alcfalath]

Very good contribution to the hobby. This may need to be stickied at some point for future use of people in that situation :)

[Matt Thorn]

Particularly when you are working with a new color, chances are good that you'll have to do a do-over. Yesterday I screwed up a powder coating of a Yoda hilt using Candy Red. I stripped it with the Gasket Remover and had it back in the oven 20 minutes later. :D

[Zook]

I may have to try that. I just use aircraft remover (strong paint remover) and it has always worked great but you do not want to get it on your skin. A more skin friendly product such as the gasket remover would be welcome if it works as well (from your post it seems it does).

Thanks.

I am probably (maybe, not sure, haven't made up my mind yet) going to strip my Leia hilt and PC it blue ice explosion which is a flip flop type color. It appears black until its in the sun and then its a really dark cobalt blue (but only where the sun is directly shining on it). Its a beautiful color I got to do my bike in but think it might look good on the Leia. If I don't like it I can always strip it again and go back with the super wet black.

[Matt Thorn]

I may have to try that. I just use aircraft remover (strong paint remover) and it has always worked great but you do not want to get it on your skin. A more skin friendly product such as the gasket remover would be welcome if it works as well (from your post it seems it does).
I have gotten it on my hands, and though I washed them as soon as I could, I noticed no irritation or discomfort of any kind.

I am probably (maybe, not sure, haven't made up my mind yet) going to strip my Leia hilt and PC it blue ice explosion which is a flip flop type color. It appears black until its in the sun and then its a really dark cobalt blue (but only where the sun is directly shining on it). Its a beautiful color I got to do my bike in but think it might look good on the Leia. If I don't like it I can always strip it again and go back with the super wet black.
Cool. I was looking at those flip-flop colors over at powderbuythepound.com the other day and pondering their possibilities. I hope you'll upload photos if you decide to go with the flip-flop.

[Zook]

I have gotten it on my hands, and though I washed them as soon as I could, I noticed no irritation or discomfort of any kind.

Cool. I was looking at those flip-flop colors over at powderbuythepound.com the other day and pondering their possibilities. I hope you'll upload photos if you decide to go with the flip-flop.


yeah aircraft remover starts to burn immediately so I am definitely going to try the gasket remover. I will buy some tomorrow to test out.

I will definitely upload pics...if I don't do the saber I will PM you pics of the parts of the bike (that's bicycle not motorcycle) I do which is what I got the powder for in the first place. I have already done a small piece to see how I like it. Its a nice color under normal light but once you get it outside in the sun it really looks good.

To be honest though I really don't see that color as being a true flip flop color. Its more of a dark pearl but I guess since its so dark then flips to blue under light or different angles it can be considered flip flop. When I think of flip flop colors are the ones that truly change colors like green to blue etc.

The next colors I am going to buy from them are the dormants (red and blue). They really look like a candy paint job but with less work.

[FenderBender]

Eastwood also sells a "wash" that is reuseable and you just put the part in a bowl with the solution and it dissolves the PC. No mess no stripper and you just dump the solution back in the container.

[Master Jedye]

Follow up...
I tried this with the Permatex Gasket remover foam (Permatex 80648 ) and it didn't work. I couldn't find the aerosol so that's why I tried the foamer.

Must be something in the aerosol form that makes it work (?)

Like FB, I'm using the stripper from Eastwood but would still like to try this. Guess I'll just wait till I find the 646.

[Matt Thorn]

Follow up...
I tried this with the Permatex Gasket remover foam (Permatex 80648 ) and it didn't work. I couldn't find the aerosol so that's why I tried the foamer.

Must be something in the aerosol form that makes it work (?)

Like FB, I'm using the stripper from Eastwood but would still like to try this. Guess I'll just wait till I find the 646.
Yeah. The site I linked to was pretty specific in saying it was that particular product that worked, so I didn't take a chance on anything else. There must be some magical ingredient (or combination of ingredients) that does the trick.

[Master Jedye]

I had a feeling that it wouldn't work... and would imagine that it's a weaker formula since to create the foam... alot of air needs to be introduced into the mix.

Worse case, I'll just soak these PC'd pieces in some of this New Orleans' coffee I just finished drinking. That should work. :rolleyes:

[Matt Thorn]

Worse case, I'll just soak these PC'd pieces in some of this New Orleans' coffee I just finished drinking. That should work. :rolleyes:
Ouch! :p

[vorian89]

If you have PC in a small area that you want out is this method i should use or is there some other method cause i know that sanding blows.

[Zook]

If you have PC in a small area that you want out is this method i should use or is there some other method cause i know that sanding blows.

sure...if you have other PC around the small area you don't want removed just be sure and protect it with some thick wrapping of tape etc. because if any of these chemicals gets on it they will start to eat at it.

dont use the dip if your small area is close to other PC though because I doubt taping will help protect the PC if you dipped it.

[Matt Thorn]

If you have PC in a small area that you want out is this method i should use or is there some other method cause i know that sanding blows.
I would add that instead of directly spraying the gasket remover onto the piece, you should spray it onto a Q-tip (cotton swab) and then use that to apply the gasket remover to exactly the spot you want to clean.

[Revan]

awesome info! really needed this because i accidentally had one of my part's powder coated when i didn't need it to be so this saves me from buying another one!

[Tahm]

Hey everyone, I don't know about you but the Permatex 80646 is getting hard to find. Seems like most places are replacing it with the foam version (Permatex 80645.) I was able to find some at NAPA Auto Parts, but they changed the part number to a "Napa part number" same stuff as the Permatex 80646, just different name. Napa Part Number: 765-1230. Hope this saves someone else some time. Works great BTW.

[Matt Thorn]

Thanks for the info, Tahm. I've been wondering what to do when I run out of the Permatex 80646.

Here's link for it:
http://www.napaonline.com/Search/Detail.aspx?R=BK_7651230_0282382660

[dj2rbo]

Matt I also used Jasco paint remover from pepboys....I tried it after I messed up.

Thanks for the info, Tahm. I've been wondering what to do when I run out of the Permatex 80646.

Here's link for it:
http://www.napaonline.com/Search/Detail.aspx?R=BK_7651230_0282382660

[xl97]

Jasco Paint remover has been mentioned before as working very well..

Also AirCraft Stripper works good.. (comes in spray can).. spray it on (heavily).. let it sit or a few hours.. come back..whole PC comes off as 1 piece/gel like cover.

to re-cap:
Permatex Gasket Claner/removers
Jasco Paint Stripper
Aircraft Stripper


However.. (as this is what the big guns told me to use).. this can be re-used over and over..


and the Eastwood one actually 'disolves' the PC..

Eastwood:
http://www.eastwood.com/catalog/product/view/id/2384


PowderBuyThePound:
http://powderbuythepound.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=178&products_id=798

[Matt Thorn]

I got some stray powder coating on some anodized pieces. Does any know if gasket remover will damage the anodization?

I'll test it on a scrap piece, but if anyone knows the answer off the top of his/her head, I'd be grateful for a response.

EDIT: Nevermind! I just tested it and it worked fine.

[Boj-Vaati Mau]

Excellent tip, Matt! I want to use a fluted piece in mine but wanted silver flutes with a black exterior. This will take care of that nicely. I would guess that I should tape over the areas I don't want the powder coat removed from?

[Matt Thorn]

Excellent tip, Matt! I want to use a fluted piece in mine but wanted silver flutes with a black exterior. This will take care of that nicely. I would guess that I should tape over the areas I don't want the powder coat removed from?
The gasket remover will seep under the masking tape and you won't get a clean line. That's a tricky situation. If you are using MHS parts, it would be best to have Tim do that for you. He powder coats the un-fluted piece first, then machines the flutes.

If you already have a powder-coated fluted piece, and want to remove the powder coating from just the flutes, I would recommend dipping a cotton swab in some gasket remover, and very carefully dabbing it on the places you want removed, one small area at a time. Once the remover is applied, the powder coating should start bubbling up within five minutes, probably as little as one or two minutes. Then use a clean cotton swab to remove the loose coating. (You need to do this before the dissolved powder coating dries again.) Just patiently repeat this process until you've removed all the PC from the flutes.

[cannibal869]

+1 recommendation for the Eastwood remover - thanks xl97!

Just got it and tried it today - works beautifully!! and super quick too!!

:cool:
-c

[Boj-Vaati Mau]

Cool, thanks again Matt. I'll ask for the coating before machining to the notes when I get to buying those parts. I think it'll be easier than clean up later.

[samuellmiles]

FYI,
User Be Ware: when handling and applying Gasket Removers for removing powder coating and paints.
What most people do not know, without actually reviewing the Material Safety Data Sheets or the Hazards Section on the can, is that this Gasket Remover is made up primarily from a chlorinated solvent called DICHLOROMETHANE, which is suspected to cause cancer in laboratory animals as well as being toxic to human vital organs, by breathing the volatile vapors during use. Past paint stripping technologies were based on this same chlorinated solvent, synonymously called Methylene Chloride. This is a chemical that I personally would stay away from utilizing to remove paint and powder coating, with all the safer alternatives available today.
There is good news, www.MilesChemicalSolutions.com, provide a variety of eco-friendly: Green type stripping solutions for stripping paint, varnish removers and powder coating removers from metal parts. do not use on automotive ABS-type plastic parts, may melt away with the coating. The MILES #8612 is my preferred Non-Hazardous, eco-friendly powder coating remover.

Use MILES #8612 at room temperature overnight to remove 2-4 mils of cured conventional TGIC powder coating from hooks, racks and parts. For faster stripping, in less than an hour, You will need to set up a heated immersion tank, it may be fabricated of mild steel or stainless steel. For small jobbers: Utilize an open head steel drum with an electric exterior-drum heater to reach 165F. Strip cured coatings from parts, hooks and fixtures daily. MILES #8612 is non-hazardous, eco-friendly, effective, safe, and won't burn the skin. It can be reused for up to 1-year and requires no mixing or water, just use as received and return your valuable parts to original pre-paint surface condition, then re-coat for a perfect part!
Here is how you can order MILES #8612 it is $34.85/gallon in 1-gallon samples or 5-gallon pails or $24.85/gallon in 55-gallon drums for custom powder coating shops. I hope this will help your future powder coating removal projects!
Order online, Secure order form at: http://www.mileschemicalsolutions.com/paint_powder_removal_order_form.htm

[xl97]

thanks for the info...

its nice of you to come here and (as your first & only post), plug your own website for 'products'..

(tsk tsk tsk)... this is someone else's bread & butter.. so coming here to promote you own site is a bit....well.... cheeky! ;)



Anyways.. Aircraft stripper works good in need local purchase..

or just order from Eastwood a pc dissolver, which you can keep re-using.

[Boj-Vaati Mau]

And a Necropost to boot!

[FenderBender]

Everything will kill those California lab rats, too much sun, too much sugar, air etc. It doesn't matter.

[ARKM]

I'm pretty sure samuelmiles post is intended to be spam and not something posted to help us. It was probably posted by a spambot.

[KuroChou]

Hence why I was resisting the urge to comment on it, and instead waiting for a mod to delete the post..

[xl97]

which is why I posted as such... ;)

first and only post.. on that? lol.. for sure spam.

[Vlad Doon]

Good to know. Thanks a lot although it'll be tough to find this product in france