Re: powder coat removal question
Methylene Chloride is an active ingredient in many paint strippers that are found at your local hardware store, and it works well for removing most powder coatings. Always wear gloves when handling this stuff.
Soak your part for 15-30 minutes and the powder should become clumpy and wipe off. Carefully heating the cleaner about 5-10 degrees above room temp may help to speed up the chemical reaction, as well as wiping the part occasionally to loosen the top layer and expose more coating to the chemical. Use a wire brush or knife to scrape off any powder that remains stuck in the corners. Thick brushable pastes are a good alternative to soaking.
Acetone and MEK are other good solvents, but should not be very effective in removing a well-cured powder. If the coating is made to be very chemical resistant or if the coating is actually anodized and not powder coat, none of the above methods will work. And as a reminder when working with chemicals, you should check to make sure that it doesn't eat away at the metal on your part before stripping expensive parts!
|