cleaning questions

[destroyer125]

I recently did some paintball gun parts that required polishing and the parts came out terrible due to the polishing compound being stubborn and not fully coming off even with the use of elbow grease, a toothbrush, time, and laquer thinner, it seemed to take the clusters off but not all of the compound

An annodizer local to me (pbcustomz) suggested using nitric acid which he says takes off the polishing compound fairly easy, Would this be a practical way of removing the stuff?

[yoyoboy]

simple green.

[acidrain]

Lacquer thinner and a toothbrush should have taken it right off. Often times I go at the final polish with Mothers mag wheel polish by hand, and it also melts if off. After Mothers, hit it with lacquer thinner (I've been told acetone works even better), then follow that with Caswells's SP degreaser until it passes the water break test. Maybe you left out that last step?

[destroyer125]

yea I dont have any degreaser, might be the prob

[sswee]

Naphtha (Varsol) works good for getting compound off. It's the main ingredient in PPG's DX330 wax and grease remover. Then a detergent cleaning to pass water break.
SS

[destroyer125]

I started doing an ego today and got it polished up, donno if its the fact that my laquer thinner is kinda old and dirty but I soak it and scrub and it just seems to thin it out over the piece and makes my hands tingle

I will try the naptha, is that available at an autopart store or walmart or where?

[sswee]

You might try HD for naphtha. If they don't carry it with the other paint chemicals, you may have to check somewhere that carries automotive paint and ask for the wax and grease remover. PPG product is DX330.
SS

[Sid03]

I just picked up a couple ultrasonic cleaners today which I heard get the polishing compound off wonderfully. Havnt tried it out yet though.

[destroyer125]

let me know on the ultrasonic cleaner too ive seen them before but didnt think they would remmove anything like that

[quadster]

Paint stores like Sherwin Williams or Diamond Vogal should carry naptha. Ive been using straight simple green and a nylon brush. Seems to work pretty good.