Angle Grinder Strip Disc?

TinBoats.net

Help Support TinBoats.net:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

SeaFaring

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 31, 2017
Messages
247
Reaction score
0
Location
Maryland
Has anyone used these on their tin boat to strip old paint?

0eb1d3673f1107eb026774eb1316b420.jpg


I used them and their much more cost effective generic Blue Demon equivalents stripping my steel trailer, and they were ****-near miraculous, at least on the areas they could reach. They even take mill scale off of hot-rolled steel like it ain’t no thang.

I’m a little concerned that they are too aggressive for thin aluminum though. I’ve been watching here for several months, and despite innumerable threads on laboriously stripping boats, I’ve not seen them mentioned. Any experiences?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Definitely have to be careful using an angle grinder. I had a similar stripping wheel and found it clogged up but it wasn’t the same kind. I wound up using a stainless wire cup brush to knock off the stubborn spots after stripping with chemical. However my paint was all above waterline. Wire wheels and such can damage rivets quick! The best results are using chemical stripper. Laborious for sure. If there is only one coat of paint on the boat and it’s not horrible, you can sand and paint over top. Mine had 4 coats! All different, so I wound up stripping, wire wheeling, palm sanding then etch prime and paint. You have to ask yourself what the intended use of the boat is and what end result you will be happy with. Good luck with your project!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Thanks! I found that that disc blazed through everything and never clogged.

I love my angle grinders. They never disappoint. But things can sure go pear-shaped in a hurry!

I suppose I’d rather chem strip and sand than knock my rivets around. That issue hadn’t occurred to me - I was more worried about cutting right through the sheet.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
I've tried them, never ever again, might as well use a grinding disk.

Something like this on the other hand is perfect for cleaning oxidisation and cleaning up after a wire disk has cleaned off old paint.

images (4).jpeg
 
Bob9863 said:
I've tried them, never ever again, might as well use a grinding disk.

Something like this on the other hand is perfect for cleaning oxidisation and cleaning up after a wire disk has cleaned off old paint.


It sounds like they are just way too aggressive for aluminum. Thanks for the feedback and alternative!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
To remove old paint and heavy oxidisation I use one of these sets, gently.

386597.jpg

Followed by one of these with more force to remove leftover paint and to polish out striations from the wire wheel/brush.

View attachment 1

This is what it will buff ally to without doing any damage.

15150371140400.jpg

I hope that helps.
 

Attachments

  • scotch-type-sanding-polishing-mops-for-wood-or-metal-fits-mains-or-battery-drill-54418-p[ekm]3...jpg
    scotch-type-sanding-polishing-mops-for-wood-or-metal-fits-mains-or-battery-drill-54418-p[ekm]3...jpg
    4.7 KB · Views: 1,710
I used this type after using GOOF OFF Paint stripper. No issues with being too aggressive and brought the boat down to bare metal and ready for painting.

https://shop.harborfreight.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/i/m/image_8090.jpg

On another note please research all materials used to prevent a hazardous situation...

https://www.finishing.com/317/17.shtml
 
Samsdad is correct, strip paint. If you wish to get a tool that will last, get a good 5" electric side orbital. I use Dewalt for the price to value. That model has available many+ grits and buffing pads that need no adhesive, at every big box hardware.

I also use those small Scotch Bright on a small pneumatic angle buffer for tighter spots, they too come with many+ grits and buffs/polish wheels. That small buffer is probably considered a 2."

Stripper I used was for carpet/paint, Kutzit brand works good for paint, they are similar products.
 

Attachments

  • 100_3166.JPG
    100_3166.JPG
    99.3 KB · Views: 1,647
  • 100_3174.JPG
    100_3174.JPG
    54.7 KB · Views: 1,646
Should you find yourself burning to strip the whole boat....I cannot recommend enough to investigate low pressure media blasting.

I saw an outfit on CL just the other day that comes to your location and claims no mess when they leave.

Rob

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Tapatalk
 
Thanks for the tips everyone!

Media blasting definitely has an appeal, specifically making it someone else’s job. It would depend on the cost I suppose.

I might be able to get a good deal by calling up marinas around here in the summer. They’re usually starving for work during prime boating season.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
You guys are talking about the best way to make your boat shiny. I think you are looking at this all wrong. I found it is far easier to achieve that classic tin boat patina consisting of oxidation, dock rash, and fish guts. :LOL2:
 
Had several pieces of farm machinery sand blasted to prime and paint. If it is available nearby, a good way to uncover large areas. Be mindful of the grit of sand.
 
LDUBS said:
You guys are talking about the best way to make your boat shiny. I think you are looking at this all wrong. I found it is far easier to achieve that classic tin boat patina consisting of oxidation, dock rash, and fish guts. :LOL2:

Yes but if you get it back to shiny 1st, then all the patina it gets is your patina, you did everything to make it dirty.
Shame you can't do that with a wive or fiancée, if you could then I probably wouldn't be on my 5th one. :lol:
 
LDUBS said:
You guys are talking about the best way to make your boat shiny. I think you are looking at this all wrong. I found it is far easier to achieve that classic tin boat patina consisting of oxidation, dock rash, and fish guts. :LOL2:

Haha - I know what you mean. The person who had my boat before my father in law put some sort of red bottom paint on it. Why a trailer boat needed bottom paint, I’ll never know.

In any event, given the age it’s probably either copper based, in which case it has no business on an aluminum boat, or else it’s tributyl tin, which is safe for aluminum but is incredibly toxic for fish and other marine life, not to mention that it’s toxic to people.

Thinking about this, since the aluminum appears sound, it’s probably TBT, which militates in favor of taking it to a marina where they have the appropriate PPE to deal with toxic bottom paint.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
if you are going to blast look into Ice Blasting... much less clean up. We use it on our rolls and equipment here at work.
 
Dumb question.... (what's new?)..

I read all of the time about sandblasting, and then about using crushed walnuts or something instead of sand.

At Harbor Freight, they sell what I call "flocking" guns. They look like a paint sprayer that has a bin or bottle on top. Obviously, you load the "stuff" in it and it sprays the "stuff" on the ceiling.

Just wonder if one were to use one of those devices; load it with sand or walnuts or whatever....if it would be a gentle sandblaster for applications like we are talking about in this thread???

Anybody??
 

Latest posts

Top