Perhaps a conformal coating stripper such as MG Chemicals 8310A will help remove the existing coating. This product is intended for removing acrylics, polyurethanes and silicones. Jasco GJPR500 is intended for removing paint, varnish, shellac, epoxy and urethane. Not sure what else you might consider, aircraft stripper perhaps?
I'm very interested in this process. I have a set of factory aluminum wheels on my 1990 Olds wagon. They have never been painted and should clean up nicely. Keep the content coming.....great info!
If they are just factory bare aluminum that's EXACTLY what would look amazing in one of these cabinets. We are still learning and will have more on this contraption coming soon!
I was a industrial painter for 34 yrs,I agree with you about the centers being powder coated,either that or some very tough epoxy paint. Like you said the rest of the rims cleaned up very nicely,money well spent on that VHT. Sorry the Bengals didn`t win.
Lot of 90's wheels were wet-painted with Imron. Epoxy as best I recall. More durable than most powders and extremely hard to strip, short of a really strong hot tank or nuclear radiation
Hmmmmm well these wheels are from the mid 90s so, maybe that's what this is? It certainly SEEMS like paint to me but a liberal application of paint stripper and hitting them with a brass brush did, almost nothing. Have seem people remove it was straight flame at like 550+ degrees but that can also ruin/weaken the aluminum
@@LucoreAuto Benco 17 paint stripper is about the only chemical means to strip Imron, but it will also strip powder coating (which comes in handy for you). It also won’t, far as I know, damage the spun finish on the lips like a hot tank or more aggressive media blasting will.
Being an original MSW wheel it was likely an argent silver color from the factory. It'd be interesting to see how a bare aluminum cylinder head would turn out. I have a trashed one id donate to the cause for ya.
Are you local? Not sure what these wheels were coated with originally but whatever is on there now is impressive! The barrels are most certainly white as is the edge between the lip and the spoke.
We're looking at doing a silica carbide as a cutting agent, we'll see how that cuts through this stuff. Even if it does there's still hours more work to do! We want to see how the finish holds without a coating but yes eventually will probably clear them... after we can get this junk off!
It certainly can yes and it depends on what we are working on. A lot of aluminum though is just bare so this can make a really drastic difference. Once we get these wheels properly pretty we'll likely put a layer of clear over to protect them.
Rust yes absolutely, and paint yes if you use a more aggressive media. This was all done with with light "hollow glass bead" media so it's designed more for finishing/polishing
Getting powdercoat off is a big PITA! Friend of mine started powder coating. First with a cheap 'gun' and an old dishwasher converted to an 'baking oven' But getting old powder coating OFF was impossible. At least until he found a chemical liquid to let parts stay in for many hours, and ideally at room temperature. Then it peeled of easily. And it could be re-used many times. Probably more if the instructions had been followed better as in adding the 'accelerant' bit by bit when it lost strenght. And not all of it at once! But, men are men and dont read instructions until its the last resort. Right?!
Can absolutely confirm this stuff does NOT want to come off. Never really understood how durable it was.. until you try to make it NOT be there. Looking into the types of solvent baths out there is certainly an option but... we aren't going to be doing this kind of thing all that often so probably not economical. Not to mention... we don't have room for ANOTHER thing in the shop. We are going to step up to some heavy duty material to see how well it works, but even that from what I've heard takes a LONG time... like... an hour per wheel!
@@throttlewatch4614 Yeah that guys created one crazy machine, been watching that thing since he was on drag week a little while back. Not going QUITE that crazy :)
We were and are still hoping to stay away from getting TOO medieval on these things but sometimes that's what it takes. Have some new more aggressive media coming for it and we'll see how it does against this coating. If that doesn't work... yeah a grinding we will go.
The problem for a smaller shop with vapour hone is the time it takes. You end tying up a qualified mechanic for what is a low skill, mundane job. Do you have enough work in the shop as a whole to hire a broom boy?
That's a very very good point, especially on a project this extensive. On little stuff you're in the cabinet and out in just a matter of minutes. Redoing these wheels was probably close to 2 hours... and that's without having much success against the coating. Once we start using this as a service for customers we'll see if it can pay for itself as well as a new team member.
What do you all think? Who's got a solution? We're open to information!
Perhaps a conformal coating stripper such as MG Chemicals 8310A will help remove the existing coating. This product is intended for removing acrylics, polyurethanes and silicones.
Jasco GJPR500 is intended for removing paint, varnish, shellac, epoxy and urethane.
Not sure what else you might consider, aircraft stripper perhaps?
Cool! Vapor Hone some grungy old tools, see if it brings em back to life.
Ohhh good idea! Will definitely do that!
dave from packwaukee here you are getting more done in the winter than me.
Winter is wrenching season, gotta get 'em done before fun season gets here!
I'm very interested in this process. I have a set of factory aluminum wheels on my 1990 Olds wagon. They have never been painted and should clean up nicely. Keep the content coming.....great info!
If they are just factory bare aluminum that's EXACTLY what would look amazing in one of these cabinets. We are still learning and will have more on this contraption coming soon!
I was a industrial painter for 34 yrs,I agree with you about the centers being powder coated,either that or some very tough epoxy paint. Like you said the rest of the rims cleaned up very nicely,money well spent on that VHT. Sorry the Bengals didn`t win.
There’s always next year!
And I agree on the VHT
Love you covering the learning curve, I’d have them professionally powder coated and be done with them!
Great video!
May get them professionally powder coated after this, didn't think that stuff held up QUITE this well!
Your doing awesome keep it up and thanks for all the great content you have done. God bless you guys and as always be safe 👍
Thanks Ray we appreciate it! Just a small time shop over here trying to do big things 😀 Thanks for hanging out and supporting us!
Lot of 90's wheels were wet-painted with Imron. Epoxy as best I recall. More durable than most powders and extremely hard to strip, short of a really strong hot tank or nuclear radiation
Hmmmmm well these wheels are from the mid 90s so, maybe that's what this is? It certainly SEEMS like paint to me but a liberal application of paint stripper and hitting them with a brass brush did, almost nothing. Have seem people remove it was straight flame at like 550+ degrees but that can also ruin/weaken the aluminum
@@LucoreAuto Benco 17 paint stripper is about the only chemical means to strip Imron, but it will also strip powder coating (which comes in handy for you). It also won’t, far as I know, damage the spun finish on the lips like a hot tank or more aggressive media blasting will.
Interesting segment. I'm interested in seeing how flashy it could make aluminum heads look.
Will see if we can get our hands on some disassembled aluminum heads to test
If you're not learnin' you're not livin'!
Very very true!
Being an original MSW wheel it was likely an argent silver color from the factory. It'd be interesting to see how a bare aluminum cylinder head would turn out. I have a trashed one id donate to the cause for ya.
Are you local? Not sure what these wheels were coated with originally but whatever is on there now is impressive! The barrels are most certainly white as is the edge between the lip and the spoke.
Do more before and after side by side photos in future videos
Will certainly remember to do that, some of this stuff it's absolutely striking to see the Before and After.
Silica sand will take off the paint/power coating. Plus you’ll probably want to at least clearcoat your wheels to maintain the cleaner appearance.
We're looking at doing a silica carbide as a cutting agent, we'll see how that cuts through this stuff. Even if it does there's still hours more work to do! We want to see how the finish holds without a coating but yes eventually will probably clear them... after we can get this junk off!
Austin, are you ready to try a carburetor yet? I also have a 2001 Bullitt Mustang intake I would like to have vapor blasted.
We're actually going to address that in a video for next week. Short answer is, just about 😀
@@LucoreAuto Excellent, I'll be waiting for that video. Thank you!
Doesn't bare aluminum benefit from some type of coating, like clear coat for example?
It certainly can yes and it depends on what we are working on. A lot of aluminum though is just bare so this can make a really drastic difference. Once we get these wheels properly pretty we'll likely put a layer of clear over to protect them.
Does vapor honing remove paint & rust ?
Rust yes absolutely, and paint yes if you use a more aggressive media. This was all done with with light "hollow glass bead" media so it's designed more for finishing/polishing
would it help remove all the years of ugly i have pick up? i'm lookin pretty worn out!
If you are flexible and could fit in the cabinet... dunno it might help to "rejuvenate"
Disclaimer : It will not help rejuvenate skin
Getting powdercoat off is a big PITA! Friend of mine started powder coating. First with a cheap 'gun' and an old dishwasher converted to an 'baking oven' But getting old powder coating OFF was impossible. At least until he found a chemical liquid to let parts stay in for many hours, and ideally at room temperature. Then it peeled of easily. And it could be re-used many times. Probably more if the instructions had been followed better as in adding the 'accelerant' bit by bit when it lost strenght. And not all of it at once! But, men are men and dont read instructions until its the last resort. Right?!
Can absolutely confirm this stuff does NOT want to come off. Never really understood how durable it was.. until you try to make it NOT be there. Looking into the types of solvent baths out there is certainly an option but... we aren't going to be doing this kind of thing all that often so probably not economical. Not to mention... we don't have room for ANOTHER thing in the shop.
We are going to step up to some heavy duty material to see how well it works, but even that from what I've heard takes a LONG time... like... an hour per wheel!
I smell a LS swap in the future...
Haha a swap yes, but not an LS 😉
Nope, its getting a Koenigsegg engine. And I aint kidding!
Might be wrong though... 😭
But Is it a 6 second Volvo wagon ?
Not yet BUT... there are plans!
Koenigsegg engine 😉
@@thatdudeinorange2297 lol that might be a TINY bit outside the budget for this project 😅
I was referring to the wagon on Sick week that thing was badass
@@throttlewatch4614 Yeah that guys created one crazy machine, been watching that thing since he was on drag week a little while back. Not going QUITE that crazy :)
take a 3500rpm grinder with some 120 grit to those spokes.
it will take that coating off,and look better
We were and are still hoping to stay away from getting TOO medieval on these things but sometimes that's what it takes. Have some new more aggressive media coming for it and we'll see how it does against this coating. If that doesn't work... yeah a grinding we will go.
The problem for a smaller shop with vapour hone is the time it takes. You end tying up a qualified mechanic for what is a low skill, mundane job. Do you have enough work in the shop as a whole to hire a broom boy?
That's a very very good point, especially on a project this extensive. On little stuff you're in the cabinet and out in just a matter of minutes. Redoing these wheels was probably close to 2 hours... and that's without having much success against the coating.
Once we start using this as a service for customers we'll see if it can pay for itself as well as a new team member.
All you had to do was use a power washer.
Lol unfortunately these were a tad beyond power washing 😀 Tried that... and every wheel cleaning chemical possible