jkdillard
New member
I'm Pretty new to the auto body world and was wondering what the best tool is to remove old paint and rust???
Body Work
- Thread starter jkdillard
- Start date
Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.
I think if you want a top-quality paint job, the quickest way to remove the old paint is take the body to a shop that does "media blasting". This is similar to sandblasting, but instead of sand that can distort the thin sheetmetal, they use a media like crushed walnut shells or hard plastic beads. I've seen this type of job remove all of the paint, and leave the sheetmetal like new. The metal must be primered immediately or it will start to rust on the surface.
If you have any old surface rust on the metal, this process may remove it. If you have rust holes through the sheetmetal, you will need to cut that area out and weld in a patch panel or replace the whole panel. Areas other than the main body or tub (cab and cargo area) may be easier and/or cheaper to replace with new panels rather than trying to repair a large rust spot.
There is also chemical paint remover, which works fair if you have several layers of paint applied over the top of one another. You can strip the old paint down to the primer with that type of product. It's messy.
A dual-action, orbital sander can be used as well to remove paint or work on parts of the body like the interior floor or a single panel. You will go through alot of sanding pads if you do the whole vehicle, but it's another option.
For the average paint job, I think it's better to try to leave the original primer on the sheetmetal (if possible) rather than sanding down to bare metal. The primer is usually baked on and gives the new paint better adhesion. You may need a self-etching primer for bare metal.
Finally, whatever primer and paint products you use, get the best quality you can afford. This will give your finished job a better look and last much longer. I think 90% of a good paint job is in the "prep" or the condition of the metal underneath the actual paint. Any imperfections will show thru, and poor prep can cause blemishes or peeling.
Bondo or body filler is often used to hide imperfections. I won't use it, and my Bronco has zero filler on it.
MY $0.02!!!
If you have any old surface rust on the metal, this process may remove it. If you have rust holes through the sheetmetal, you will need to cut that area out and weld in a patch panel or replace the whole panel. Areas other than the main body or tub (cab and cargo area) may be easier and/or cheaper to replace with new panels rather than trying to repair a large rust spot.
There is also chemical paint remover, which works fair if you have several layers of paint applied over the top of one another. You can strip the old paint down to the primer with that type of product. It's messy.
A dual-action, orbital sander can be used as well to remove paint or work on parts of the body like the interior floor or a single panel. You will go through alot of sanding pads if you do the whole vehicle, but it's another option.
For the average paint job, I think it's better to try to leave the original primer on the sheetmetal (if possible) rather than sanding down to bare metal. The primer is usually baked on and gives the new paint better adhesion. You may need a self-etching primer for bare metal.
Finally, whatever primer and paint products you use, get the best quality you can afford. This will give your finished job a better look and last much longer. I think 90% of a good paint job is in the "prep" or the condition of the metal underneath the actual paint. Any imperfections will show thru, and poor prep can cause blemishes or peeling.
Bondo or body filler is often used to hide imperfections. I won't use it, and my Bronco has zero filler on it.
MY $0.02!!!
Last edited by a moderator:
jkdillard
New member
I'm replacing the front clip on my bronco. The hood I got has some surface rust so i want to get rid of it before i put it on my rig. I just need to know what i need to get the rust off, then i'm going to go get the primer in a spray can.
Thanx Justshootme84 for the info.
Thanx Justshootme84 for the info.
If you're just going to use some rattlecan spray primer and paint (perish the thought!), swipe a coat of Ospho on the entire hood to **** the rust. (See my review post in the tech articles/review forum). Then take a DA sander or some 400 grit sandpaper by hand and knockdown the white residue, then primer and paint. The rattlecan junk won't last very long, but it is cheap. A good used hood without rust from a salvage yard should only cost about $40-$50 if you can find one in your vicinity. Check the underside of the hood up front by the latch. That's a common rust area.
Broncoholics
Broncoholics
I've done a fair share of painting due to smashing up my rigs all the time. If the body part is salvageable I try to keep the original paint on as long as its not chipping or showing signs of problems. Sand it down (250 working up to 400 grit) smooth which might go to primer or metal anyway, no big deal. After rust is taken care of (if any) you can fix slight imperfections with bondo, then sand, primer, sand the primer, re-primer, sand again all with 400 grit. You don't want it as smooth as glass otherwise the paint will not stick as well and tend to run. If you go Metallics paint in one direction only. Solid colors are the easiest becuase if you have runs you can wet sand it back down with 800-1000 grit. Then use rubbing compound, then polishing compound with a 6" disc pollisher. Works great and you will see yourself in the paint. Then you can clear coat it.
My last paint job I decided to use a Polyurathane metallic type paint that has the clear in it. So once its painted its done, no sanding, no clear coat needed and its the strongest paint I've seen. Works well for off-road trucks.
My last paint job I decided to use a Polyurathane metallic type paint that has the clear in it. So once its painted its done, no sanding, no clear coat needed and its the strongest paint I've seen. Works well for off-road trucks.
