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Removing Painted Name

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gracer
1st Mate

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USA
39 Posts

Initially Posted - 04/03/2003 : 08:26:47

I need to remove an old painted on name from my C-25 SK.

I have tried paint thnnner - did not work!

I'm about to try Acetone, Any advice/suggestions?

Bob

Edited by - on

dave holtgrave
Captain

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USA
427 Posts

Response Posted - 04/03/2003 : 08:40:44

comet cleanser will work.
just rub where the lettering is and not too much on the gelcoat.
i removed several painted on numbers and names in my time sailing and this works best.

dave holtgrave
5722 sk/tr
27 days to sailing at carlyle
lake, illinois

Edited by - on

Buzz Maring
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1774 Posts

Response Posted - 04/03/2003 : 09:11:28

Hi Bob,

A PO painted my boat's hull ... the paint was starting to peel off in spots, so I had to strip ALL the paint off the boat ... what a job <img src=icon_smile_angry.gif border=0 align=middle>

Anyway, I bought some gelcoat-friendly paint stripper at West Marine that worked very well ... it is simply called "Stripper Paint Remover." It is easy to use ... you just dab or brush it on, let it sit for a while, then peel off the paint. If you have some stubborn paint spots, just scrape it off with a razor blade or scraper.

'Hope that helps ... good luck!

Buzz Maring
<img src="http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b3df23b3127cce9306a9b3abad0000001010" border=0>
~~Freya~~
C-25 SK/SR #68

Edited by - on

Ben
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1234 Posts

Response Posted - 04/03/2003 : 09:53:45

I posted the same question at Trailer Sailor and the majority of responces was to use Easy Off Oven Cleaner. Sounds strange to me and I haven't tied it yet.

Ben
Adventurous
#5553
C25 SR/SK

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Earl Landers
Navigator

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USA
157 Posts

Response Posted - 04/03/2003 : 10:07:53

Bob,
My PO used an epoxy based paint. While I was able to remove the pigments, I am left with raised, yellowed epoxy ghosts. Sanding with 600 wet&dry removes adjacent gel coat, but has no appearent effect on the raised letters, and I am reluctant to go too far. I think I'll just get some more paint and repaint the name using the epoxy as a guide.

Earl Landers
'83 C25 SR/SK
"Gentle Spirit"

Edited by - on

MattL
Admiral

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USA
990 Posts

Response Posted - 04/03/2003 : 11:12:04

One thing to help is build up a thick layer of masking tape around the raised letters then sand. Sanding will now remove letters and tape, when you get close to the last layer of tape slow down and maybe scrape off the rest, or dampen a cloth with acetone to wipe off the epoxy remants.

Matt/Brigitte Loeffler
E.C. Rider
Cat 25 86'
FK/SR _/)

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dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 04/03/2003 : 11:46:22

I found this over at SailNet.

Removing Old Names

"How do I remove a painted name from the transom of a fiberglass boat without damaging the gelcoat and leaving a shadow?"

Tom Wood responds:

Now's the time you wish the previous owner had used vinyl graphics instead of paint. A heat gun and some cleanup with an orange-based tape remover gets those off in a heartbeat.

Paint requires a little more work, especially since a new owner never knows what type of paint was used to apply the old name—some soft paints come off easily, while a good-quality polyurethane can be like removing concrete. Basically, all paints and coatings must be taken off with either a chemical stripper or by abrasion. Let's take them one at a time:

Use strippers made specifically for gelcoat surfaces—never the paint removers that you find at the local home improvement store. Try a little patch first. If the paint is very hard, paint stripper made for fiberglass surfaces may not touch it. I have had even the mild strippers made for gelcoat distort the surface, so pay attention, go slowly, and work in small areas. Frankly, I would probably never do this to my own boat.
Abrasion is a word with many different degrees of meaning—certainly we don't want to start with 60-grit sandpaper. Use the finest abrasive you can find first, and for my money this is toothpaste—any type will do and you don't need fluoride or a mint flavor. Believe it or not, toothpaste will remove many soft paints and stains, and polish the gelcoat underneath at the same time. For removing a name this way, a high speed polisher, buffer, or grinder with a soft "sheepskin" cover and a little water to keep the surface moist (not wet) is the best method. Doing this by hand almost certainly guarantees sore elbows if the name is writ large.
If the paint is hard enough to resist toothpaste, try a fine polishing compound. Rubbing compounds are often designated as fine, medium, or coarse—start as fine as you can and work up the scale to the coarse grit only if you have to. If you've gotten to coarse rubbing compound on a high-speed wheel, and it still isn't coming off, the name was undoubtedly applied in a two-part polyurethane paint, which is highly unusual but not unheard of. In this unhappy eventuality, you will literally have to move to sandpaper—600 grit wet/dry on a foam sanding block by hand, keeping the surface running with water and very light pressure.

The only good thing about this process is that if you did have to go all the way to the sandpaper stage, you now have all the various grits of polishing compounds in your tool kit to start repolishing the surface. Work your way back down the scale to fine using a new sheepskin bonnet for each grit. Skip the toothpaste, using a good quality paste wax as the final step.

Unless the gelcoat was very porous when it was initially painted on, the name should now not even be a shadow of its former self. One caveat though: if the gelcoat was badly oxidized and chalky, or was a dark color that faded, you will now have a brand new transom on an old-looking boat, or a bright red transom on a dull pink boat. No problem—you just have to do the rest of the hull too.

I have also used this procedure on boats painted with Awlgrip and Imron. Names painted onto these sometimes do etch themselves into the surface of the hull paint, requiring the removal of the surface layer of paint. This takes more care, but the results can be just as good.

<img src="http://www.catalina25-250.org/c25sm.gif" border=0>Don Lucier<img src="http://www.catalina25-250.org/c25sm.gif" border=0>
<img src="http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b2cc32b3127cce92e981259d130000001010" border=0>
North Star SR/FK

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Oscar
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
2030 Posts

Response Posted - 04/03/2003 : 17:34:48

Earl,

Use a real or faux finish name board, and paint the new name on that.

Oscar
<img src="http://www.woodenshoemusic.com/Images/familypics/LKforumshot.jpg" border=0>
Lady Kay 250 WB #618
In the driveway in Behtlehem, PA ready to go anytime.

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OJ
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4382 Posts

Response Posted - 04/03/2003 : 23:23:08

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>

Tom Wood responds:
. . . For removing a name this way, a high speed polisher, buffer, or grinder with a soft "sheepskin" cover and a little water to keep the surface moist (not wet) is the best method . . . If you've gotten to coarse rubbing compound on a high-speed wheel . . .

<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote>
I totally disagree with the term "high speed" and "grinder." The main difference between a polisher and a grinder is rpms. A polisher is ~1,750 rpm and a grinder is double that and more. Stick with the former else you'll risk burning the gel coat.

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George Beck
1st Mate

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USA
48 Posts

Response Posted - 04/05/2003 : 16:57:10

I can attest to Bens post of using Oven Off. It works great and no abrasion as with other suggestions. Dont ask me to explain why though. Understand that depending on age of boat etc. you may still see some indication of name from oxidation and fading. A good rubbing compound will help that. Try it, you'll like it. Good luck

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