The International Cessna^® 170 Association

I'm trying to get 20V ready for her first new paint in about 40 years, and I'm curious if there's anyone out there willing to share some tips about stripping old paint and prepping for new. I've started on the control surfaces and its pretty slow going. Paint comes off great, but the primer underneath has been a real bear! I've tried a couple of different strippers, just looking for tips and ideas if anyone's willing to share.

Once we get paint on her, we can put her back together for good. Hopefully she'll be flying this summer, last log entry was in 1978.

Thanks in advance.

-Dustin
Helena, MT

Dustin
I used three different strippers and the best one was called "aircraft paint stripper" which I got at the local automotive supply.(red white and blue can) The worst one was the one advertised in Trade-a-Plane that claims to have stripped the SR-71. Not really a great difference in any of the three. Make sure whatever you use is approved for use on aluminum. High ambient temperatures and sunshine seemed to help the most. The fumes are nasty and you really need to protect your skin and especially your eyes. A high pressure washer to remove the old paint and rinse away the stripper would be mandatory in my book. The painters I have talked to would only discount the job $900-$1000 because it was already stripped. At that rate I figure I made maybe $10 an hour not counting stripper and equipment!

Dustin, are you going to paint it yourself? If not is may not be worth it as Paul said. If you are try--Eldorado 3500 stripper go buy yourself a cheap spray gun and drill out the nozzle to 1/16" spray gun from harbor fgt #2936 i think and throw it away or let someone else use later. Wear plenty of protective clothing(cover everything) spray on and DO NOT brush or move it--let it do its own work--it's a chemical reaction and if you move it it flips on you meaning the chemical work comes up and nothing really happens. Spray on thick 1/8 coat and let it sit --it will start peeling and wash off very easy. Warm sunshine on the pieces work great. pressure wash off but DO NOT hold 90 degrees to the skins they can and will warp especially in the middle of the formers and/or ribs ( just ask Cleo he had his done by a pro and got em). If you have any other questions call or email me I've done it to mine twice. I let a painter spray the paint on mine because of all the new type paints and mixtures and hardners etc. Alot has changed in the paint industry in the last 25 yrs. Ron

I believe Cleo's difficulty came from allowing someone else (inexperienced) to strip his wings by media-blasting, not from pressure washing.
The purpose of stripping to bare metal is to clean/inspect. If primer is in good condtion and stuck on that good, I'd consider leaving it and letting it continue to do a good job. (Of course, that will depend upon it's condition/compatibility with the new paint.)

Dustin,
Saran wrap is your friend. Any place that seems particularly stubborn apply a coat of stripper and place saran wrap over the area to delay the flashing off the stripper allowing it extra time to work. Eldorado stripper has work the best for me.

Dustin I'll let you know in about 2 weeks, got my insurance check for old smokie yesterday $$$$$ so start the presses. We got a sample from a Canadian company for a efs ( environmentally safe stripper) stripper. We are going to try it this weekend to see how it works. There's a young gal that works for my buddy thats all Gun ho for stripping the fuselage. I was content on trailering the airframe to the paint shop and wipe my hands of the whole ordeal, the only issues I wanted was what color I want it. I was promised I wouldn't have to touch a ounce of stripper, so I'm remaining hopeful. As far as the Eldorado's company, they kept blowing us off, so it is doubtful we will be using there products if ever.

In closing the Canadian company called my buddy to see if he got the stripper and how well he liked it, my buddy responded that the stripper was especially nice and the policewomen outfit put the it over the top.... There was a long pause...