Paint Stripping a Locomotive

I have recently acquired a steam engine that is a bit tatty and really needs to have the paint stripped off and be repainted. The usual solvents (acetone, meths, etc.) won’t touch it.

For a previous engine, I was able to get the company’s workshop to shot blast it for me. But I don’t work there any more! I am reluctant to use a strong paint stripper. I think that some of it will hide under rivet heads and similar, awaiting an opportunity to come out and ruin the paintwork at a later day.

So, am I being over-cautious with the paint stripper, or do I need to raid the piggy-bank & buy a shot blast cabinet?

Dave

Late last year I purchased a part built kit loco and the paintwork looked like it had been done with a creosote brush. I purchased some aluminium turkey roasting trays and all the bits went in there with the modern equivalent of Nitromors. It took a couple of applications but I got back to bare metal and it is now being rebuilt.

Caustic soda on the steel and iron bits. Use rubber gloves and goggles and be careful, as it's name suggests its caustic. Not on brass/copper as it attacks the metal

A tub of 'Biostrip 20' and some patience will shift most paint in my experience. Being water based it's less nasty than many alternatives.

Cellulose thinners will remove enamel paints.

Some rivets might be glued on

Caustic will EAT Aluminium ! Brass and Copper ? Noel.

I'd forgotten aluminium, probably didn't think a steam angine would have any. Internet is divided over copper/brass, but when I've used dishwasher to clean brass fabrications it has etched the surface. Might be good if youte going to paint it.

Thanks for the suggestions so far.

I haven’t tried caustic soda. I’ve just looked at the loco: the platework is brass & I assume the boiler is copper. Just as well that I didn’t try it!

I have tried soaking some of the platework in cellulose thinners and Hammerite thinners, neither of which seemed to do much at all. I hope that it is not an epoxy paint!

I suspect if cellulose thinners has no effect then caustic won't, but you can always use it to clean your drains, so not lost

I stripped bad paint off a model engine in the autumn. Cellulose thinners were the cleanest but very slow. Caustic soda was quickish but horrible. Modern paint stripper worked very well and quickly but was messy. None of these attacked brass or bronze (including alumium bronze).

I know which one I would use again. I suspect paint stripper would attack expoxy (easily checked).

JA

Hot air gun may soften it, then gently scrape or wire brush? Best done in a well ventilated area.

Try to get some professional paramose paint stripper

It contains methylene chloride so needs to be used carefully but will remove almost anything and is water based

I used to manufacture paint strippers for the aerospace industry and 25 years ago methylene chloride was being phased out to be replaced by other products. One that worked quite well was benzyl alcohol. You can get this from B & Q as their Diall branded paint and varnish remover. Not as quick as methylene chloride but does the job.

Diall Paint Stripper

Vapor blasting?

Well, I bit the bullet & tried paint stripper (Barrettine Paint Panther) which is shifting the old paint. I am just doing one item at first to see how it goes. After etch prime and a coat of Halfords Finest rattle can, I’ll leave it for a few weeks to see if the stripper bleeds from under the rivets.