Strippers! ...Really

House Repair Talk

Help Support House Repair Talk:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

rokosz

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 21, 2013
Messages
171
Reaction score
34
That got your attention. I'm stripping vintage, in-place, interior, window trim. I'm doing an ok job, but wonder if my more mediocre moments are damaging to the wood, because I'm using the wrong stripper (aka scraper).
So, any ideas on what shape of scraper should be used for a tiny-dimensioned right angle?: The proud of the wall leg is 1/16-1/8" (deep), the flush with the wall leg far is a (quarter) round.

the actual right angle/inside corner is so filled with paint that when I try to grab the paint to scrape I've been, in spots, gouging, scouring down the underlying wood.

I'd been using the edge points ot the half-moon concaves mostly. They at least have one square side. But, these, now, seem to be taking more wood away.

I tried the teardrop shaped scraper-- using the pointy end under very tight hand/finger hold. I guess my finger tips were the fence. Seemed ok, but pretty intense focus required

i've already decided to get a new scraper set -- I think these long-used guys are dull. Would dullness contribute to damage of the wood?

I have loads of different types of liquid strippers. Too much, I thought that was going to be the predominant effort, but physical scraping is faster for the straight line stuff. Liquid for the Rosettes, though.
good laugh, I think I have four different kinds, two are recent purchases (one MethC hiTox, one NYState safe), one is an old aerosol (cfc free?) the other a MethylC i used for stripping stair treads. (I think I've a post from years back about that effort).

I was going to apply all four on test patches and see how they perform. hmmm, there are four rosettes to do.

Anybody ever use a grinder of some sort to resharpen scraper blades? I was thinking I'd try with a dis-used dremel chainsaw tooth grinder

thanks for listening, hope you can add something.
 
There ya' go. That's why you run this show. I've never used one, though I've thought if i did any exterior siding paint removal I'd like to have the vintage, and essentially, hand-held stove elements a, now, friend of mine used years ago on this pile. Until you responded I'd forgotten about the "Ace" Hdwe gun that's been sitting, dusty on the workbench for years. I always poo-pooed it because of the stove element experience and this thing just looks like a glorified hair-dryer. But! I don't have to buy it to try it, buuuuut, Does it still power on _and_ get hot? oh yes. I'm mostly done stripping this 2nd window's trim, but that gun was an encouraging experience for the little trouble spots I directed it at. Thanks!

btw, fresh/new scrapers definitely are desirable for speed and reduction of gouging/chewing. I haven't yet tried freshly grinded dull ones...
 
With real old paint and the heat gun just keep a fan running to move some air around.

Scraping with a sharp negative rake edge on old work where you really want to cut down to the wood to get a good surface to paint like exterior siding is one thing and working paint out of interior trim work is another where there is wood details you are working to save. The heat gun is great for those little details, but will work ok on big areas also if you have the time. Trick is getting the paint off and not burning the wood. Try bringing a wire brush into the mix as well.
 
Pictures of exactly what you are scraping would help, from close, far, different angles.

As mentioned, a fan is important, I would put it in a nearby window, exhausting out.

Heating up old paint can release lead fumes.

Have you tried a gel type stripper to soften before scraping?
 
Jeff Handy is right about lead fumes. As I recall, you shouldn't go above 600 degrees (mine heats to 1350) but you should check that. That should be do-able but slower. For paint strippers, Dumond's Smart Strip binds the lead into an insoluble form so that it legal for disposal.
 
Back
Top