Does Anyone Know How to Remove Paint from Old Signs?

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hemihampton

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A paint gun washer will strip paint, I use one daily. But the problem would be trying to keep it from effecting original paint underneath. Even the Paint Stripper I use to use to strip repainted amish Beer Cans had to be used just right in a certain way to do it right & not effect underneath paint damage. I'm familiar with Isocyanates, it's pretty much gone from todays paints, kinda like what they did to todays paint strippers. LEON.
 

Gramr

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But you agree it'll take the paint off? Then all we need to do is stop it before it goes to far. In my limited experience with such crap l have found that the factory job is more durable than what can be applied in a hurry over it. With that said I'd try it mind you on a edge at first to figure out the technique. Do you have any suggestions on what can be used to stop the thinner once its done what is wanted?
 

HunterTheFox59

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Thanks for the tips Hemihampton and Gramr. The paint stripper I bought didn't work, but I bought some acetone which takes the paint off pretty well with after scraping it with a strong piece of plastic.
 

Gramr

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Good luck and my advice is be patient. Try a small piece of tape on a edge. You never know what you don't want may stick to the tape better than the sign. I've wrecked a few rattle can jobs that way...
 

hemihampton

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Yes, Acetone will work, & so will laquer thinner, MEK (methyl ethyl ketone) & many other chemicals. Lets see the results of your Acetone results. LEON.
 

Gramr

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I bought this 1950s Country Club Quality Beverages sign today, but at some point, someone had painted it green. A little bit of the original paint is peeking through, and I can tell it was red with a black border, with Country Club and Beverages written in white and Quality in black. I already tried some paint stripper on the back where some of the green paint had dripped down, but that just took off the original color too. Really stumped here, and any advice would help!
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Any pictures of your progress? One of my favorite things is finding something discarded seeing the potential and figuring out how to get there. No matter what style of paint removal is used thinner, soda blasting, or shudder, sand paper lol the key is care and knowing how far to take it. Basically all the above can result in a clean piece of bare metal lol. Love to see the result. One of my project for today was also paint removal l came across two air horns for my boat. Came off a minesweeper l came across in the process of scrapping. Navy paints anything that doesn't run away. Put one up mast and this one is going on a fire extinguisher as a air tank. Suckers are loud good for up to two miles apparently. Next weekend gonna be in the stands at my grandsons football game. Think I'll turn psi down to 40 probably be asked not to bring it back again. They didn't approve of my mack truck horn last year perhaps they will like a minesweeper horn one can never tell. Gonna cost me pizza again. Can we try the horn mister? I like being a older kid way better toys...
 

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