Fire as paint remover?
01-11-21, 09:12 PM
#51
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I have a frame I am seriously considering stripping, but it has a lot of chrome. Would a heat gun affect the chrome? The transitions from paint to chrome are over 12" in length so the chrome's gonna get heated up on this frame. But I recall the last time I stripped a frame with gel stripper; it was a mess and it didn't do a great job, either. Looking for a different approach this go around.
DD
DD
I would depend on the temp. The exhaust caused some discoloration to the chrome on my exhaust tips.
I do not know at what temperature chrome will turn blue but I would be cautious using an open flame or a hi-temp heat gun.
Best, Ben
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01-11-21, 09:29 PM
#52
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I have a frame I am seriously considering stripping, but it has a lot of chrome. Would a heat gun affect the chrome? The transitions from paint to chrome are over 12" in length so the chrome's gonna get heated up on this frame. But I recall the last time I stripped a frame with gel stripper; it was a mess and it didn't do a great job, either. Looking for a different approach this go around.
DD
DD
01-11-21, 09:57 PM
#53
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I have recently been researching stripping and restoring cast iron cookware and one of the methods presented was building a large fire and letting it burn down until you have a nice pile of hot coals. you then bury the skillet in the hot coals and let sit overnight. Once cooled off, pull the skillet out in the morning and wash, dry and begin the seasoning process.
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01-11-21, 11:00 PM
#54
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I have recently been researching stripping and restoring cast iron cookware and one of the methods presented was building a large fire and letting it burn down until you have a nice pile of hot coals. you then bury the skillet in the hot coals and let sit overnight. Once cooled off, pull the skillet out in the morning and wash, dry and begin the seasoning process.
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01-11-21, 11:11 PM
#55
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and, condescension is a real buzz kill
01-13-21, 08:45 AM
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I pass on to you the title "Keeper of the Flame", the flame must never die. The life of our tribe is on your shoulders, do not let us down.
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01-13-21, 09:03 AM
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Let me clarify. The frame was above the fire, not in the coals. I heated one section at a time for about 1 minute, then removed it to scrape the paint in that section. Each section worked was roughly 6 inches long. The total process, section by section, took about an hour.
01-13-21, 09:30 AM
#58
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If fire is good for removing a dork disk, why wouldn't it work to strip paint?
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01-13-21, 09:39 AM
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01-13-21, 10:42 AM
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So based on that knowledge, it should be possible to know how you affected the properties of the steel, assuming that you carefully measured and controlled the temperature, the exact length of time it was subjected to that heat, and carefully controlled the quenching process.
Otherwise I personally wouldn't trust that frame, but it might be fine for a neighborhood knock-about or or grocery-getter that doesn't get much stress placed on it. I wouldn't get too far from home with it.
Otherwise I personally wouldn't trust that frame, but it might be fine for a neighborhood knock-about or or grocery-getter that doesn't get much stress placed on it. I wouldn't get too far from home with it.
01-13-21, 02:10 PM
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01-13-21, 02:15 PM
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One thing I have discovered of late - if you want to remove powder-coat - fire is definitely the way to go!
01-13-21, 04:53 PM
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Insert Schwinn Varsity humor here. 
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01-13-21, 06:33 PM
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01-13-21, 06:48 PM
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DD
01-13-21, 06:56 PM
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01-13-21, 06:56 PM
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I had originally used the Aircraft paint stripper on other frames, but it turned dark in color for some reason and stopped working so threw it way. The 2 strippers I used on this, prior to fire, were The Kwik-Strip in the Blue can and the Jasco in the red can. I mentioned this in post #1 but here is a photo.
01-13-21, 06:59 PM
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01-13-21, 10:51 PM
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when I'm fixing a frame I burn the paint off with my torch in the affected area and then mechanically remove what's left. It really doesn't heat up the frame that much.
Probably why my asthma never gets better.
Probably why my asthma never gets better.
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01-13-21, 11:28 PM
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Just paint it and ride it . If it makes some weird creaking noises then you worry, until then go for it.
01-13-21, 11:30 PM
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i have a chrome fork i had dechromed and some canti bosses brazed on. the base nickel plating is still intact and only oxidation is where the plating was ground off to braze the bosses. iow's, even with all that heat being centralized and the plating surrounding the bare areas, the plating looks untarnished. but, it's probably gonna fail because it got hot
02-18-24, 09:28 PM
#73
I like cats.
I picked up a Velo Orange Mojave bottle cage for $5 at the swap today. There was a bare metal one that someone scooped out from under me and I got the stainless, powder coated black version. What can I expect cosmetically from throwing it into a charcoal chimney or a smokeless fire pit for a bit? I can weld stainless if a joint breaks, so I'm not too worried about that.
02-19-24, 05:54 PM
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My favorite part about this forum is reading a post in which someone describes a (at least new to me) solution to a common problem, and I think to myself "Wow! What a great idea!" This is not one of those times.
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02-19-24, 06:26 PM
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I have used a butane lighter to heat up and remove decals on a frame before using paint stripper. I have also used a Heat Gun at low temp to remove paint on a fork. I have also used a cotton ball saturated with alcohol to produce a low temp fire and remove small sections of paint on a bicycle.
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