Stripping Gloss, Sealer and Paint off a Replica?

[NateBS]

Question for all you everyday fish taxidermists.

What should I use to strip the gloss, sealer, and lacquer based paint off a Arps fiberglass reproduction, so I can paint it again (from a cutthroat to a rainbow)?  And not loose the scale detail.

Thanks for you help.

Nate

[FishArt]

Lacquer thinner. And don't worry about getting every little bit of paint off. Anything that's stubborn becomes part of the antiquing layer!

[NateBS]

Thank you FishArt, much appreciated.

[FishArt]

Thank you FishArt, much appreciated.

Just FYI, USUALLY the primer coat is not affected by this but if it is you MAY have to re-prime the blank if you get down to the bondo or maybe touch-up here and there...

[marshy creek]

try Smart Strip by Dumond......water based

[FishArt]

try Smart Strip by Dumond......water based

Yep. And there's also paint strippers out there that work as well that the Taxi supply companies have. I usually try to do most tasks in my shop with products readily available. Especially if I have a task I rarely do like stripping skin mounts or replicas. LT will work nearly as good as the paint strippers - sometimes better IMO. I already have it to use for various things in my shop. And it's cheaper...

[marshy creek]

Marty man......although LT will work, a simple safe water based paint stripper is far superior and less costly than other choices....LT is timely and messy, and takes time for it to work through layers of paint.....a liquid stripper however will cut right to the non painted surface much, much faster.....the ideal part of water based strippers is the ability to hose or wash off the unwanted paint in one step....the quick washing will in no way effect the mount wether a skin mount or reproduction.....IMO, what you refer to as primer is actualy real gel coat that contains titanium dioxide...what other think as gel coat, bondo and resin is not gel coat at all....bondo contains a wax additive, and without sanding or a chemical wash will cause paint to lift over time...wax is a surfacer that leaves a tack free finish.....hense the problem with clear resins used for water displays....the surface remains tacky unless a sealer is applied....most commercial repo's have a real gel coat surface, and it is white....that is not primer, but should be wax free gelcoat...the choice of primer is up to the color you choose...typical colors are white, grey and black....IMO, any option of stripping will lift the primer, if used, right to the origional finish...this is where a new base layer is started before final finish as per species...my two best strippers are Smart Strip and Kutzit antique & fine furniture stripper made by Savogran......one is water based, and one is not.....however, both will tackle any job at a very cheap rate and with minimal time.......all my 2 cents

[FishArt]

MC, I'll be honest I've only tried the Stripper that the Taxi supply companies sell and I was not happy. It was messy, I used a LOT (the whole can on one fish!) and it was no easier than using lacquer thinner as far as removing the paint goes. In fact, I thought LT was quicker and easier. So, maybe it's not the same stuff as you're describing?

FYI, I don't use a lot of LT. I typically use an old rag and pour some on and start wiping. Depending on how old the paint is and what's there I may get very little paint off or maybe a fair amount just doing this. Next, I'll switch to a piece of medium or medium fine steel wool and start rubbing off the paint with that. This will help things go much faster. Between the LT and the Steel Wool it usually gets enough paint off to start anew. I use maybe 2 ounces of LT total with a final wipe down with a clean rag. And again, I'm not real concerned about getting everything off. I'm just looking for the gloss to come off and my scale detail is there. If there's some paint leftover that's the depth I'm looking for to start with!

Yes, you are correct - the Gel Coat is what I was referring to. ALso, FYI - I don't strip many fish anymore. IF I can get away with it I'll white-out and repaint right over the old paint. But, sometimes the scale detail isn't there and you have to strip. Smart Strip and Kutzit. I've made a note of it and will have to try one next time I know I'll need to strip a fish. Thanks.

[NateBS]

After trying lacquer thinner...I had to use a lot of it and a lot of elbow grease to get through the gloss/sealer coat, to the paint.  Thank you both for your recommendations! Marshy Creek I think I will  try the Smart Strip and Kutzit next time.

Thanks again.

[FishArt]

After trying lacquer thinner...I had to use a lot of it and a lot of elbow grease to get through the gloss/sealer coat, to the paint.  Thank you both for your recommendations! Marshy Creek I think I will  try the Smart Strip and Kutzit next time.

Thanks again.

Sorry man, I forgot to tell you the first time to use some steel wool along with the LT IF your gloss coat is being temperamental. Sounds like MC had better advice on this one than I! Again, sorry!

[Clew]

Try some paper towel soaked in PT,
Wrap the fish with them and cover with plastic for five or ten minutes,
Then wash with the paint thinner, those darn strippers are real messy

[marshy creek]

Clew..it is quite obvious you have little experience if any stripping fish.....the only mess you have with a stripped fish via the methods I posted is the original fish.....skin or repo.....why would you use anything that did not afford the breakdown of any original paintjob......the proper stripper is quick, LESS messy, far less dangerous and is nothing more than Brush on, and hose off.....pretty simple in my book...anyone who has had multiple jobs redoing a fish should know this.....PT Clew is the worst choice and at the bottom of the line when it comes to paint removal.... the proper stripper reacts to any surfacer and underlining color, and lifts that away from the bonding surface.....PT does not do this....it softens some finishes, and removal is labor intensive and highly volatile....try your procedure on a two part epoxy finish.....worthless........Paint Strippers do exactly what their name applies.....strip paint.....and almost any paint or finish......brush on, let sit, and wash off....Messy?, not.....PT has a life.....once that life is used, it becomes worthless....strippers work because of the extended life during the application.....your recommendation  requires multiple applications, labor and MESS....try either a chemical or waterbased stripper based on the job, and post you results.......just trying to save you time and money along with a  faster and less Messy than your  post implies...GLTU

[Clew]

Hey marshy
What a blast
Been using dcu2002 for years ( two part ) with retarder
One of the toughest glosses on the market
And laqur thinner works perfect with this

[marshy creek]

give me a break Carl....if what you say is true, then everyone you have stripped fish for must be using 2002....it is a poly urethane, and 200 a gallon at that.....how can you say, that the fish you have stripped have been glossed with this PPG product?....your post is BS period.....must be your fish that you are stripping....I find it very hard to believe that any, if at all your stripping jobs are based on that product...must be stripping of your own mounts......why someone would place so much on UV exposure in a home is beyond me....fact is, expansion and contraction of dismaler materials should be forfront on final gloss application....in taxidermy.....2002 does not fit any of the technical parameters in fish finish....but, I see you have a blue ribbon, so what do I know

[marshy creek]

CLEW....PT or LT...which is it?.....PPG 2002 is old stuff...fill me in on what I am missing