Heat Gun Use
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 3,930
Likes: 15
From: Calgary Alberta
Heat Gun Use
I've been using a heat gun and razor to remove the paint off of the vette body. It works wonders and goes extremely fast....but will this hurt the fiberglass? It doesn't seem to hurt it...I'm just concerned that I may be doing the wrong thing the body. Any opinions befoore I go any further?
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 893
Likes: 7
From: Hazerswoude-Rijndijk Zuid Holland
Heat gun
That depends if it is getting dark brown you should stop. If you keep the temp "mild", don't know is that is the expression, there is no damage. Paint has lower heat properties the polyester. I have stripped my vette also with a heat gun, and the painter had a pre check and was happily surprised.
Heat gun, keeps the lines in the car, unlike sanding.
Heat stops if the heat gun is removed, unlike chemicals, you have to soak the panels afterwards to stop the process.
Heat gun, keeps the lines in the car, unlike sanding.
Heat stops if the heat gun is removed, unlike chemicals, you have to soak the panels afterwards to stop the process.
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 3,930
Likes: 15
From: Calgary Alberta
Yeah, I haven't got the fiberglass so hot that it turns brown yet. I think I'm okay because I only get it hot enough to pull the paint back - works awesome! I'm going to continue using the heat gun. Thanks for the response.
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 4,270
Likes: 20
From: Central Michigan
I have a heat gun(about the size of a hair dryer, red hammertone finish) I have used for separating body panels with(soften the adhesive, separate with a putty knife). Doesn't seem to hurt the fiberglass any
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Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 893
Likes: 7
From: Hazerswoude-Rijndijk Zuid Holland
Heat gun
With the heat gun it is the trick to only soften the paint, not like with woodwork where you burn the paint. Take a area of a couple of inches to one feet and move the gun back and forth up and down. You will see some blisters appearing, now take a putty knife or razor and "pop" that blister. Get underneath it, now move the heat gun and putty knife along the same line, keep pressure on the knife but not towards the body but towards the little edge of the pain, keep heating in. If things go right the pain will be removed by the pressure of the putty knife.
IMPORTANT KEEP THE HEAT GUN MOVING.
I use a Black and Decker (1800W)
To give an example. I tried to sand one door and was working on an area of 1' by 2' for about 8 hours. With the Heat Gun I did both doors in an hour, sheets of 4 to 5 inches of paint flew off ;-)
IMPORTANT KEEP THE HEAT GUN MOVING.
I use a Black and Decker (1800W)
To give an example. I tried to sand one door and was working on an area of 1' by 2' for about 8 hours. With the Heat Gun I did both doors in an hour, sheets of 4 to 5 inches of paint flew off ;-)
