CARC paint;how to remove-yet another question...

[hndrsonj]

I had my M37 bed done with dustless blasting-it was awesome and cheap!

 

[Retiredwarhorses]

I know this thread is kinda old but I was looking into the same thing of figuring out how to remove the paing off a Humvee which has multiple surface types. There is this service called "Dustless Blasting" and there are mobile units all over the country. Type it into YouTube, it's well worth checking it out.

the only method is to Chemical strip....any sort of abrasive media will remove the factory alodine treatment on the aluminum. It's aircraft grade aluminum, the methods used for repair and paint are the same as an aircraft.

 

[Tom Thumb]

Give them a call. I'm sure they'll be glad to give you an estimate. Just ensure they know it is CARC and that the debris be contained and removed before disposal. Also, be careful to not blow high pressure water where there are seals or rubber parts, unless you are planning to replace them as well.

 

[hndrsonj]

the only method is to Chemical strip....any sort of abrasive media will remove the factory alodine treatment on the aluminum. It's aircraft grade aluminum, the methods used for repair and paint are the same as an aircraft.

Dustless blasting will work on aluminum and won't distort the panels. You will have to re-alodine the bare metal. It is incredibly easy and is only about $24 a quart.

 

[Jarretfd246]

I used klean strip for my humvee from tractor supply. You need to put on heavy layers and let it sit for awhile. It will absorb the stripper and start bubbling from underneath the paint. Try to do this out side in the shade or well ventilated shop. If it drys out in the sun or from a windy area it stops working. Also a safety note... wear long sleeves, safety glasses and chemical gloves. The stripper will burn you even if you get a drop on you. Best to have a bucket with soapy water to rinse off your gloves and make them last longer .
Once the stripper has dried it makes the paint crinkly and raises up. I had a plastic pry tool that I bought from harbor freight that I used as a scraper so I wouldn't gouge the aluminum. After you scrape all the paint up just sweep it into a bucket for proper disposal. Pressure washing also works for the tan carc paint because it in my case was flaking off and was poorly prepped before it was painted so it didn't properly adhere to the truck.
I am going to try and use aircraft stripper next and see which brand works better.
Keep in mind it takes a few applications for desired results. Also I noticed if you take a razor blade and lightly scratch the paint it helps the stripper penetrate quicker.

http://www.kleanstrip.com/product/premium-stripper

 

[arilander]

Although I have no first-hand knowledge (that's my disclaimer), I was told by a guy that dabbles in MV's A LOT, that if a guy is not in a hurry, plain old fashioned brake fluid will loosen darn near any paint. It just takes days and days. Maybe weeks. He assured me, it will lift it, but it is slower than molasses. He told me you coat it, wait a few days, coat it again, wait again, and coat it a third time, then the real wait begins. A week or two later, the paint will literally fall off.
Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, let the record reflect I have never tried this method myself. This guy has given me other bits of oddball advise over the years, and has never let me down.

This reply was posted 10 years ago, but this thread comes up high in search results for stripping CARC paint, so I just wanted to take this chance to thank Bill and confirm what his friend told him. I used DOT 3 brake fluid to strip some CARC coated parts. As Bill's post says - it's an extremely slow process. For a while, I had this setup outside at about 70F on average, and this was too cold. No action. After being in a warm location indoors for several days (about 83F) the paint has started to come off. It took about a week to get to this point (image attached).

If you are prepared to wait a week or two, this approach will work and you won't need aerospace strippers and the associated fume problems. Brake fluid is extremely toxic if ingested (brain damage/kidney failure/death etc), but the fumes are minimal. It's cheap and can be reused for stripping after filtering out particulates (I use a simple coffee filter).

 

[yolner]

I've had very good luck with the heatgun and razor scraper method. Panels are thick enough that I dont worry about warping them and after a few seconds of heat the CARC comes off in long strips with the razor scraper. Works great as long as the panel is flatish.

Do you have the parts just sitting in a tub of brake fluid? Does the tub handle the brake fluid ok?

 

[arilander]

I've had very good luck with the heatgun and razor scraper method. Panels are thick enough that I dont worry about warping them and after a few seconds of heat the CARC comes off in long strips with the razor scraper. Works great as long as the panel is flatish.

Do you have the parts just sitting in a tub of brake fluid? Does the tub handle the brake fluid ok?

I will give the heatgun method a shot for some of the parts, thanks for the suggestion! I'm trying to strip these with no damage/scratches to the aluminium. There are some elaborate machined details which would be difficult to scrape. These parts are sitting in an orange polypropylene case (PP is compatible with DOT3/4 brake fluid). I removed the sealing valve and put a mesh filter in to avoid any pressure buildup. This way I can open it up every few days, brush some of the surfaces and close it back up. Seems like a decent solution for smaller parts. I'm in no rush. -Nick

 

[yolner]

I will give the heatgun method a shot for some of the parts, thanks for the suggestion! I'm trying to strip these with no damage/scratches to the aluminium. There are some elaborate machined details which would be difficult to scrape. These parts are sitting in an orange polypropylene case (PP is compatible with DOT3/4 brake fluid). I removed the sealing valve and put a mesh filter in to avoid any pressure buildup. This way I can open it up every few days, brush some of the surfaces and close it back up. Seems like a decent solution for smaller parts. I'm in no rush. -Nick

Yes, definitely want to try it on a bunch of little brackets. Thanks for reviving this thread.

 

[arilander]

Hi guys, I wanted to post a final update regarding DOT-3 brake fluid for CARC stripping. I had to raise the temperature even further to speed things up. I placed my polypropylene case with brake fluid on top of a piece of equipment that's always on and always hot. This raised the fluid temp to about 105F. It's been a week since, and the paint fully came off along with the primer. On another piece of gear with lots of sharp machined edges, it's still not quite ready. I'll leave it for a few more days. Anyhow - this works. Super clean strip with zero damage to the metal. No need for specialty strippers if you're not in a hurry. Patience and high temperatures go a long way here.