Everyone's method for removing rusty, flakey paint?

[racing4funn]

Got a bed Im putting on a nice truck and I need to get it up to par but some of the paint is flaking...

 

[Bighurt]

Putty knife
paint wheel for grinder
needle scaler

 

[gimpyrobb]

Crud thug, or a grinder with wire wheels(or scotch bright wheels).

 

[Bighurt]

Crud thug, or a grinder with wire wheels(or scotch bright wheels).

My experience with a wire wheel, cup or disc is that rust tends to stick around fasteners (bolts, nuts, etc) and those do a ton of damage to the wire wheel. And while they do damage to scotch brite pads or equivalent, I prefer not to have ejected broken wire strands everywhere.

Just personal preference I suppose. The scotch brite clean strip discs are amazing at removing any and all paint from the surface, but aren't quite aggressive on rust as the wire wheel. The scotch brite wheel is what I was referring to as the paint wheel.

 

[Piper Cub]

Here's how I do it: pressure washer- wire wheel- pressure washer- sander- compressed air- primer on any bare metal- paint.

 

[clinto]

Nothing is better than sand. Applied with air pressure.

 

[gimpyrobb]

View attachment 522441

Nothing is better than sand. Applied with air pressure.

Or a pressure washer!

http://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread.php?4030-pressurewasher-sandblaster-attachment&highlight=

 

[Hoefler]

It depends on how far you want to repair-restore the bed. If you simply want the flakes gone-a pressure washer with a Northern Tool sand siphon top will do a good job. The pressure washer water blast draws a bit of sand out to help clean flake areas. It will smooth the edge of the flake to good paint reasonably well.
Its a good start. From there, the flaked areas are ready for a feathering sanding and primer. Wont look like a restoration, but will put the bed back in service with flakes gone and rust slowed.

 

[swbradley1]

Got a bed Im putting on a nice truck and I need to get it up to par but some of the paint is flaking...

I have only used a pressure washer. It works and looks good for a couple years until I'm ready to paint it again. One of the members who is no longer into MVs told me that and his trucks looked great.

I would like to try to pressure washer sand wand attachment though...

 

[cucvrus]

Question what type of truck are you working on? I may have missed that part of the post.

 

[ke5eua]

I have only used a pressure washer. It works and looks good for a couple years until I'm ready to paint it again. One of the members who is no longer into MVs told me that and his trucks looked great.

I would like to try to pressure washer sand wand attachment though...

I bought one on flea bay. Unfortunately my electric pressure washer just didn't cut it.

I got it to feed a little bit not enough to make a difference. I've read where there is a mod you can do to a sand blaster tank and use it to pressure feed to a wet system.

I like the idea behind wet sand blasting.

 

[Ray70]

On big flat areas that I want to strip to metal I start with an 8" 36 grit DA disc and backer pad on a rotary buffer (not grinder). Take it 90% of the way down then switch to 80 grit on a 6" DA. This is more for auto restorations, so you might not need to be as fussy with a big machine AND.... watch out for the CARC paint and take proper safety precautions. If you're dealing with metal thick enough to not warp, sandblasting is great but its messy, time consuming and if paying someone... costly, but it is the best way to deal with rust and painted areas where sanding is difficult or impossible.

 

[Tow4]

+2 or more on a needle scaler. If it's heavy rust and you have good access, the scaler will remove it. Not for thin metal, but I've had good luck using lower pressure.

 

[1958 M274]

I agree with clinto. There is no substitute for a clean blasted surface. I've scraped, wire brushed, and sanded by hand, worn out many wire brush cups and wheels on grinders, used a needle scaler, pressure washed, and other stuff. I still sand blast when possible.

 

[zout]

WILD DOG - if your a non believer check out PB's K-18 thread with usage of pressure washing only.

WHatever form you use - you do not want the layer of rust on the surface (flaking is gone by this time) your looking to get rid of the embeded stuff that glazes over and difficult to dig out. I run down to 24 grit sandpaper at times to dig this out.

All above are good tips - your there and we are not - so whatever form you have you'll know using some of these tips what will work for you to make it easier.

 

[61sleepercab]

Wire cups shed less wires than wire wheels. You have to have a light touch when working creases,bolts or fixtures. One trick I use for spot or touch up painting with a rattle can is use a license plate or piece of flat cardboard to block over spray.

 

[racing4funn]

I am dealing with CARC paint.. working on a 5 ton bed. I'm going to get the Northern Tool sand thingy to use with a pressure washer. I have good open area to do this and a washer. Someone can commit but Im thinking it's a safer way to deal with the CARC paint..

 

[cucvrus]

You may have done this already. But if not I would remove the bed from the cab. It makes less of a mess and keeps that sandy rusty mess off the chassis. I take it the bed is the only rusty part. It is more work but in the end it will be done right and you will see the difference. I blasted many parts and the sand gets into everything wet or dry sanding. Good Luck with your project.

 

[Neophyte]

Ditto on the Northern Tool wet sand blasting. You'll need a good gas pressure washer (say around 3000+ psi) to create the suction to pull the sand up (keep the venturi tube dry!). It works very well....very slowly. Once complete, dry and clean....apply a rust converter like OSPHO (phosphoric acid). It will convert any rust you might of missed to an inert layer. They use it in the marine industry to prevent rust.