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Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Pine Beach, NJ
The authoritative public forum
for Metal Finishing since 1989
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How to remove paint from copper cupola
Roof of cupola was painted w/ red barn paint 50 years ago, nothing works except an abrasive that also scratches the copper itself. Any suggestions?
Joan Lipphome owner - Islip, New York
November 21, 2009
Hi, Joan. Aircraft Stripper (methylene chloride) will probably work, but it is really noxious, dangerous stuff. So you might want to have it done by painters who are familiar with it and wear the proper gear and insure good ventilation.
Regards,
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
November 23, 2009
November 24, 2009
Try ammonia/acetone mixture(1/2).Very alkaline DIY paint stripper (200 gr calcium hydroxide,100 gm sodium carbonate ⇦this on eBay or Amazon] , 50 gm sodium hydroxide, add some water/it must be thick fluid/) can be used too, but be very careful, use rubber gloves ⇦this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] and safety goggles ⇦this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] . Hope it helps and good luck!
Goran Budija- Zagreb,Croatia
I echo the last posters advice - there is a paint removal product called Peel Away
[affil links] that has a chemistry similar to the alkaline brew he describes.
It's a paste that is applied to the painted surface, and is then covered with a special paper they supply. You leave this on for 12 -
24 hours, then remove paper, paste, and paint, washing afterwards with water. It should not affect the underlying copper.
Dave Wichern
Consultant - The Bronx, New York
November 27, 2009
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