Sanders Versus Grinders for removing bottom paint

[Lyle Lunson]

I have used a palm sander to strip the bottom which was a painful task. Would it be faster to use a grinder ?



lyle@lunson.com

[Scott Sirgo]

I have had the pleasure of doing numerous bottom jobs and a proven system is to use a grinder fitted with a "soft pad". This is a 1" thick foam pad that the sanding disc is attached to with an adhesive. It allows the pad to conform to the surface more so than a rigid pad when used flat or can be used at an angle to remove items such as blisters. The disc is approx. 6" in dia., the same as the sanding disc and 3M makes the adhesive. Automotive body repair stores (paint ,bondo,ect.) would be an outlet for these products.

[Tom]

I have had the pleasure of doing numerous bottom jobs and a proven system is to use a grinder fitted with a "soft pad". This is a 1" thick foam pad that the sanding disc is attached to with an adhesive. It allows the pad to conform to the surface more so than a rigid pad when used flat or can be used at an angle to remove items such as blisters. The disc is approx. 6" in dia., the same as the sanding disc and 3M makes the adhesive. Automotive body repair stores (paint ,bondo,ect.) would be an outlet for these products.

Scott is right and contrary to what you might think you use really rough sandpaper 40 or 60 grit. You want to rough up the surface and take a layer of paint off, not just smooth out the old paint. The thick bottom paint fills in the roughness when you apply the new. I use a bigger soft pad than Scott. Mine is maybe 12 or 14 inches across. Bigger is faster and this is a nasty job be sure to wear long sleeves and a mask -- you want the least old bottom paint on you and in you that is possible. You just can't do it with a palm sander.



TomCambria@mindspring.com

[Don Sargeant]

Even with the large soft pad (a must) it is difficult for the amateur, like me, to avoid swirl marks. They'll need to be filled and faired with a orbital sander. I think it makes more sense to use a Peel Away product (I've heard that West's is not so good) and then sand with an orbital.
Don Sargeant
~~COQUINA~~
CD25D #189
Greenwich Cove

I have had the pleasure of doing numerous bottom jobs and a proven system is to use a grinder fitted with a "soft pad". This is a 1" thick foam pad that the sanding disc is attached to with an adhesive. It allows the pad to conform to the surface more so than a rigid pad when used flat or can be used at an angle to remove items such as blisters. The disc is approx. 6" in dia., the same as the sanding disc and 3M makes the adhesive. Automotive body repair stores (paint ,bondo,ect.) would be an outlet for these products.

Scott is right and contrary to what you might think you use really rough sandpaper 40 or 60 grit. You want to rough up the surface and take a layer of paint off, not just smooth out the old paint. The thick bottom paint fills in the roughness when you apply the new. I use a bigger soft pad than Scott. Mine is maybe 12 or 14 inches across. Bigger is faster and this is a nasty job be sure to wear long sleeves and a mask -- you want the least old bottom paint on you and in you that is possible. You just can't do it with a palm sander.

[john]

I have had the pleasure of doing numerous bottom jobs and a proven system is to use a grinder fitted with a "soft pad". This is a 1" thick foam pad that the sanding disc is attached to with an adhesive. It allows the pad to conform to the surface more so than a rigid pad when used flat or can be used at an angle to remove items such as blisters. The disc is approx. 6" in dia., the same as the sanding disc and 3M makes the adhesive. Automotive body repair stores (paint ,bondo,ect.) would be an outlet for these products.

Scott is right and contrary to what you might think you use really rough sandpaper 40 or 60 grit. You want to rough up the surface and take a layer of paint off, not just smooth out the old paint. The thick bottom paint fills in the roughness when you apply the new. I use a bigger soft pad than Scott. Mine is maybe 12 or 14 inches across. Bigger is faster and this is a nasty job be sure to wear long sleeves and a mask -- you want the least old bottom paint on you and in you that is possible. You just can't do it with a palm sander.

I have just removed all my bottom paint & Interlux 2000 primer because it wasn't applied correctly by the previous owner or yard & found a porter cable 6" stick on sander from Lowes for $110 to be the best. Everyone in the yard (the "professionals" use it)
John CD31 #18



redzeplin@yahoo.com

[Tom Barron]

I've done the job with Peel Away and a Bosch Random Orbital sander. The Peel Away worked very well and there was minimal sanding to do afterwards.

Even with the large soft pad (a must) it is difficult for the amateur, like me, to avoid swirl marks. They'll need to be filled and faired with a orbital sander. I think it makes more sense to use a Peel Away product (I've heard that West's is not so good) and then sand with an orbital.
Don Sargeant
~~COQUINA~~
CD25D #189
Greenwich Cove

I have had the pleasure of doing numerous bottom jobs and a proven system is to use a grinder fitted with a "soft pad". This is a 1" thick foam pad that the sanding disc is attached to with an adhesive. It allows the pad to conform to the surface more so than a rigid pad when used flat or can be used at an angle to remove items such as blisters. The disc is approx. 6" in dia., the same as the sanding disc and 3M makes the adhesive. Automotive body repair stores (paint ,bondo,ect.) would be an outlet for these products.

Scott is right and contrary to what you might think you use really rough sandpaper 40 or 60 grit. You want to rough up the surface and take a layer of paint off, not just smooth out the old paint. The thick bottom paint fills in the roughness when you apply the new. I use a bigger soft pad than Scott. Mine is maybe 12 or 14 inches across. Bigger is faster and this is a nasty job be sure to wear long sleeves and a mask -- you want the least old bottom paint on you and in you that is possible. You just can't do it with a palm sander.

WTBarron@Earthlink.net

[Fred]

I have used a palm sander to strip the bottom which was a painful task. Would it be faster to use a grinder ?

The cheapest way is to use a carbide blade scraper, Sandvic makes some nice ones. It's still pretty messy, but you don't have to buy sanding discs, or paint stripper.

The key is to have a good scraper, not the type you find in the typical hardware store. It's not as hard as it sounds.



fred@hotsheet.com

[sloopjohnl]

dittoes here! it's a random orbit sander and you can buy a variety of brands of self-sticking sanding discs to fit the foam pad. 40 grit works great for bottom paint and it does not require a lot of hand/arm pressure. i stripped the gelcoat on my blistered typhoon, sanded the west system epoxy and have sanded bottom paint completely off three times in ten years with the same sander to say nothing of the various home projects and the non-skid i did last fall.

I have had the pleasure of doing numerous bottom jobs and a proven system is to use a grinder fitted with a "soft pad". This is a 1" thick foam pad that the sanding disc is attached to with an adhesive. It allows the pad to conform to the surface more so than a rigid pad when used flat or can be used at an angle to remove items such as blisters. The disc is approx. 6" in dia., the same as the sanding disc and 3M makes the adhesive. Automotive body repair stores (paint ,bondo,ect.) would be an outlet for these products.

Scott is right and contrary to what you might think you use really rough sandpaper 40 or 60 grit. You want to rough up the surface and take a layer of paint off, not just smooth out the old paint. The thick bottom paint fills in the roughness when you apply the new. I use a bigger soft pad than Scott. Mine is maybe 12 or 14 inches across. Bigger is faster and this is a nasty job be sure to wear long sleeves and a mask -- you want the least old bottom paint on you and in you that is possible. You just can't do it with a palm sander.

I have just removed all my bottom paint & Interlux 2000 primer because it wasn't applied correctly by the previous owner or yard & found a porter cable 6" stick on sander from Lowes for $110 to be the best. Everyone in the yard (the "professionals" use it)
John CD31 #18

[Michael Muller]

I've never done this; caveat emptor. But, I have heard to round the edges of the scraper to avoid gouging the hull.

I have used a palm sander to strip the bottom which was a painful task. Would it be faster to use a grinder ?

The cheapest way is to use a carbide blade scraper, Sandvic makes some nice ones. It's still pretty messy, but you don't have to buy sanding discs, or paint stripper.

The key is to have a good scraper, not the type you find in the typical hardware store. It's not as hard as it sounds.

mullerm@umich.edu