Is a hot air gun ok to strip varnish from marine ply?

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andythilo

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As per title really. I dont want to go down the chemical stripper route as that can quickly lead to problems plus it's a complete mess.

I've got sanders coming out of my proverbial but when your talking multiple layers of old varnish it's a long process and quite expensive buying sheets and sheets of paper.

So i've got a hot air gun so i'm thinking as long as I take it easy and only use as much heat as neccessary to get it blistering it should be ok?

Thanks

Andy
 
If you need to use a hot a gun, does it need doing? I can peel mine off using my finger nail! Seriously though, a hot air gun used carefully will be fine.
 
andythilo said:
We've got a LOT to do :D. Thanks I'll have a go tonight.
Click to expand...

I have some 42-year old ply in my cockpit [fitted by the builder] which has an almost paper-thin outer veneer and I wouldn't dare use a heat gun or electric sander on it. But I wouldn't worry about using a heat gun [very carefully] on some really good marine ply with thick veneers such as Robbins sell.

Might be best if you "test on an inconspicuous area first" [assuming your boat has an inconspicuous area!]

Personally I am happy to use Nitromors stripper, especially on fiddly bits. Provided you don't get it where it shouldn't be and follow the instructions, it works well. I just vacuum up the scrapings as I go and do a small area at a time. The only objection to it is the cost, but as I have started using Le Tonkinois varnish I should never need to scrape varnish again, or so the makers tell me! [Dream on! did somebody say :D]
 
Yes. I recently stripped a small area using a hot air gun.
I used it on the lowest setting and warmed the varnish just sufficiently to peel it off in large strips.
 
I stripped the entire topsides of my Wayfarer using a heatgun last winter, pretty easy, relatively speaking. I left one or two little scorches where I got sloppy but generally it did an excellent job. I had a two-speed gun but found that once I got into my stride the highest heat was the best setting to use, otherwise I'd still be stripping it now.
 
I stripped outside and inside on my Heron dinghy with a hot-air gun on the low setting. The interior is finger-burning territory as the frames bounce the heat back. Use a shavehook rather than a bladed scraper.
Keep the gun moving and further back than you'd think. If you play it over your fingers now and then you can judge how hot the area is becoming.
Bloody balls-aching job.
 
Well the hot air gun was ****. I think the varnish layer was so thin and old that it barely bubbled and wouldnt lift at all.

So out came my trusty can of Nitromors and bish bang bosh off the varnish came. Following that was a good wipedown with white spirit to get any final residue off. There were some blackish areas left after but a damn good sand with my bosch* orbital sander has brought the door up a treat, looks like new unvarnished wood now.

So off tomorrow to Homebase ** to buy their stock of Nitromors and more white spirit.

* Other makes of sander are available
** Other DIY outlets are available :D
 
Well thankgod for Nitromors and Bosch thats all I can say. Stripped and sanded half of my wheelhouse today, amongst other things.

If you need to do lots of varnish stripping and sanding then get one of these puppies and plenty of 120grit papers :

http://www.bosch-do-it.co.uk/boptoc...=96527&object_id=6994&mode=awb&awbtitle=Large surfaces&awbccat_id=96527

God it's good. I can strip and sand to perfection a 2ft square panel in 20mins now.

Oh and one of these for the corners and fiddly bits :D

http://www.bosch-do-it.co.uk/boptoc...d=96533&object_id=8230&mode=awb&awbtitle=High surface quality&awbccat_id=96533

Great stuff :D

Plan for tomorrow is to get the wheel house stripped and sanded completely, cleaned up, and a thin varnish coat on. I ache tonight though :(
 
Works well with conventional paints and varnishes. It's possible to ignite paint/varnish scrapings so keep everything tidy and be careful.
Does NOT work with polyurethanes. You will scorch the wood before this comes off. So don't re-paint with polyurethanes (even single pot) except on galley work surfaces. Universal clear primer is a polyurethane I think.
 
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