STRIPPER - paint

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Jegs

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Need to remove some bilge paint & nitromors was not impressive: recommendations would help.

Thank you,

John G
 
Nitromors used to be a very effective paint stripper, due to its containing Methylene Chloride, aka Dichloromethane. This chemical is highly toxic, and is no longer in the product, although it may still be found in some other paint strippers. Since its removal, Nitromors is said to be much less effective.
If you have a GRP boat, you should avoid getting Methylene Chloride anywhere near it, as it eats gelcoat in a matter of seconds. You could try a strong solution of caustic soda (sodium hydroxide) but that is also dangerous, and you must avoid eye and skin contact and any contact with aluminium or aluminium alloy. Brush it on and leave it for a while; if it works, the paint will be softened and should be easier to scrape off; try a small area first! Wash off any surplus with lots of water.
 
A caustic soda based paint stripper is the most likely thing to be effective. Dilunett, now known as. "Marine strip" is the one readily available from chandlers

Owatrol_Marine_MARINE_STRIP_1L_GB-ES.jpg
It is safe on GRP. Success rather depends on the type of paint used
 
greenalien said:
Nitromors used to be a very effective paint stripper, due to its containing Methylene Chloride, aka Dichloromethane. This chemical is highly toxic, and is no longer in the product, although it may still be found in some other paint strippers. Since its removal, Nitromors is said to be much less effective.
If you have a GRP boat, you should avoid getting Methylene Chloride anywhere near it, as it eats gelcoat in a matter of seconds.
Click to expand...

Just for everyone's info, stripper with Dichloromethane in (i.e the stuff that works!) is no longer for sale in the EU for 'amateur' use. I have tried all sorts of new formulations for stripping paint on motorbike tanks etc and have had very dissapointing results.

However, you can still buy the nasty 'good' stuff for professional use, one such stripper is Starchem Synstrip, you should be able to get it from an automotive paint supplier or google it and costs around £25 for 5 litres. I can vouch it is as good as the original Nitromors.
 
dunmor said:
if its a wooden boat caustic soda and water will do it. dont use on grp thou
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Can't see any reason not to use caustic soda on GRP. However, it will take a lot of rinsing to get rid of it. Don't think it is harmless when very dilute. I remember an operator getting some "water" on his overalls and getting very bad burns by end of the shift as it was very dilute caustic. I haven't worked in R&D for about 30 years but remember a warning in the lab. indicating that a splash of less than 0.4% caustic would cloud over the eye in less than 30 seconds, causing permanent damage.

So use goggles and decent rubber gloves.
 
Easy Strip V Starchem Sunstrip

I have about 8 old cast iron radiators which have been painted numerous time probably with the wrong paint that I would like to refurbish.
I was given a quote of 1200Euro to blast them back to bear metal which I thought was very expensive so ruled that out.
I then looked at chemical dip stripping but was advised against this as it could rot the gaskets between each column.

So I'm resigned to removing using a wire brush and carefully applying a chemical stripper. I have done some research and established Nitoromors is useless so tried to obtain some Starchem Synstrip but fell foul of the green police and wasn't able to purchase any as I'm not" trade".

I have managed to get 5L of a substance called Easy Strip the information sheet which accompanies it gives is composition as Dichloromethane 80-90 %W/W and Methanol 10 -15 % W/W .
I have researched to see how this compares with the Starchem product but am unable to find any information.
Does anyone have any laying around or have any idea of the chemical composition?
 
mcalan said:
I have about 8 old cast iron radiators which have been painted numerous time probably with the wrong paint that I would like to refurbish.
I was given a quote of 1200Euro to blast them back to bear metal which I thought was very expensive so ruled that out.
I then looked at chemical dip stripping but was advised against this as it could rot the gaskets between each column.

So I'm resigned to removing using a wire brush and carefully applying a chemical stripper. I have done some research and established Nitoromors is useless so tried to obtain some Starchem Synstrip but fell foul of the green police and wasn't able to purchase any as I'm not" trade".

I have managed to get 5L of a substance called Easy Strip the information sheet which accompanies it gives is composition as Dichloromethane 80-90 %W/W and Methanol 10 -15 % W/W .
I have researched to see how this compares with the Starchem product but am unable to find any information.
Does anyone have any laying around or have any idea of the chemical composition?
Click to expand...

Starchem Synstryp is (was?) similarly dichloromethane based. Therefore only available within the trade to companies who can comply with the regulations for its handling and use.
 
Last edited:
Thanks Vic your absolutely right I was trying to establish if Easystrip is the same chemical composition as Synstrip?
hopefuly it is !!

VicS said:
Starchem Synstryp is (was?) similarly dichloromethane based. Therefore only available within the trade to companies who can comply with the regulations for its handling and use.
Click to expand...
 
VicS said:
Starchem Synstryp is (was?) similarly dichloromethane based. Therefore only available within the trade to companies who can comply with the regulations for its handling and use.
Click to expand...

You only need to Google it to find that it is readily available in 5 litre bottles. In some cases you are asked to verify that you are 'trade' but in others you are not. I think you posted the EU regulations a couple of months ago that showed dichloromethane based strippers to be illegal by anybody, even in industrial applications with extraction, but the fact remains that they are available. I bought 5 litres last October without having to make any statements as to their use. I suspect that as with so many of these restrictions, if I was using it all day I might be at risk but for a one-off job outside on my foredeck I doubt that I shall suffer.

I used it on grp. Far from 'eating gelcoat in a matter of seconds' it did soften it a bit after several minutes, so hard scraping, which should not be necessary anyway, is not advisable. After washing off and waiting half an hour the gelcoat was as hard as ever.
 
Hi Vic this is my first posting on the subject and yes your right it is readily available, I phoned three suppliers who wanted a signed declaration, VAT number and a business letterhead
As I need to get this done PDQ I opted for the easy option i.e Easystrip but just wanted to know how it compares ?

many thanks
 
seanfoster said:
Just for everyone's info, stripper with Dichloromethane in (i.e the stuff that works!) is no longer for sale in the EU for 'amateur' use. I have tried all sorts of new formulations for stripping paint on motorbike tanks etc and have had very dissapointing results.

However, you can still buy the nasty 'good' stuff for professional use, one such stripper is Starchem Synstrip, you should be able to get it from an automotive paint supplier or google it and costs around £25 for 5 litres. I can vouch it is as good as the original Nitromors.
Click to expand...

just for ref dichloromethane can be got from B+Q its contained in solvent glue for plastic pumbing pipe not the push fit type. also in pure form for glueing plastics but that evaporates fast..its related to chloroform
 
fergie_mac66 said:
just for ref dichloromethane can be got from B+Q its contained in solvent glue for plastic pumbing pipe not the push fit type. also in pure form for glueing plastics but that evaporates fast..its related to chloroform
Click to expand...

What solvent cement have you found in B&Q. The only one I can find on the website is this one

productTemplate
which does not contain dichoromethane
 
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