Stripping old varnish - Nitromors or what?

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DickB

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I am re varnishing the cabin soles and to take the layers of old varnish off I have been using Nitromors paint and varnish stripper. I have tried both the green one and the yellow! I have to say I have been unimpressed with both products.

Does anyone know of something better?

Cheers
 
The active ingredients have been changed and no longer as effective. I have had some luck with Polycell. Otherwise try a hot air gun or if used carefully a belt sander and 180 or 240 grit. Works OK on flat horizontal panels.
 
Same thing came up a little while ago: http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?375714

EU had a problem with methylene chloride and it was banned for use by consumers on 6th June 2012. However, Industrial or professional use (with limitations) is still allowed. So you can still get hold of things like Starchem Synstryp with same active ingredient as the original Nitromors.

Don't use methylene chloride inside the boat unless you have a huge throughput of air (open dayboat parked somewhere outside in Orkneys would probably be safe :D). Best to remove the floorboards and work outside.
 
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Use whatever works.
First thing I'd try would be a sharpened Abru scraper.
Or the Harris one with carbide blades. You can cut planer blades in half for this.
If that was no good I'd try the hot air gun and a sharp 3 corner scraper.
Sanding is sometimes best.
Paint stripper is an option, but I usually only use it on metal.
 
My first approach would be with a hot air gun and scraper. This should deal with most alkyd based paints and varnishes. Two pack finishes will be more resistant but a methylene chloride based stripper, if you can still get hold of some, will probably work.
A word of warning though. Don't get methylene chloride on your GRP. It will soften the polyester.
 
Just for info, when Nitromors was actually a good product (albeit a bit nasty) the active ingredient was Dichloromethane.

You still can get strippers containing Dichloromethane but they have been restricted to professional use. This doesn't mean you can't get them, it just means you have to go to somewhere like an automotive paint supplier, one product which I have used (and is as good if not better than the original Nitromors) is Synstrip made by Starchem costs around £30 for 5 Litres, many places do it such as here: http://www.spraygunsdirect.co.uk/product.php?tid=193&products_id=7193 also most suppliers will do their own brand which is even cheaper.

Hope this helps!
 
take them to "dip and strip" or the antique furniture equivalent

found a specialist in the west end of Glasgow that strips furniture using a water based chemical process. Took a whole lot of pieces off my boat and had them stripped to bare wood. You get a raised grain that needs sanding but otherwise its a much easier way to go if you can remove it. You then take them home and varnish them in a warm house or garage.

try an inconspicuous piece first

its good value if you have lots done at once
 
I've recently taken old 2-part varnish off the decks of a dinghy using a well-sharpened cabinet scraper. I'll certainly be using the same technique again. If you've never used a cabinet scraper before, take the time to learn how to sharpen it properly or you'll be put off before you've removed anything from the wood.
 
EuanMcKenzie said:
take them to "dip and strip" or the antique furniture equivalent

found a specialist in the west end of Glasgow that strips furniture using a water based chemical process. Took a whole lot of pieces off my boat and had them stripped to bare wood. You get a raised grain that needs sanding but otherwise its a much easier way to go if you can remove it. You then take them home and varnish them in a warm house or garage.

try an inconspicuous piece first

its good value if you have lots done at once
Click to expand...

Fairly likely that they are dipping it into a bath filled with sodium hydroxide solution.
 
Thanks everyone, I thought that Nitromors had been changed since years back it was really good and now it is pretty rubbish. I dare not sand as the holly veneer strip is really thin, and on one of the boards it has partially worn through.

Anyway I'll get hold of some of the industrial stuff and take it from there.

Thanks again, this forum is such a useful sounding board. Brilliant!

Dick
 
I have a different arrangement solid hardwood boards that can lift out. I guess you,ll have to do yours in place. Fwiw I used nitromors for those bits but 6 years ago it was probably the old formula
 
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