where can I buy acetone?

[Colvic Watson]

Our deck needs repainting. There is several coats of deck paint on, which makes a very bumpy and chipped surface. I want to strip the whole lot off and repaint. I have made a start with paint-scrapers but someone mentioned that acetone could make the job easier. Any ideas?
Thanks.

 

[ridgy]

Forget the expensive little bottles in chandlers:

http://www.cfsnet.co.uk/acatalog/CFS_Catalogue__Acetone_7.html

 

[Evadne]

Acetone is the ultimate solvent and degreaser but it won't shift deck paint, in my experience. You can buy it at anywhere that sells the full range of fibreglassing and epoxy products, e.g. some chandleries.
A 2-handed scraper will get it off very swiftly, if energetically, goggles are definitely recommended. Careful it doesn't take the gelcoat off as well.

 

[DJE]

Careful where you put the rags down. It went straight through the varnish on my chart table a few years ago. Don't breathe the fumes and <font color="red">NO SMOKING</font>. But it does seem to get just about anything off GRP.

 

[graham]

Look up fiberglass suppliers or even flat roof firms in your local directory and get a gallon for not much money.

I think there are Health issues if you get too much on your skin so get cheap throwaway gloves from the same place. The ones fiberglassers use dont disolve in Acetone as will other types.

Also keep it off your boats windows it can damage some types .

 

[starboard]

Try 2" LINBIDE scraper obtained from the following site. They are the best thing around for moving antifoul and old paint, far superior than a Scarsten scraper. Give it a try you will not be disappointed.

http://www.nwepaints.co.uk/acatalog/Stripping_Knife___Scraper.html

Paul

 

[jfm]

I agree, it wont shift deck paint. You need a nitromors type product for that.

You can get acetone cheaply mail order from Glassplies, southport. Dunno number, 118247

 

[VicS]

Re: MIND YOUR EYES

[ QUOTE ]
Don't breathe the fumes and NO SMOKING

[/ QUOTE ]
And don't get it in your eyes. Goggles are just as important when using acetone as when as when scraping.

 

[Norman_E]

Dangerous stuff, both to you and to some plastics, which dissolve in it. Personally I would not want to use it on GRP in case it did damage. As an aside when I was in the USA the bank I worked for was asked to finance a shipment of acetone to Columbia. We refused, as it is used in the processing of cocaine.

 

[ghost]

try cyb at canvey island near southend, got half a litre today for 2.50, they do mail order too bang in a search using that
info

 

[Avocet]

I'd be very wary of Nitomors on GRP! I've used it on GRP cars with no problem in the past but a tiny bit found its way on to Avocet's topsides once and the gel coat was bubbling within seconds! (literally!) I believe you can get paint strippers specially formulated for GRP "Dilunet?" but I've never tried them.

 

[LadyStardust]

I buy half litre bottles from my local hair dresser supplies wholesaler for about £4, I know you can get it at a better price from Glasplies or CFS, but I dont want 5 litres, it's to dangerous to have around.
I also heard of a boat sinking because the owner poured acetone down the sink and it burnt right through the hose!
If you use it on gelcoat you should wash the surface down with water as soon as you have removed the mark, acetone can soften gelcoat if left on.

 

[jfm]

Dont think it's that dangerous. Widely sold on supermarket shelves in South of France, and all the pro crews in france use it to clean marks off gelcoat.

In theory it could harm gelcoat if left on for ages, but that never happens with normal cleaning use becuase a thin film wiped on as a cleaner evaporates off in much less than a minute. In warm med climate it evaporates off in a few seconds. Try a brush with resin in the bristles gone hard - it has to sit in a jar of acetone for weeks before the bristles begin to soften, if you're lucky

 

[Evadne]

Paint strippers

Dilunet and Interstrip are generally sold as antifouling strippers and are safe on grp. I tried Interstrip and found it would take off several coats at a time, but as its about 30 quid a tin and you'd need at least two applications for the average 30-footer I'd stick to the scraper. Dilunet is cheaper. I've also heard of folks making their own with caustic soda mixed with wallpaper paste, but never tried it. I see no reason why it wouldn't work on deck paint.