E-Tank

[Austin860 82]

Will an tank remove paint from the metal ? Or does it only work on rust? Thinking about making a large one to strip the panels and fenders on my d180

[73-18 automatic 8]

Will remove pretty much everything

[meadowfield 2,545]

With a large enough tank, electrode and 2A current, they will strip everything in a few days. Just keep cleaning the anode and rinsing the loose paint and rust off.

[JamesBe1 80]

It takes a little longer to remove the paint.  I think it's a matter of the paint just coming looks from sitting in a tank of very basic water.

[Jeff-C175 7,195]

I don't see how an E-tank can remove paint.

 

For it to do so the paint would have to be electrically conductive and subject to the same 'ion exchange' process as the rusty metal.

 

If there is rust UNDER the paint, it might eventually remove that paint but only if the liquid can get under it.

 

On the other hand, I've just looked at some YT videos and it looks as if paint does come off rather easily in an E-tank.  I wonder if it has anything to do with the type of paint, and the base metal?

 

Try it!  Let us know what happens!

[meadowfield 2,545]

I use the e tank to remove paint, agree it should only be the iron oxide reacting, but over time the paint bubbles and lifts like paint stripper.

[Jeff-C175 7,195]

Just did a bunch more reading and looking...

 

It seems that the type of paint does have something to do with it.  One article I read said that parts from something that were painted RED the paint peeled off in sheets, but the white and yellow painted parts there was no effect on the paint at all.

 

Soooo, since our stuff is mostly RED, I'd certainly give it a try.

 

I've used E-tank for cleaning dug artifacts for years, but never tried it on paint.  Maybe it's time?

[SousaKerry 500]

Most things the paint will come off, I have had a few items that did not though.  Like mentioned above the electrolyte used in the water has more to do with removing the paint then the electrolysis itself.  But in my opinion it works much better with the two combined, in other words you could strip the paint with just the water and washing soda without the electrodes but it works better with it.

 

What paint I was not able to remove came off quite easily with a wire brush.