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Author Topic: Paint Remover for R-390A Panels?  (Read 5388 times)
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WBear2GCR
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Brrrr- it's cold in the shack! Fire up the BIG RIG


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« on: November 10, 2020, 09:53:06 PM »

Anyone have a sure-fire stripper for the paint on R-390A and similar mil panels??

Chemical stripper.
Not blasting or abrading, although I'm curious if that is the only two methods that
actually work? In which case, what did you use to not muck it up?

                            _-_-bear
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_-_- bear WB2GCR                   http://www.bearlabs.com
KL7OF
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« Reply #1 on: November 10, 2020, 09:59:54 PM »

On aluminum panels, I have used aircraft paint stripper, walnut shell blasting in a cabinet, and soda blasting...all results were satisfactory...I would stay away from bead or sand blasting...and you know good old hand sanding on a piece that size...just ain't that bad....good luck....Steve
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W4RFM
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« Reply #2 on: November 11, 2020, 12:56:15 PM »

I have used the Kleen Strip brand for years.  It easily takes the paint off old metal and  (powder coated I am told.) I like to use the spray cam and place the object on old newspaper, and give it plenty of time to work.
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BOB / W4RFM  \\\\\\\"I have looked far and wide, (I also checked near and narrow)\\\\\\\"
W2PFY
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« Reply #3 on: November 11, 2020, 04:29:30 PM »

https://savogran.com/removers.html

This is a product that we used in another life to refurbish wood & metal products.(Liquid Kutzit®) It needs to be used outside or in a well ventilated place.  I worked there part time a long time ago and this is no lie, I wore sneakers on the job and they literally melted! Most of the time we had to apply several coats of the stuff to get the objects paint free. It did not harm wood or metal in any way. Please send a commission to ......................   .......................Some of the other stuff they sell may work better?
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W2JBL
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« Reply #4 on: December 08, 2020, 12:41:39 AM »

Rock Miracle paint remover if the EPA didn't ban it. Used use it to strip paint and Bondo off of cars before metal work. Some scraping required. Plastic paint scrapers work well for that. The stuff cleans up with tap water. You know it's good 'cause it eats flesh...
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K0ELB
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« Reply #5 on: March 28, 2021, 07:18:23 PM »

I took mine into the local motorcycle shop that does Cerakote and had them lightly blast it with whatever they decided as best and Cerakote it. No nasty chemicals to deal with, and it only cost me $100 total.
After that I took the knobs and Veeder Root cover in to be powdercoated with black krinkle. That was another $48. So, for $150 I saved myself a lot of trouble dealing with chemicals and trying to paint it all. I know I couldn't have done a better job at twice the price.


* 43BBCDEC-E33D-4D1E-AE8F-3848391BE6F1.jpeg (3559.11 KB, 4032x3024 - viewed 454 times.)
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Tom W2ILA
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« Reply #6 on: May 09, 2021, 04:25:20 PM »

The Cerakote looks great. What did you use to fill the letters?
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K0ELB
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« Reply #7 on: May 09, 2021, 06:21:45 PM »

The Cerakote looks great. What did you use to fill the letters?


I used some water based acrylic paint from Hobby Lobby. It works great, easy to use and clean up. AND, it was only $3/bottle.
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kb2vxa
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« Reply #8 on: May 17, 2021, 11:52:33 AM »

Oh no, unfortunately I see one BIG mistake. Having restored two with original paint in good condition I see that sandy looking paint on the escutcheon and knobs doesn't begin to resemble the original flat black. Maybe it's just me, but restoration means back to original condition physically and electrically.

Speaking of electrical, does the protection relay short the antenna inputs when the TX/RX mute is activated? In the two I worked on it didn't, the selenium stack under the power transformer was open. Now made of unobtanium I replaced them with a 4 diode silicon diode bridge nobody will see hidden down there. Second, since these receivers will never see "mobile" use again there's no point in them having a ballast tube in series with the 1st oscillator and mixer tubes, they can be pulled and set aside, not tossed away. Unlike other 12V heater pairs in series across the 24V heater line these are 6V and the ballast tube makes up the other 12V. The tubes may be replaced with their 12V heater equivalents and a jumper plug inserted in the ballast tube socket. Then this modification is easily reversed so the RX may be sold at full collector value... IF you ever want to sell what is the finest AM receiver I ever operated.
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73 de Warren KB2VXA
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K0ELB
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« Reply #9 on: May 17, 2021, 01:09:22 PM »

I did the knobs the way I want it, and saved the originals as well as the original panel so it could be put back to original at anytime. The black krinkle powdercoat on the knobs makes them feel FAR better than the original paint did. I use this radio daily, it's on 24/7. I also have the Treetops Circuits SSB adapter installed, and it works very well on SSB.

The bezel and Veeder Root cover was done the same way so it would all match.

And this radio will never be for sale.
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Patrick J. / KD5OEI
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« Reply #10 on: May 20, 2021, 09:27:30 PM »

Yes, 'the way I want it'. Not to be disparaged.

I keep a collection of Selenium rectifiers around. Been saving them for decades. They can be disassembled, cleaned, and repainted if needed, after testing. If an unavailable one is bad, I take it apart and insulate its cells so that it's open circuit, and then hide silicon diodes down near the heat sink vanes. Spaghetti on the diode bodies hides them, and the leads are inconspicuous as they go up the tabs. The whole thing can be painted with an epoxy mix. The part number/logo is photographed and then hand lettered or in some cases silk screened. I seldom bother with all of that unless the project is for the person so demanding that they expect to find FEMA dust in the slots of the cut-washers. I keep some in the safe for such occasions.
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Radio Candelstein - Flagship Station of the NRK Radio Network.
w8khk
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« Reply #11 on: May 20, 2021, 10:45:55 PM »

A restoration need not be "original" to the point of looking sterile.  I really like the new crackle black on the bezel and knobs.  It really stands out, looks sharp.  If Art offered that finish scheme on the KWM-2, LeMay would probably have ordered twice as many!
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Rick / W8KHK  ex WB2HKX, WB4GNR
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K0ELB
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« Reply #12 on: May 22, 2021, 04:56:37 AM »

A restoration need not be "original" to the point of looking sterile.  I really like the new crackle black on the bezel and knobs.  It really stands out, looks sharp.  If Art offered that finish scheme on the KWM-2, LeMay would probably have ordered twice as many!

I like it too. I kept seeing pictures on the internet of black faced R390A's and thought they just looked outstanding, so I bought a spare engraved panel and a spare set of knobs, as well as the Veeder cover and got lucky and found the BFO vernier. With all the parts and having them refinished was less than $300, and the professional job is FAR better than what I could have done at home with wrinkle paint. With the Cerakote on the panel filling in the lettering was easy, as not much will remove it.

I even went so far as buying a reproduction ID tag and stamping my call sign in place of the serial number. Not really a "restoration" per say, but more of a "personalization".
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WBear2GCR
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« Reply #13 on: May 22, 2021, 10:59:15 AM »

pictures?
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K0ELB
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« Reply #14 on: May 22, 2021, 11:41:41 AM »

pictures?
On my first reply in this thread.
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