struggling to remove cpo from Williams wood cp

[Broodwich]

On my Major Havoc conversion page here I used a product called "Super Remover".

It was easy to apply, had very low odor, worked really fast, and left everything clean. It's made for wood so no worries about leaving the wood impregnated with oily residues or a bad smell.

On my Robotron, which I did a few years back, I used "Polystrippa". The results were not as clean as you can see here and the stuff was stinky and not water soluble. I had to clean up afterward using Acetone.

Bill B.

Interesting i see it's wood safe, i might have to see if this is available locally.

On my Robotron restoration pages, you can see several pages describing what I did with the control panel starting here.

Regarding the metal plates, they are supposed to be completely flat and mounted flush with the top wood surface. The CPO should lay flat across the them. The plastic dust blocking disk goes under the metal plates, NOT on top. If it is on top of the metal plate, it will be caught between the plate and the CPO forcing the CPO upward. Obviously, not a good thing. Some people place the disk on top of the CPO but that's butt ugly (imho) not to mention not factory correct.



Also, you may want to remove the plates so that you can paint them and also to get at the original T-nuts and replace them with new stainless steel ones since you have the panel apart anyway. The old steel ones are probably rusted and new ones will make assembly easier later. In my case, my panel had damaged threads since some jerk forced in wrong thread bolts at some point. The same goes for the T-nuts on the front face:

Bill B.
http://www.biltronix.com

awesome info!!!, the one in my cleaner panel seems very thin or plastic like (guess i'll find out when i pull the cpo) and they're definitely warped/bowed upwards causing the CPO to crack in a nice rounded square pattern, i think i'll start with the yie ar panel first before i attempt removal on the nicer robo panel. Regardless the metal plate issue will be an interesting one.

my t-nuts seem like they're in good shape, no cross threading but i might replace those as well (the yie ar panel will definitely have one or more replaced as that one did have some rusting going on with a couple).

I actually think i had your page bookmarked, guess i should revisit some of those >.<

 

[Broodwich]

Seems i'm going to have to go out to the store and see what's available for adhesive remover (that's wood safe). it really is like old cellophane.

Here's where i'm at currently with the panel that was converted to Yie Ar. I have a 3rd panel coming in the next 7 days also (i plan on restoring all 3). I'm also going to replace the t-nuts like you recommended as i'm in there anyways.

The heat gun definitely makes this job take 0 time and little effort.

 

[AllYouCanArcade]

If you don't mind doing a bit of bondo work after the fact, a small chisel works really well for this task. You don't want to dig it into the wood, but if you can get right under the sticker, it scraps it off easy as apple pie. I've found that it works on both laminate and vinyl.

 

[Broodwich]

i just got done removing all of the adhesive off of the metal plates for the sticks and holy hell! i have some Dominion Sure Seal automotive label and sticker remover that took about 6 coats and scrapings with a plastic scraper to finally get 98% of it off, that one is now primed and hanging.

I did some more searching and see MEK is a popular choice also. Thing is since i live in NY all i can get is a MEK substitute or w/e at my local box store. anyone have any experience with the substitute? i tried some mostenboks lift off tape remover, 90% rubbing alcohol, denatured alcohol but didn't want to ramp it up to acetone just yet. Looks as tho the MEK is also fairly safe for the wood. ( http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc...gId=10053&langId=-1&keyword=mek&storeId=10051 )

Or should i just keep scraping and using the heat gun? i've got most of the cellophane off the Wood part atleast.


If possible could one of the MODs move this to the Restoration section thanks!!

 

[Biltronix]

If you can't find the "Super Remover" then I would go with Acetone. It's not expensive and it works great and it is 100% 'wood safe'. It will remove the paint from the metal plates but you can always repaint those easily. Do not use a heat gun near Acetone. It's flammable.

Bill B.

 

[Broodwich]

I got some MEK substitute, and i had some acetone. Haven't given it another go since i finished up the metal plates that the dust washers sit under. (i started using that plastic scraper but found my fingernail worked better once i started on the 2nd plate)

after i got them clean like the one on the right in pic 3 i removed any rust, put 2 coats of primer and 2-3 coats of flat black Rustoleum rattle can which is the one on the bottom in pic 1 and on the left in pic 3

 

[Broodwich]

I'm really not liking this adhesive, i tried the MEK Substitute and Acetone (just made it slightly soft and snotty for about a minute, hard to use as it evaporates so fast). and my dewalt single action non orbital sander with little change. Oh i even tried a wire wheel on my drill (bad idea).

 

[Biltronix]

I'm really not liking this adhesive, i tried the MEK Substitute and Acetone (just made it slightly soft and snotty for about a minute, hard to use as it evaporates so fast). and my dewalt single action non orbital sander with little change. Oh i even tried a wire wheel on my drill (bad idea).

I suggest that you print the picture of the Super Remover can and take it to your local paint store or to the paint section of your local hardware store. They for sure will have a similar product, whether it is called Poly-Strippa or Super Stripper or whatever. What you want is a water soluble all-in-one paint stripper that claims to remove several layers at once. The stuff is commonly used for restoring old furniture. Also, you want a gel version of it that can be brushed on. The gel will avoid wasting the solution and make it stay on the surface and resist drying out. After you brush it on (do not use a foam brush), you can wait a few minutes and then start scraping everything off using a 1" to 3" wide metal putty spreader.

Be aware that the gel can and will burn your skin and eyes if you get it on you. Even though many products do not smell bad, they are still aggressive. I always keep a 2 gallon bucket of clean water and a washcloth sitting nearby in case I have to rescue myself, but I always wear a big pair of safety goggles and cotton work gloves. Don't try regular rubber gloves as the gel will soften them, maybe even eat them while you are wearing them. I once made the mistake of wearing rubber coated cotton gloves thinking that I was safe. The gloves very soon started to heat up and melt and I had to douse them in the laundry room sink under running water to cool them down and I had a hard time getting them off quickly. There are special rubber gloves that are intended for this application however.

All that said, the gel stuff does a great job of allowing you to remove the adhesive in just a few minutes and cleanup is easy because it's water based. Don't use water on the wood of course, use Acetone on a disposable cotton cloth to wipe the very last of the gunk from the wood surface.

Regarding your metal plates, you could also try pouring the Acetone into a glass tray and submerging the plates while you scrape them or brush them with a brass-bristle brush. Just do it outside and not near any sparks or you'll burn yourself up. Treat it like gasoline.

 

[Broodwich]

I suggest that you print the picture of the Super Remover can and take it to your local paint store or to the paint section of your local hardware store. They for sure will have a similar product, whether it is called Poly-Strippa or Super Stripper or whatever. What you want is a water soluble all-in-one paint stripper that claims to remove several layers at once. The stuff is commonly used for restoring old furniture. Also, you want a gel version of it that can be brushed on. The gel will avoid wasting the solution and make it stay on the surface and resist drying out. After you brush it on (do not use a foam brush), you can wait a few minutes and then start scraping everything off using a 1" to 3" wide metal putty spreader.

Be aware that the gel can and will burn your skin and eyes if you get it on you. Even though many products do not smell bad, they are still aggressive. I always keep a 2 gallon bucket of clean water and a washcloth sitting nearby in case I have to rescue myself, but I always wear a big pair of safety goggles and cotton work gloves. Don't try regular rubber gloves as the gel will soften them, maybe even eat them while you are wearing them. I once made the mistake of wearing rubber coated cotton gloves thinking that I was safe. The gloves very soon started to heat up and melt and I had to douse them in the laundry room sink under running water to cool them down and I had a hard time getting them off quickly. There are special rubber gloves that are intended for this application however.

All that said, the gel stuff does a great job of allowing you to remove the adhesive in just a few minutes and cleanup is easy because it's water based. Don't use water on the wood of course, use Acetone on a disposable cotton cloth to wipe the very last of the gunk from the wood surface.

Regarding your metal plates, you could also try pouring the Acetone into a glass tray and submerging the plates while you scrape them or brush them with a brass-bristle brush. Just do it outside and not near any sparks or you'll burn yourself up. Treat it like gasoline.

Took yours and Jeff F's advice and found a wood safe gel stripper, or well i hoped this would work. and went to town with it today with excellent results.

I used:

• Cheap dollar store bulk wood paintbrush

• loads of paper towels

• 9in1 painters tool (Homedepot)

• Jasco Premium Paint & Epoxy Remover (Lowes)

The 9in1 tool made the rounded front upper and lower edges much quicker to remove the adhesive. I started with the top and left it for about 15 minutes as recommended by the mfg. but even with an overcast day it dried rather quickly but worked very well. 2nd coat i put on thicker and for only about 5 minutes and that worked better. I used the paper towels to remove the snot from the tool and or my fingers (which btw it didn't bother my fingers that much but just like you said wysiwyg2 that stuff burns like alien blood on any of the softer skin). in the end about 4 minutes and a medium application seemed to work best. total time spent was about 45minutes (which i'm sure i can cut down to about 20-30 on the next 2 i do). I only used about 1/4 of the can of remover as well and i was happy to find that it dried from the surface once it was wiped down.

Thanks again guys!!! I'll share the next 2 panels once i get around to doing those as well. I picked up another stripper made by Kleen Strip that i might give a try on the next one or maybe i'll just return it and get another can of Jasco.

 

[JC Arcade]

Jasco Premium Paint & Epoxy Remover (Lowes)

Awesome suggestion. The evil adhesive on my Robotron panel simply laughed at my initial attempt with CitriStrip, but the Jasco remover did the trick. Took a couple of coatings/scrapings, but those adhesive boogers came up like butter with the putty knife.

 

[Broodwich]

Awesome suggestion. The evil adhesive on my Robotron panel simply laughed at my initial attempt with CitriStrip, but the Jasco remover did the trick. Took a couple of coatings/scrapings, but those adhesive boogers came up like butter with the putty knife.

awesome glad it worked for ya, i was really surprised how clean/dry/reasonably un changed the wood was when finished with the stripper. I've actually got a 2nd panel ready for de-boogering as we speak lol.

 

[ArcadeTechGW]

MEK (Methyl Ethyl Keotone), aka, Edison Safety Solvent, is a known carcinogen.

Be very careful if you use it. Use only in a ventilated area, with gloves, and preferably, a positive fresh air supply, to keep from inhaling it.

It's nasty stuff.

 

[Mr Do]

CP preparation

So once the wood control panel is stripped and clean or a metal control panel is stripped and cleaned, do you prime either one?

 

[YellowDog]

So once the wood control panel is stripped and clean or a metal control panel is stripped and cleaned, do you prime either one?

I use Rustoleum which is a one coat (doesn't require primer) on the metal pieces and a polyureathane to seal the wood before putting the new CPO down. The ureathane gives it a solid surface to bond to.

ken

 

[Broodwich]

polyureathane to seal the wood before putting the new CPO down. The ureathane gives it a solid surface to bond to.

ken

yup yup, used urethane on my first one

 

[jimkirk]

I just primed and painted mine and it is still looking like new.
As long as the surface is totally dry,clean and sanded the prime will stick just fine.

 

[Wolfinator]

Eraser wheel on a drill gets it done quick and clean.

 

[Broodwich]

Got another one stripped today, used the same stuff, took about an hour or two.

2 more left to do.

 

[Tighe]

Nice job! Looks fantastic!

 

[Broodwich]

Thanks! now for some bondo and sanding, then i gotta decide primer or urethane to seal it and make for good adhesion.