Product Name and Manufacturer: EFS-2500 Paint Stripper from Molecular Tech
Link: http://www.m-tc.com/slideshow.html Where to Buy: At the above site, prices are not listed on their site so a call to get updated prices would be recommended.
Pros:Excellent paint stripper. You apply it then go and do something else and when it’s ready, you literally peal all of the paint off in one quick removal. Told it has a long shelf life as long as it is kept closed and out of the air. Biodegradable and is water soluble.
Cons: Expensive in small quantities
Price: Approx $100 USD per single gallon
Approx $275 USD per 5 gallon bucket.
$1850 USD for a 55 gallon drum
Previously, at our museum, we used the "Kleanstrip: 15 minute Paint stripper" from Home Depot to strip any paint we needed to do, including stripping entire aircraft. However, this stuff isn’t the best as it does not always penetrate the paint and for a large area, it just requires too much work and time. So when we got our C-47, I decided to look for another paint stripper to use instead and found this stuff.
We started out just buying a gallon to test it. For our first test, we did a section of about 2 square feet. We brushed it on as per the directions, which is the least effective method, and covered it with saran wrap. After five hours, it was practically done, but we left it sit till the next morning as we were closing up for the night. This stuff has a very long time period of being able to be applied without drying or harming the skin.
The next morning, we all gathered to removed the plastic and then remove the paint. To our shock, as we pulled the saran off, the paint clung right to the saran wrap! It left a near perfectly clean surface. We just did a light scrub over the few rivets that needed it with a stainless steel brush and the remaining paint came off without having to apply anything else.
We then did a larger test patch, but due to using brushes which caused unevenness in the application, not applying it thick enough (as we still had over a half gallon left but applied it to more than 100 square feet which they say one gallon should cover 80-100 Sqft) and it being colder outside (it works better the hotter it is) we did not get nearly as great result. but again, we only have 15minutes invested in it and were able to do other things while waiting.
Now, the instructions that come with it are slightly different than what the site advertises, but it is still worth it.
In a nutshell, you apply a thin coat of the paint stripper. Wait 15 minutes and then reapply a heavier coat. Once you do this, you cover it up with a thin piece of plastic sheeting. They say to use something 1mil thick, but we are now using the really thin (<4mil thick) plastic drop clothes from Home Depot as it’s a lot easier to work with than saran wrap. I ended up buying the 9ftx400ft roll instead of the individual clothes as it’s cheaper. Once covered, you let it sit. The longer it sits the better.
Once the sheeting is removed, should there still be paint left on the plane, you simply just apply more stripper and cover again. You do not wash the area until you are fully done stripping.
Today we received our 55 gallon drum of the stuff. We also purchased an airless sprayer at Home Depot to use to apply the stripper, which is working perfectly. I got the Graco X5 sprayer, which I plan on using should we have to paint the plane ourselves.
I have already applied stripper to two large sections on the fuselage and wing and will remove the sheeting tomorrow as a larger test with the sprayer. I could probably have the plane done in about 2 days if I did not have other people working on the plane as well, getting in the way.
The biggest advantage of this stuff is you spray it on and let it go. It takes more time to prep the sprayer and setting up the area than spraying itself. After your done spraying it on, you are free to do work on other things, which is a big plus in my book.
It should be said, we have had a large issue with the gold paint on this plane. The white can be blown off with air, but for some reason, the gold sticks very, very well. So far, this is the only stuff that has worked well on the gold.
First small test patch after removal
The sheet and paint
The larger patch as the stripper was still on after about 3 hours
After
And Todays test patch using teh sprayer. This was after only about 30 minutes.
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