Paint stripper safe on a magnesium saw?

[alexcagle]

Wisdom learned the hard way: Don't leave any old cans of spray paint stripper in your garage! I had a several year old can eat a hole in the can, propelling itself spinning of a high shelf, thus spraying my wifes new car. It cost my insurance $4900 to fix the paint, lenses, trim, etc....
Needless to say it worked well. Yikes!

I have used the marhyde spray can paint remover on two old 076'
and a TS350. It worked in about three coatings. The baked on paint is really stubborn, but eventually came off. I don't see how corrosion would be a problem, because the acid does it's thing, then is spent. Especially if you rinse it off like it says to on the can. I used color match Sherwin Williams 2-part epoxy with a airless (good) sprayer. No primer. This stuff is thick, so I thin it slightly. It's really tough stuff.
I got the epoxy at an industrial Sherwin Williams outlet.
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[peterc38]

caustic soda is the base component for most strippers. It will rapidly corrode alum and magnesium. Best bet is media blasting with finest grade crushed glass

+1, good advice.

 

[Simonizer]

Just wondering if it is safe to use spray cans of paint stripper on a magnesium case saw, I know that stuff is mean. If not, what is the best way to strip the old paint of a saw without damaging the parts? Just for reference, I am doing the work on a old Stihl 042av.

Kleen-flo metal and parts cleaner takes paint off in a hurry. Just soak it for a bit. It is also the best carb cleaner I have found. Very stinky and no doubt toxic as hell, but very effective. Don't get it on your hands, use nitrile gloves in a well ventilated area.

 

[Trigger Man]

Nic,..I have done a few saws and the Tal Strip that was mentioned will soften even powdercoat. After getting all the paint/powdercoat removed in the blast cabinet I immediately boil the parts in detergent and water, then rinse them in very hot water to rid them of soap. They dry off quickly from the heat inside them, then immediately hit them with a light coat of self etching primer. Untreated Magnesium begins to break down rapidly, I have used epoxy primer on several of my early restorations and it most likely is superior to etch primer but is very difficult to clean up the spray gun after each use. That is why I changed over to the etch, it has worked out very well with many of the saws I use for cutting in the woods holding their finish for more than 3 years now.
I think the most important step is to boil the parts clean before priming, magnesium is very porous and if the contamination is left in there under the paint it will eventually break out, blister the paint and the exposed mag. will begin to break down, white rust, when exposed to moisture.

:agree2: Jerry is correct, the prep work and how you prepare the mag, aluminum is very important (is there nothing you don't know Jerry) Epoxy primer is a beeotch! to get your tools clean! I have used etch as well on a Johnson outboard I painted up for gunning waterfowl and it's not bad but since I started using epoxy I hav'nt looked back(just my preference) for a saw I'm sure etch would be just as good! , after using the paint stripper I sandblast all parts and then clean with Brake clean.I actually bought a sprayer that u fill up with brake clean out of a 5 gallon pail and charge it up by a compressor and clean my parts with that and then blow dry with compressed air and then spray on the primer, I have had no issues with corrosion and I run my outboards in fresh & saltwater.

Give the tal- strip a try Nik, it works pretty well.

 

[Currently]

I have used brake fluid with some success.

Spilled some by accident on my motorcycle ...

Since then, I use it to strip paint and then wash it down with brake cleaner fluid and finally mild soap and water, not detergent, car wash soap that does not strip the wax.