heat gun versus stripper

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jwnall

jwnall

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Morgan
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The time has come to do some work on the outside of my old boat, since the varnish looks like something which the cat drug in and the kittens refused. Lots of old curling varnish to get up, and I am wondering whether to use some stripper or a heat gun. Any advice will be welcome from those of you who have more experience with it than I do (which probably includes almost everyone).
 
Use neither :D I have found the best way to remove varnish on wood is with a radiant heat paint remover .You have greater control of head and it covers a larger area so it makes for a faster job


This is my Waner
41AN3BTDNYL._SY355_.jpg



https://www.google.com.au/search?q=radiant+heat+paint+remover&client=firefox-b&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjPgMCQsbPQAhWGrJQKHRouArUQ_AUICSgC&biw=1440&bih=747#imgrc=hTFvqzA1TNWXeM%3A
 
jwnall said:
The time has come to do some work on the outside of my old boat, since the varnish looks like something which the cat drug in and the kittens refused. Lots of old curling varnish to get up, and I am wondering whether to use some stripper or a heat gun. Any advice will be welcome from those of you who have more experience with it than I do (which probably includes almost everyone).
Click to expand...

If the varnish is very old and dried out a heat gun doesn't work that well.
 
I find the heat gun (im-)perfectly usable. Where the varnish is really bad, it scrapes right off. I prefer using narrow, 1" scrapers so that more force can be applied to the width of the scraper. I sharpen the scrapers with a file (overboard so that the steel chips do not end up on-board to rust and discolor the boat).

Practice is required so that adjacent surfaces are not damaged; gelcoat and paint are also softened by heat. A modicum of coordination, which I lack, and ambidexterity, which I also lack, is required to operate the heat gun and the scraper most usefully. You have to use the heat and the scraper concurrently and: not overheat the wood, not overheat the scraper handle (which will melt), nor overheat your scraper hand.

I would not want the mess of chemical remover and the risk of its damaging adjacent surfaces.
 
Greetings,
Mr. jw. The problem with either a heat gun or stripper is in some cases the heat or the stripper ends up where you don't want it. Lack of control IOW. We've tried strippers, heat guns, torches (gotta be REALLY careful) and in the end have found sharp scrapers to be the best for us.

An assortment (widths and profiles) of scrapers and a good file is my suggestion. I'm sure others will chime in and suggest carbide scrapers and they are very good until you have to sharpen them. Can't be done without specialized grinder stones.


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That being said, you can still use chemical strippers in those tricky hard to reach places but bulk removal is best with a scraper IMHO.
 
I have used a heat gun and a scraper on old varnish and it worked pretty well. I think that the eco friendly strippers like the citrus based ones wouldn't work well on old, sun baked varnish.

David
 
Heat gun might work better but I think the stripper might be more fun to watch.

887.jpg

Ted
 
The PO just kept on adding layers of varnish, which I decided to remove. Pic shows thickness. It came off quite readily with heat gun and a thick-bladed scraper.

Subsequently I needed to remove Cetol, which was a big failure particularly on curved surfaces in the local climate. I think its most redeeming feature is ease of removal! A combination of scraper such as shown above by RTF and some sanding for the difficult areas. But where possible I just used a finishing sander.

I suggest trying a number of techniques to see what works easiest for you given the type and condition of varnish you are dealing with.
 

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I much prefer the tungsten carbide scraper w the very slightly curved cutting/scraping edge. Gouging w the sharp corners is almost imposible. A big plus. And the blades are very hard to wear out. Never need sharpening. I'll never go back to carbon steel.
 
Im with OC on this, no question.
 
Once you get the knack of it, a heat gun and scraper is MUCH faster than stripper.
 
I found a heat gun and scraper to be effective, but you must keep the gun moving or you can scorch the wood. Highest setting, right onto the rail, followed by a scraper. Keep it moving!
 
I don't have much experience, but I think it's best to pick usiing heat gun. I can only recommend a quality heat gun for you. This is SEEKONE and the customer reviews are very good and they are also rated satisfactory in my favorite blog.
https://solderingironguide.com/reviews/best-heat-guns/
And the price is quite affordable and you can also use it into the house.
 
Here's a video of a chap I follow who lives full time in Victoria BC aboard is old boat - a Monk. Its a woodie. In this video he talks about sanding etc., you might find it helpful:

 
Hire a stripper to work the heat gun and closely supervise her.
You had to know you’d get that kind of answer when you posted that title.
Seriously, heat gun.
 
I stripped the teak of a GB36 in s weekend with a heatgun and four scrapers.

Direct the heat down stream as you scrape, it preheats the varnish. The scrapers tend to get hot, so I change them as they get to hot to hold. Grind the ends off so they can't gouge.

The old varnish will cool and stick to anything. A light block sanding and your good to go.

Use care near gelcoat, etc.

I recommend Awlwood after stripping. Discolored wood can be bleached with teak cleaner or bleach. When done right the finish is incredible.
 
Got rid of the teaky boat. :) Heat gun now used for only odd jobs not related to teak and/or varnish.
 
Choices said:
I recommend Awlwood after stripping. Discolored wood can be bleached with teak cleaner or bleach. When done right the finish is incredible.
Click to expand...

But what do you do when you have to strip the Awlwood? I understand a heat gun doesn't work well on it.
 
Sounds like the finish on the OP's boat is varnish, but if it's a two part urethane such as Bristol or Perfection Plus, paint stripper will not work well. However, a cheap HF heat gun works wonders. I used a very wide metal spatula as a heat deflector when heating the rounded edge adjacent to gel coat. This rail took about two hours to strip. (The heat gun, scraper, and red handled heat deflector are depicted in the photo...click to enlarge).

DSCN1780.jpg
 
Last edited:
RonR said:
Chemicals are hard to fully clean out of the wood if you plan on adding a coating again. Heat guns and a scraper work well, or just a very good scraper.


RonR,

Not to start an argument but I have used stripper on boats and commercially for over 50 years without coating issues. Then again, I always scrape clean and sand after.

Here are two shots of my go to scraper. It uses a 1" Red Devil blade you can buy at any hardware store in a two pack. Keep it sharp with the file and the work flies along.

Rob
Click to expand...
 

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Sea Hawk Marine Paint Stripper 1280 works well, biodegradable, and cleans up with water. Read for yourself.
You can buy on ebay and sometimes on Amazon or other online places.
 

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Datenight said:
RonR said:
Chemicals are hard to fully clean out of the wood if you plan on adding a coating again. Heat guns and a scraper work well, or just a very good scraper.


RonR,

Not to start an argument but I have used stripper on boats and commercially for over 50 years without coating issues. Then again, I always scrape clean and sand after.

Here are two shots of my go to scraper. It uses a 1" Red Devil blade you can buy at any hardware store in a two pack. Keep it sharp with the file and the work flies along.

Rob
Click to expand...

No arguments here, just a warning to make sure its CLEAN before trying to apply a finish.
Click to expand...
 
Yep
 

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