Love of lathes.

[Retired]

Hi,

Thanks Big Al, once is enough but well worth it. Before getting up this morning I asked Bron if she would like a trip over to Oxenhope with me today to buy more blasting media? I've just been outside and already I've made it rain and the weather forecast is for heavy showers near The Pennines; never mind though the idea was good so back to the hard way of paint stripping again.

I wondered if there was a blasting media supplier nearby so I browsed the web last night finding a company in Sheffield which isn't nearer but it revealed some quite alarming information;

http://www.macants.co.uk/application-sel...a-blasting

When Bron kindly bought me the blaster I thought using soda was safe? It's of course possible this company is highlighting the downside of soda in order to promote its own product but where my health is concerned I don't take risks. I've only ever used hard blasting media with my blaster so cannot comment not having tried soda. I thought soda blasting would be brilliant because soda is not abrasive and can be used on items such as glass and machined surfaces without causing any damage. Out of necessity I only use the blaster on our driveway; the hard media although creates a huge mess is easy to sweep up but it appears if soda gets wet it becomes troublesome?

I tried using a canister type gas blowlamp and yesterday I tried using a powerful heat gun to soften the paint on this Lorch but the paint refused to soften in fact I thought I was turning this paint into "Stove enamel". I've never had success in trying to remove paint from metal using heat although on wood it is a rapid process.

I've browsed YouTube regarding paint removal and just about every method is shown in detail. One method is much favoured in the states and this is to dunk the items into a Molasses bath for a couple of weeks; the paint can then simply be pressure washed away; this method certainly works and works well but I can't see me having a large container sitting around for weeks on end giving the lathe a bath and once the job was over how to dispose of the gunge?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZCFcxf5IBw

As my various projects get underway I start learning lots of new things which makes each project even more interesting to me. Recently I've learnt a great deal about various types of media blasting finding local suppliers and this also applies to flat belt drive systems which reminds me; I still haven't received the samples or quotes from our local flat belt supplier in Cleckheaton. I've previously sprayed my machines using compressor and spray gun but this was always troublesome due to our climate so I can now brush paint using top quality machinery enamel the enamel being found after more web browsing (Paragon).

I try to be considerate towards our neighbours so never make noise in the garage other than between 9am and 6pm. Being retired I can do most of my heavy work whilst many neighbours are out at work so in 26 years of living here I've never received one complaint so I must be doing something right. When I use my woodworking kit; this kit is heavy duty and gets through work rapidly unlike the tinny DIY machines which scream away for hours on end so this also greatly limits noise emissions.

I'm just having a brew then I'll wander into the garage for another paint removing session.

Kind regards, Col.