[R-390] R-390 Digest, Vol 88, Issue 1

Mon Aug 1 13:05:10 EDT 2011

I have restored many R 390 and 390A receivers and have long since stopped using paint strippers. They are time consuming to use and the chemicals are not fun to deal with. Additionally, they don't get all of the paint out of the engraves requiring more time with a dental pic and brass brush to get the rest out. 
After reading about the benefits of soda blasting a number of years ago, I bought a soda blaster from Harbor Freight and had all sorts of problems getting it to work, using the wrong media type. Then I bought a FAR better unit from Eastwood supply, $250, only to discover my compressor was marginal with only 7 to 8 CFM. I ended up buying a $1500 Quincey Compressor with about 15 to 17 CFM. You will also need the proper media made by Armor and it's about $25/50lbs. The media is encapsulated and works FAR better than plain baking soda. 

I know most people are not going to spend nearly $2K to do one front panel but like I said, I do many. I can take a front panel down to Aluminum in under 5-minutes. I also use the quarter inch blue tape from NAPA and mask all of the lettering on the rear of the panel and use electrical tape to mask where the rear of the front panel mates with the chassis. Yep, I do the front and rear of each panel since the rear of the panels are usually badly scuffed up from rack mounting and years of abuse. 

When I was developing my technique(s) I had one panel that I had to strip 7 times, long story, but it was when I was playing with different kinds of paint, paint guns, primers, sanding devices and on and on. I really worried if I was going to damage the engraves but ABSOLUTELY NO DAMAGE occurred and the engraves took paint just fine. Soda blasting will not hurt glass rubber or plastic. It will not take rust off either but this is not an issue with Aluminum. Like I said, I use soda blasting often and blast on top of vinyl tapes with no problems with the tape being damaged. I doubt it would take skin off but at 95 PSI and 14 CFM, I am not going risk a trip to the horsepital.

I considered using a sand blaster with a soft media like pecan shells and this might work but I didn't want to risk damaging a front panel and after my research, I knew soda blasting was the way I wanted to go. NO REGRETS.

If anyone wants the Harbor Freight blaster to play with, contact me. It will probably work much better with the Armor media. When I was playing with it, I had bought boxes of regular baking soda and had lots of problems. The HF unit will work on less CFM and may be just right for someone with a smaller compressor. I paid $100 for the unit, used it two or three times and it's been on a shelf in my workshop since. $75 and $15 for shipping and it's yours. I'll be at the Shelby Ham fest next month if anyone wants me to bring it and save the shipping fee.

If there is interest, I will be glad to describe my front panel painting and lettering processes. It took a lot of time, money and hair-pulling before I came up with a process that is predictable, repeatable and teachable. Others may know the process as well but I have never read anything exactly like what I do, described on the Internet searching on R390(A) Front panel paint, variations. I have read what I consider a lot of bad or questionable suggestions regarding the same topic.

73,
Glenn WA4AOS
DSM Labs
864 684 2956

w w w dot d s m l a b s dot c o m

-----Original Message-----
From: r-390-request <r-390-request at mailman.qth.net>
To: r-390 <r-390 at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Mon, Aug 1, 2011 12:01 pm
Subject: R-390 Digest, Vol 88, Issue 1

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Today's Topics:

   1. Front panel paint removal (Ben Loper)

   2. Re: Front panel paint removal (Lloyd Godsey)

   3. Re: Front panel paint removal (rbethman)

   4. Re: Front panel paint removal - Addendum (rbethman)

   5. Re: Front panel paint removal (Jerry K)

   6. Re: Front panel paint removal (Walter Wilson)

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Message: 1

Date: Sun, 31 Jul 2011 16:47:20 -0500

From: Ben Loper <brloper at gmail.com>

Subject: [R-390] Front panel paint removal

To: r-390 at mailman.qth.net

Message-ID: <8C79035D-D365-4022-91E5-658ADAC96A30 at gmail.com>

Content-Type: text/plain;	charset=us-ascii

Does anyone one know a paint remover that works on R 390 panels . I remember 

years ago trying to strip one and the paint remover. I used just didn't cut it 

You have to turn into the wind to take off, push against what resists you.

------------------------------

Message: 2

Date: Sun, 31 Jul 2011 14:51:46 -0700

From: "Lloyd Godsey" <kk7iz at cox.net>

Subject: Re: [R-390] Front panel paint removal

To: "Ben Loper" <brloper at gmail.com>,	<r-390 at mailman.qth.net>

Message-ID: <EC54F67B75384245A2DD4F7D84BD65C3 at LloydPC>

Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1";

	reply-type=original

Best I have found is JASCO, i I believe it is labeled industrial, maybe not. 

Available at Home Depot in quatrs and gallons.

Will even remove powder coating and I thought nothing would touch it.

Handle with CARE.

Thanx

Lloyd Godsey KK7IZ

kk7iz at cox.net

480-620-7145

http://www.lloydsdipsydumpster.com/

http://antiqueradioarchives.com/

Skype: lloyd.godsey

-----Original Message----- 

From: Ben Loper

Sent: Sunday, July 31, 2011 2:47 PM

To: r-390 at mailman.qth.net

Subject: [R-390] Front panel paint removal

Does anyone one know a paint remover that works on R 390 panels . I remember 

years ago trying to strip one and the paint remover. I used just didn't cut 

it

You have to turn into the wind to take off, push against what resists you.

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Message: 3

Date: Sun, 31 Jul 2011 17:53:26 -0400

From: rbethman <rbethman at comcast.net>

Subject: Re: [R-390] Front panel paint removal

To: r-390 at mailman.qth.net

Message-ID: <4E35CED6.3040405 at comcast.net>

Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed

Ben,

I went the path of Lacquer Thinner.  Worked like a champ!

All caveats in place - OUTDOORS plenty of VENTILATION - etc.

A Bondo scraper slides it off!

Bob - N0DGN

On 7/31/2011 5:47 PM, Ben Loper wrote:

> Does anyone one know a paint remover that works on R 390 panels . I remember 

years ago trying to strip one and the paint remover. I used just didn't cut it

>

> You have to turn into the wind to take off, push against what resists you.

>

>

------------------------------

Message: 4

Date: Sun, 31 Jul 2011 18:20:14 -0400

From: rbethman <rbethman at comcast.net>

Subject: Re: [R-390] Front panel paint removal - Addendum

To: r-390 at mailman.qth.net

Message-ID: <4E35D51E.2020104 at comcast.net>

Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed

Ben,

I went the path of Lacquer Thinner.  Worked like a champ!

** And *if* you get the urge - Rustoleum now has lacquer in a rattle can 

at least at Lowe's! **

All caveats in place - OUTDOORS plenty of VENTILATION - etc.

A Bondo scraper slides it off!

Bob - N0DGN

On 7/31/2011 5:47 PM, Ben Loper wrote:

> Does anyone one know a paint remover that works on R 390 panels . I remember 

years ago trying to strip one and the paint remover. I used just didn't cut it

>

> You have to turn into the wind to take off, push against what resists you.

>

>

------------------------------

Message: 5

Date: Sun, 31 Jul 2011 20:16:48 -0500

From: Jerry K <w5kp at hughes.net>

Subject: Re: [R-390] Front panel paint removal

To: Ben Loper <brloper at gmail.com>

Cc: r-390 at mailman.qth.net

Message-ID: <4E35FE80.90204 at hughes.net>

Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed

I've tried several types, but the only remover I've found that really 

worked well was called "Jet-Strip". Available lots of places (check the 

web) but only in blue & yellow gallon cans or larger. It's a commercial 

shop product made for aircraft refinish work, worked great on the last 

four or five panels I did. Clings well, brushes on easy, lifts paint 

quickly. Don't breathe it. :)

73 Jerry W5KP

On 7/31/2011 4:47 PM, Ben Loper wrote:

> Does anyone one know a paint remover that works on R 390 panels . I remember 

years ago trying to strip one and the paint remover. I used just didn't cut it

>

> You have to turn into the wind to take off, push against what resists you.

>

> ______________________________________________________________

> R-390 mailing list

> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/r-390

> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm

> Post: mailto:R-390 at mailman.qth.net

>

> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net

> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html

>

------------------------------

Message: 6

Date: Sun, 31 Jul 2011 22:08:45 -0400

From: Walter Wilson <wewilsonjr at gmail.com>

Subject: Re: [R-390] Front panel paint removal

To: Jerry K <w5kp at hughes.net>

Cc: r-390 at mailman.qth.net

Message-ID:

	<CAMqZj_7Od_0Y6a6-3TgjdTvV1CHYPDADG1WCpkcD533at-NZQQ at mail.gmail.com>

Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

I've found the aircraft stripper at Pep Boys in a blue and white spray can.

- Walter (sent from my Droid X runnin' CM7)

On Jul 31, 2011 9:17 PM, "Jerry K" <w5kp at hughes.net> wrote:

> I've tried several types, but the only remover I've found that really

> worked well was called "Jet-Strip". Available lots of places (check the

> web) but only in blue & yellow gallon cans or larger. It's a commercial

> shop product made for aircraft refinish work, worked great on the last

> four or five panels I did. Clings well, brushes on easy, lifts paint

> quickly. Don't breathe it. :)

> 73 Jerry W5KP

>

>

> On 7/31/2011 4:47 PM, Ben Loper wrote:

>> Does anyone one know a paint remover that works on R 390 panels . I

remember years ago trying to strip one and the paint remover. I used just

didn't cut it

>>

>> You have to turn into the wind to take off, push against what resists

you.

>>

>> ______________________________________________________________

>> R-390 mailing list

>> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/r-390

>> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm

>> Post: mailto:R-390 at mailman.qth.net

>>

>> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net

>> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html

>>

> ______________________________________________________________

> R-390 mailing list

> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/r-390

> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm

> Post: mailto:R-390 at mailman.qth.net

>

> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net

> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html

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