Need advice: removing non-skid paint and bondo from gunnels (aluminum)

[78sharpshooter]

I am having a nightmare of a time trying to remove a rubber non-skid paint that was applied on top of what looks like thinned bondo (pink/salmon colored and does not fracture). I have tried the following; aircraft remover, orbital sander, 4" flap disc, heat gun with scraper, carb cleaner with scraper, propane torch with scraper, wire brush, 3" wire cup brush on the angle grinder, and the most effective is the multitool with scraper but it is painfully slow and half the time does not get under the bondo. This is such a problem that each time I go at it with the multitool I only strip a small section before my shoulder wants to give up. This trouble is countered by a few success; tig welding up holes on the transom, stripping the gunwhale paint, getting the transom and deck removed, a few ideas for reinforcing the gunwhales.

Any advice is appreciated at this point and thanks for taking the time to read about this problem.

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: Need advice: removing non-skid paint and bondo from gunnels

Re: Need advice: removing non-skid paint and bondo from gunnels

Welcome to iBoats!

Whatcha got for underlayment?? Tin, FiberGlass, Wood??? What kind of boat?
Pics would really help us to help you. My Signature line has a link on how to post em.

 

[78sharpshooter]

Re: Need advice: removing non-skid paint and bondo from gunnels

Re: Need advice: removing non-skid paint and bondo from gunnels

forgot to mention that it is a 78 sea nymph 171. In this pic you can see on right side the pink color with the nonskid above it.

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: Need advice: removing non-skid paint and bondo from gunnels

Re: Need advice: removing non-skid paint and bondo from gunnels

I've always use my 4 1/2" grinder with a backup pad. NOT flap discs.
Get em here
http://www.central-steel.net/search.aspx?find=sanding+discs

 

[sprintst]

Re: Need advice: removing non-skid paint and bondo from gunnels

Re: Need advice: removing non-skid paint and bondo from gunnels

I'm nor sure MEK Methyl Ethyl Ketone would do it but it's bad stuff anyway.

This is one of the coolest tools I've seen on the forum. Alpheus is using it to strip glue with no problem.

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=450122&page=16

 

[78sharpshooter]

Re: Need advice: removing non-skid paint and bondo from gunnels

Re: Need advice: removing non-skid paint and bondo from gunnels

That crud thug looks awesome. Too bad there is no way of ordering it online though....

I tried MEK and it wasn't any better than the aircraft remover.