Re: Gluvit and Strippers...
Good topic - I'm right in the middle of exactly this process and learning a lot ! Here's what I've observed/learned thus far ...
Just like in the gentleman's club, not all strippers are alike - Aircraft being the best. Why? Two-words : "Methylene Chloride" (MC-based). It pretty much eats everything. Problem... It can be pricey, and unfortunately 90% of the strippers on the self won't have MC in them, or not enough. EPA has not banned MC in the U.S., but has practically done just that via the heavier regulations & reporting requirements.
Instead, most of the strippers will be alkali-based, or other (less effective) chemical pairing. With the Alk ones, you must be careful not to let it sit on bare aluminum for too long.
And if anyone mentions oven cleaner - I'll scream!
Bottom-line ... bonified MC-based "aircraft" stripper (brush-on) is the best, but it is smelly fumey and dangerous. Note, I think some vendors are using the Aircraft buzz-name, so look for Methylene Chloride specifically. Yes, Zip-Strip has MC. Others have removed MC and kept their product the same name. If Methylene Chloride isn't written on the container somewhere, is most likely an alternative.
Next, paint type varieties. Being that these are yesteryear's boats and may have been repainted, I found that these non-MC strippers do work fine for removing rattle-can paint, automotive, and house paints. So why the need for MC then? Answer: the OEM coat. Sooner or later you?ll get down to the original paint. Not sure what Starcraft used back in the 60's & 70's (most likely lacquer) but most stripper have no real effect on it. Gummy and stick at best. Only thing I have found is MC-based strippers, and even that takes time and one still needs a scrapper AND you must scrape whilst still wet and active ... let it dry up too long and you are screwed again and will need to reapply fresh MC.
Primer : My '74 holiday has a "yellow layer" right there down next to the aluminum. It?s pretty much water-line down. Yep, Zinc-chromate primer, again, non-MC based strippers have problems.
Finally, mechanical stripping is required! After as much MC stripping and scraping as possible, you will want to get a power-drill & wire-wheel. Hopefully whatever is left behind has been weakened by the stripper at least. I have had to use a scotch-brite disc and drill in some hard areas, but the wire wheel will be the best bet at getting a lot of work done.
Last is probably wet/dry sandpaper, either manually by hand and or using an orbital vibrating sander.
Now don't take this as gospel - it's just an account of my experience so far and might find useful.
Be happer to hear about other's experiences.
