Primer from old paint on my build?

[bigsal51]

I was sanding my 250gal tank down and taking all the old paint off and it was hard to remove all the way down to the metal. There is a thin amount of redish primer on it and I was wondering if I had to take it down to the metal?. alot of the tank I could but geting to the sides of it where it want exposed to the element that much it is hard to come off. Should I through it again with a higher grit or finer that is. I was using a 40 and 80 grit 4 1/2 disk.

 

[bigsal51]

This is what i am talking about.

 

[luvdatritip]

You might give 36 or 24 grit a shot. If that doesn't do it, break out the rose bud.

 

[pineywoods]

I think I'd have to try to get it all off as I doubt it would be high temp primer did you do a burn in the tank before you started?

 

[stircrazy]

depending on the age of the tank that could be what we used to call red lead primer.. has a high lead level hence the name. you want to remove it all. might be more simple to take it some where and get it glass beaded.

Steve

 

[beer-b-q]

Red Primer could also be Zink Oxide Primer, I would try to get it all off because for one thing it isn't going to be hi temp and what ever you put over it is only as good as the surface it is on. If the old primer lets loose the new primer on top of it will also go...

 

[rw willy]

Try a liquid paint remover. We use Gasket remover from an auto parts store alot at work to remove sticky paint residue.
Good luck and pickup a can of elbow grease.

 

[bustintires]

3m makes a good grinder wheel that is made of a bunch of flaps of sandpaper. you can get it in many different grits and does a pretty good job of stripping paint. whatever you use try to keep it flat and not on its edge. your photo looks like a pretty nice unit and would be worth taking to a blast shop tho.

 

[randya]

It you can I would complete a hard burn inside (get it as hot as you can). the last one I did I trimmed alot of trees and burned all them inside the smoker. Then have it sandblasted and painted. I has a company here in Bradenton that did my 120 gal with fire box and trailer for $120. The paint sued was the good for 1500 deg F.

Good look can't wait to see a picture of it completed.

 

[meat hunter]

Like he said, if you can, a nice hot burn inside should bubble it up. If not, Marhyde makes a paint remover in a spray can, sold at most auto stores like Napa, Pep Boys. If not, try grafitti remover, in a spray can sold at most home centers such as Lowes or Home Depot. If it is old and like mentioned below, could contain lead, so wear a mask if you are sanding it. Build looks like its coming along nicely.