How to clean very old paint?

[Michael Kellough]

Want to clean up a Delta tenoning jig from the mid fifties to be more presentable for selling.

Bought it from the same lady (widow of the original purchaser) from whom I bought the Emmert pattern maker’s vise back in the mid eighties. Unfortunately the tenon jig doesn’t work on my Walker Turner table saw. The WT miter slot is too far from the blade and I never got around to moving the slide over on the tenon jig’s base.

I use a worn nylon mesh pad and wd-40 to clean the bare metal parts but I’m looking for advice on how to clean the old paint without damaging it. The paint is covered with years of time baked dust with oil vapors and a little fungus. The round darker spots are a ubiqform of fungus that slowly grows on anything that sits still for long enough.

[attachimg=1][attachimg=2]

The first pic is copied from the internet.
The second is what I want to clean.

 

[Packard]

As a rule, I have found that a “Krylon-rebuild”*, takes less time and looks better than other options.  But that works best when applied to the entire machine. 

Other than that, I would try using WD-40.  Leave a slight film behind.  It will (usually) clean most parts and leave a bit of corrosion-resisting oil.

*Krylon-rebuild” is a sprucing up of a machine by using rattle can paint and no actual rebuilding.

 

[tjbnwi]

Try original Krud Kutter.

Tom

 

[Packard]

Try original Krud Kutter.

Tom

Will Kurd Kutter make the surface so clean that the places where the paint has chipped or worn away would be subject to corrosion?

 

[Crazyraceguy]

Assuming that it is the factory paint and not already the "Craig's list rebuild" something as simple as mineral spirits (odorless paint thinner) will do the trick. Not lacquer thinner. That stuff will melt it, which will make it dull in the first place and if you keep going it will wash the paint right off.

 

[Packard]

I would point out that iron/steel castings or forging, if cleaned entirely of oils and waxes will start to rust within a couple of hours.  If you are going to clean them with a solvent of any kind, you should apply a coat of paste wax or car wax.

The owner of A neighboring business where I used to work had a new Corvette which he parked on the street in front of his shop.  He would show up around 7:00 in the morning.  At 10:00 I would walk by his shop on the way to the nearby deli.  By the time I walked by the perfectly clean brake rotors had a nice even coating of light rust.  By 3:00 p.m. it was a rich orange color.

Perfectly clean castings and stampings will rust within hours, which is why I suggested WD40, which leaves a rust inhibiting oil.

 

[Vtshopdog]

I’ve had luck using a variety of cleaners / solvents in series, always testing on inconspicuous area first.  Basically throw kitchen sink at it. 

For instance, the fungus might respond to a cleaner with bleach, grease and oil to solvents, other stains to acidic or basic cleaners.  99% isopropyl alcohol is always on my bench and generally harmless to surfaces.

I aways thoroughly wipe or rinse residue of any cleaner before applying the next. (Bleach and acid are a big NO!! for example)

Looking at it I’d try Flitz metal polish, it has has worked wonders on some painted surfaces for me

 

[Michael Kellough]

Thanks for the tips guys!

Just want to clean it. It has all original parts so I don’t want to spoil that integrity.

 

[Packard]

I have a Delta tenoning jig bought about 20 years ago.  It looks nothing like yours.

I mostly used it for stub tenons on Shaker cabinet doors.  I changed my process and I have not used it in years.

 

[tjbnwi]

Try original Krud Kutter.

Tom

Will Kurd Kutter make the surface so clean that the places where the paint has chipped or worn away would be subject to corrosion?

I’m not sure. If I was mine and I thought it would be an issue I’d clean the bare area with acetone, brush Perma Blue on that area then apply a very thin coat of oil to that area.

Tom

 

[Jlahr16]

I would probably try some tsp followed by a wipe down of wd-40 if it were me

 

[Duckler]

I would use toothpaste and spouse’s electric toothbrush.
Took me a few days to realize no one else would put it into print.

 

[Michael Kellough]

I would use toothpaste and spouse’s electric toothbrush.
Took me a few days to realize no one else would put it into print.

That is not only hilarious but makes a lot of sense!
I might just try it since my wife won’t use her electric toothbrush.

 

[Cheese]

I don't have a solution to your conundrum Michael, but I have empathy...FWIW.  [big grin]

It reminds me of finding a "barn car" that's more than 50 years old and the paint isn't quite perfect but yet fully intact...what to do? If it's the original finish you certainly don't want to strip it, but how do you clean it up?

Maybe a diluted solution of TSP?
A diluted solution of vinegar & water with a toothbrush scrub?

When I come across these issues I start with a damp water wetted cloth, wipe the surface and judge whether the crud is coming off or if the original finish is coming off, I apply Kentucky windage from there. If it's dirt, that's a good thing, if it's nothing then that's more problematic.
If you have access to deionized water that can work well...until it works too well. Baby steps. [smile]

 

[Michael Kellough]

Bought some Krud Kutter Original as suggested by Tom. That’s the stuff!

[attachimg=1]

With tote removed for the first time in about 65 years we can see the color of the original paint.

Krud Kutter wiped off decades of crud.

Looks a little different in the photo because color balance shifted on phone camera.

 

[Cheese]

That looks great Michael, exactly the results you wanted. None of the original finish appears to be damaged or lightened.  [big grin]

 

[festal]

I need to find something that works on plastic. I keep finding tools that have over spray on them from not covering during spray painting

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[Michael Kellough]

That looks great Michael, exactly the results you wanted. None of the original finish appears to be damaged or lightened.  [big grin]

Before I went out and bought the Krud Kutter I had a go with stuff that was conveniently at hand, mineral spirits and alcohol. The mineral spirits did no harm and cleaned okay but the alcohol (which no one suggested, maybe the opposite) did lighten the paint some on another part. Even after thoroughly wiping with mineral spirits the Krud Kutter made a substantial improvement.

 

[rvieceli]

[member=71889]festal[/member] you might want to try Krud Kutter Graffiti Remover
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Krud-Kutter-RSTGR326-Graffiti-Remover-1-Each-Clear/16918534?from=/search

Garage got tagged a while back and that did a great job getting the paint off the vinyl siding.

Best to try a test on the plastic you have though

Ron

 

[Packard]

I need to find something that works on plastic. I keep finding tools that have over spray on them from not covering during spray painting

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Well, a “maybe”.  Place in a crockpot set for 12 hours with a modest amount of Dawn dish washing soap.  After it cools off, a sponge  will generally clean off anything left in place. 

But there is a MAJOR CAVEAT:. While this works great on metal parts, many injection molded parts cannot take the heat. And will distort badly.  Approach this method with care.

Less effective in that it will take a lot longer, but with similar amounts of effort:.  Saturate a towel with a solution of water and Dawn soap.  Lay the towel over the overspray areas and leave it overnight.  Add more water and repeat.  Sometimes this works great; sometimes it does not work at all.  It depends on the type of paint residue. 

The key is keeping it wet for an extended period of time.  There is very little actual work involved, but a lot of waiting.  Some items (wood items for example) don’t do well when exposed to water for extended periods of time. So think it through before trying.  (But plastic is generally fine in wet situations.)