by DS 129 » Tue Apr 26, 2005 9:13 pm
I am not up on "Peelaway 7", but I was given a pail of the original "Peelaway" about 10 years ago. I tried some on window trim, and found it was the worst crap I had used in 40 years. I believe formulation then was based on a strong caustic, which had to be neutralized and washed extensively with water. You can imagine the condition of the wood grain after all that. My suggestion is that if you have some Peelaway, it best be used as a drain cleaner.
You can try the paint removers that are sold in the marine stores labled as for fiberglass, but they are expensive and so weak, that it would take 2 or 3 gallons and take all summer.
The most effective paint remover, I found going back 40 years was as sold by Sears. I haven't had occasion to use it recently, so I don't know what their current formulation is, or if they still sell it
I did my DS a couple years ago. Used a "semi-paste" type from local hardware discount. It worked fine. You may need to do 2 or 3 times even with this, as it may only soften one coat at a time. Do small areas about 1 or 2 sq. feet at a time. Use gloves and glasses and apply with a brush about 2", wait a few minutes until the paint puckers up, and remove with broad, putty knife or scraper, discarding the guck to newspaper for disposal. Softening of the gel coat was very, very minimal, and hardens back up after the solvent evaporates, and you are going to light sand the surface afterwoods anyway.
Depending upon how much paint to be removed, it may take a couple quarts, you may as well get a gallon for a few bucks more than the 2 qts.