How to Remove Spray Paint?

[ArcadeNoob]

I was considering buying another arcade cabinet, but was wondering-How do you remove spray paint?  When removed, will there be any residue left/will it damage the original wood underneath?  And lastly, what is that smooth laminate like stuff above the wood?(not paint, not plastic.......I have it on another game of mine, I will take a picture of if need be).  Thanks alot!



Oh yea, and last question-How would I go about putting a coating on INSTEAD of the horrible looking spray paint?  And what would it be?  Thanks alot!

[RayB]

That smooth laminate like stuff is....

[brace yourself]

... laminate.

[ArcadeNoob]

   Thanks alot............I had a suspicion it had some crazy, new fangled name like that.




BUT, is there any way to sand down, and then RE LAMINATE?   I know there is usually a particle board core, and then a colored laminate cover............and way to replace the laminate cover?  Any ideas welcome.

[RayB]

I'm about to do the same thing...I'll let you know what comes of it, but I assume that you can just apply new laminate on top of the old. THat is assuming that the old surface is smooth and flat...

[Stingray]

You should be able to relaminate right over the old with no problem. Like Ray said, just make sure your surface if clean.

-S

[ChadTower]

If he just puts new laminate on top of the old, will that make the side thick enough that it no longer matches the T molding?

[RayB]

If he just puts new laminate on top of the old, will that make the side thick enough that it no longer matches the T molding?

Yes. Noob, can you tolerate a bit of extra underlap with your t-molding?

The difficulty here is that removing laminate that was "applied at the factory" could and probably would rip out alot of the fragile particle board underneath. If the laminate was applied by an operator, then chances are it will come off easily without damage to the subsurface.

[Karetaker]

I'd just fill any holes with Bondo (body filler). Sand them and scuff the surface with 220 grit sandpaper. Prime it and paint it. I use a roller and house paint.

[RayB]

Welp, the bad news is you can't use acrylic latex enamel on laminate. The paint just scratches right off. I even sanded it down first, but it doesn't seem to have helped much.

[ChadTower]

Not if you prime it properly.

[Karetaker]

Did you prime it first? I did it with all my Dynamo cabs, and didn't have it happen.  As a matter of fact I have a Deer Hunting in the shop here that I did like that. I just walked over and took a look at it and it and other than a few nicks it still looks great. Maybe it just needs a bit more sanding or a rougher grit (100 maybe). I did mine with a palm sander. If you get the surface roughed up enough it should adhere. You have to prime though it or it will never adhere. Sorry, don't know what else to tell you, I didn't have any problems like that when I painted mine. Now I feel bad, like I gave you bad advise..... are you close to me? Bring it over to my shop, and I'll paint it for you....hehehehe

[RayB]

I used paint that supposedly didn't need primer.

Anyways, I just went out and bought a proper primer/sealer meant for glossy surfaces (Zinsser brand). Should work out now... Will post the results in my thread on painting laminate.

[Mark70]

Aren't there two kinds of "laminate"

There's melamine, which as I understand it, is a thing plastic film with a pattern printed on the adhesive side.

And there's "plastic laminate" which is like a very thin plastic board that has a colour to it.  This is the kind of stuff that you kitchen counters are made of.

I was wondering about removing laminate as well, of either kind, since I'm considering trying to buy a local cab with a wood pattern on the side.  I have only seen pictures so I don't know if it's melamine or plastic laminate.  All I know is that I would want that wood grain pattern gone.

[stratjakt]

The wood grain is most likely vinyl with an adhesive backing. 

Just pull/peel it all off, use a heat gun to loosen the adhesive. 

Be aware it's probably particle board underneath, and you'll pull out a bunch of the particles, resulting in a whole lot of puttying and sanding to get it smooth enough to get a good paint finish - I'd plan on laminating it just to avoid the hassle.

[ChadTower]

I just completely stripped a Dynamo cab of adhesive vinyl.  If you do it right, you will take off zero particle board chunks.

Of course, I'm left with a lot of glue on the cab, and I have to sand that off.

[Stingray]

You can almost certainly get the glue off a lot easier with some paint thinner than if you sand it off.

-S

[ChadTower]

Hrm... I wonder how to do that without soaking it into the particleboard.  It sure would be easier than moving the cab outside and sanding all weekend.

[Stingray]

Get some "hot" thinner like laquer thinner. You want something that evaporates quickly. Stay away from something like mineral spirits, which probably would soak into the wood.

-S

[ChadTower]

Cool.  I am working on this cab in the basement, near working stuff, and wasn't looking forward to sanding anyway.

[Stingray]

Fast evaporating enamel reducer should also do the job. I'm sure I don't have to tell you this, but I'll say it anyway. Make sure to test it on the inside of the cab first just to make sure it won't damage the wood.

Get a plastic scraper too. Soften the glue with the thinner, then it should just scrape off.

-S

[ChadTower]

For softer stuff, I use a spackle spreading thingie, forget what it is called, but it is metal.