Primarily Petroliana Shop Talk Forums Shop Talk Petroliana Forums General Petroliana Discussion need help with this 3'x5' sinclair sign????

I recently picked up this 3'x5' Sinclair sign. This sign had been painted over and when I started removing the paint I thought that the sign was destroyed. I started seeing a metal color and thought the porcelian had been sanded off. After walking around sick for a little while I decided to remove the rest of the paint and to my surprise, I started to see that the gray was just on top of the porcelain.

The grey color does come off with 800-grit sandpaper, but it's a slow process. I'm wondering if you guys have any
suggestions, and do you think a light-weight rubbing compound and a good buffing will help in this process?

I would use paint stripper for that large of area.

Used aircraft stripper to remove the paint! The blackish grey is something other than paint.

Actually it looks like pigments from the black paint stained the porcelain. I've got a few signs with the same kind of staining.

CITRI-STRIP AEROSOL FOAM FROM HOME DEPOT.

I agree that the citri-strip is the way to go. Once it's done, use a buffer and white (not red) rubbing compound.

I would be very concerned that the sand paper that you've been using would have damaged the gloss of the sign. Sandpaper on porcelain is, in my opinion, a request for disaster.

Wes

I know sometimes when I clean porcelian with steelwool, that will leave a greyish color on the porcelian but comes right off when I buff it. It kinda looks like that but more extreme.

Keep us updated on the progress

Don't used sandpaper on porcelain! Porcelain is basically glass. You wouldn't use sandpaper on the windshield of your car would you?
I'd try lacquer thinner or MEK to remove the paint residue.
Then white rubbing compound and a buffer and finish with a good wax and buffer.

use a good paint stripper, but it does lok as though the sandpaper might hav got to it. imo chris

I can't Imagine 800 grit would really do any damage???

Absolutely. It would degloss the finish almost instantly. Sandpaper contains abrasives (aluminum oxide, etc) harder than the vitreous enamel on the sign.

Wes

I only sanded a small area! I just went out and put some wax on the spot that was sanded and the gloss is still there.

Thats What I thought.... It would Take a Alot of Elbow Grease for 800 Grit to do anything to the Porcelain.

2000 grit (wet) might not hurt it, but 800 will scratch it.
I think what saved him is Sinclair signs like those generally don't have great gloss to start with.