Draw Burnishing Tool

[ehcsrop]

I did a search being a bit of a newbie around here and did not see the tool I'm talking about but it may go by a different name. Some are made from an angle grinder and hold a flap or matrix material drum. Others drive the drum on center with the motor and seem to be easy to "draw" or pull across the surface. I think you guys know the tool by now.

I have a wrought iron patio swing that has been painted a few times with god knows what. It's dull, rust is showing through, but it just laughs at being sanded. Gums up discs and so on likely because grinders turn too fast and heat the paint. I thought I'd try the drum.

It comes with a mild drum that would be the perfect solution to make your cast iron table saw top look like new. That's great but it is not designed to remove a lot of material. So I bought what seemed like the roughest, meanest drum I could find. I can modulate the speed to keep from gumming up the paint.

It's not getting the job done. I know I should take this thing to the sandblaster but these guys are becoming scarce (it's a CA environmental thing) and expensive, not to mention the size and weight of this swing.

So I ask do you know of the killer drum for these? Maybe a knotted wire type? I found one but it's $100 and out of stock. I could use one meaner than that (below). If I was using a disc it would be 24 grit. Maybe that's what I need to do and slow the grinder. Suggestions?

Thank you.

 

[Beerhippie]

Fiber disk with a backer plate for a 4 1/2-5" angle grinder, in the range of 30-40 grit. These move paint, rust and mill scale and don't clog as easily as they're an open coat--lots of space between the grit particles. Learn to use a light touch so you don't move too much of the underlying metal.

The best fiber disks I've used are 3M Cubitron II. They're worth the extra cost and will pay for themselves many times over.

 

[WhoWhatNow]

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CQ2HCXW2?tag=atomicindus08-20

Amazon has the wire drums.

 

[ehcsrop]

Thanks to both of you. I'm not sure that link was up this morning, but I could have missed it. That's the same brand I was looking at that said "Currently Unavailable." Weird.

Yeah I've heard of Cubitron but never sprung for it. You might be right about just using the angle grinder.

 

[Snip's]

 

[ehcsrop]

Noticed that.

 

[LXCam]

If sand blasting is out of the question I’d go with aircraft paint stripper.

https://www.oreillyauto.com/detail/c/klean-strip/klean-strip-1-quart-paint-remover/kln0/qar4000/v/a/118658/automotive-car-2012-dodge-charger?store=5558&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=19742256407&gbraid=0AAAAAD1s910nRVgxerqfu--ux1W4TLmPy&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIgpnv_8D4kwMV7ShECB25hiz_EAQYBCACEgJVLvD_BwE

Sorry about that link. I swear it’s safe, it’s oriellys.

 

[Gutman]

A surface conditioning tool runs the drum-type. Mine is variable spped. There are several grits available, as well as wire and buffing cloth. Eastwood, Walther, HF and others carry the tool and the abrasive drums.
You can also find the same type abrasive in disc form for angle grinders. I've even found some less expensive but decent quality of both types om amazon.
That sort of abrasive is good at stripping paint, rust, and mill scale, and does not seem to clog up as easily as a flap disc.

 

[ehcsrop]

Can't buy good stripper in CA. @Gutman, I'm not sure what degree of destruction your recommendations are but this is like stripping marine paint off a rusty ship. It's some tough stuff. I've done a lot of painting and stripping by all methods for years from cars to structural steel. I'd sandblast this if it was more convenient.

I may just have to do that anyway inspite of the cost. I mean if 200 would blast it I could spend 200 many times over just in time alone. The problem is the swing is not worth 200 as is. Redone it might break even. Good thing I like it.

 

[MoonRise]

Knotted wire wheel on an angle grinder removes most paint and rust without chewing through the steel underneath IMHE. Not necessarily all paint or all of the paint or rust, but usually at least a good portion.

Crimped wire wheels don't do much though, at least for heavy duty tasks.

Neither type wire wheels will really remove mill scale though. Loose stuff maybe, but not the still well adhered hard black mill scale. They just burnish that hard black mill scale and trick you into thinking that you removed it, until you stop and take off your dusty cruddy fogged up face shield and get a better look. And once the wire wheel removes the loose stuff and leaves the hard stuff, you have an uneven surface that isn't really conducive to a smooth even paint result. Maybe good enough for 50--50 paint job, one where you see it from 50 ft away at 50 mph and say "That's ok".

24-36 grit flap disks on an angle grinder will remove almost anything, paint or rust or mill scale or metal. Use a LIGHT touch to not obliterate the metal. BTDT

Nasty way to remove most paint is heat or flame. Nasty though. Beware lead, combustion fumes, and other nastiness.

Maybe you could try a pressure washer. High enough pressure and a narrow enough tip can often remove paint pretty well. It can also score or mark up things.

 

[larry4406]

Perhaps if you updated your profile with your CA location, someone with a pressure pot/blasting rig could help you out.

@don long knows folks that blast and if I recall, they come to his place for blasting.

 

[mm08822]

Truth in advertising maybe???

 

[Snip's]

Can't buy good stripper in CA. @Gutman, I'm not sure what degree of destruction your recommendations are but this is like stripping marine paint off a rusty ship. It's some tough stuff. I've done a lot of painting and stripping by all methods for years from cars to structural steel. I'd sandblast this if it was more convenient.

I may just have to do that anyway inspite of the cost. I mean if 200 would blast it I could spend 200 many times over just in time alone. The problem is the swing is not worth 200 as is. Redone it might break even. Good thing I like it.

You are somewhere in California I'm guessing....
Maybe call one of those car dipping strippers and get a quote...

 

[seber]

3M Scothbrite paint stripper disk is made for just this purpose.