High Pressure Paint removal

[Chipmunk]

Has any one used a high pressure washer (3800 psi) to remove paint on an old toolbox? Just wondering if it will work. (I want to take the box to bare metal without sand or media blasting)

 

[N.I.]

I use an industrial 3000 psi (15hp) pressure washer with a big turbo on it.

As a rule of thumb you keep back when washing down machinery etc. It will remove paint off places where it hasn't adhered properly.

However if metal is correctly painted it will not do anything.

I picked up a wet sand blasting kit. It's a good job for removing paint, but if you want to stay away from blasting media, you can have fun with a wire wheel on a 9" grinder.

 

[MoonRise]

On an old toolbox? No.

On some other things, yes.

But in this case, I would probably go for a chemical paint stripper. Put it on, wait as required, wipe/scrape it off, rinse and repeat as needed.

Cause the high pressure spray would tend to knock the toolbox over or bounce back at you when trying to get the inside corners and such and because high pressure spray can etch/bend the metal or blast right through 'thin' spots (rust pinhole).