Attempting to poison myself with long term toxic chemical exposure
J. Tyson 2004-2007. Last updated 02-05-07.
| the body. part I |
Find something and burn it
| Attempting to poison myself with long term toxic chemical exposure. |
There are two types of people in
the world who can look you straight
in the eye and claim with utter
sincerity that aesthetics really
aren't important. The first belong
to the ugliest percentile of the
species and the second to the
most beautiful. Both however, are
full of shit.
The remainder of us do our part to
support the multi billion dollar
fashion industry in the never
ending pursuit of trying to look
good.
Case in point: If life were
exclusively about function over
form then nasal hair wouldn't be an
issue in the dating world.
To be certain, the bat truck will
perform no differently whether clad
in bulging glans purple lacquer or
the shit of a thousand tartan
seagulls, but hey, I've never
claimed that looks aren't important.
I want this project to look cool.
the world who can look you straight
in the eye and claim with utter
sincerity that aesthetics really
aren't important. The first belong
to the ugliest percentile of the
species and the second to the
most beautiful. Both however, are
full of shit.
The remainder of us do our part to
support the multi billion dollar
fashion industry in the never
ending pursuit of trying to look
good.
Case in point: If life were
exclusively about function over
form then nasal hair wouldn't be an
issue in the dating world.
To be certain, the bat truck will
perform no differently whether clad
in bulging glans purple lacquer or
the shit of a thousand tartan
seagulls, but hey, I've never
claimed that looks aren't important.
I want this project to look cool.
| April 2005: Ice cream anyone? The new truck wearing several rolled on coats of white house paint over Canada Post red and blue with a liberal sprinkling of aluminum oxide corrosion poking through. Chicks will just beg for a ride in this puppy. |
In search of a perfect stripper...
(Content restored from my original site)
After spending the week doing research and trying
to figure out how to best strip 15 year old paint from
the truck's soft aluminum body, a guy from a local
collision shop informed me that there were
industrial automotive paint and epoxy removers
available. A few phone calls and $37 produced a
gallon can of Strip it dry from Sherwin Williams.
I've been dying to try it out but unfortunately it's
already getting dark. Tomorrow I'll be anxiously
awaiting the return of our local star with the hope
that this chemical cocktail will bring the body to bare
metal, saving me countless hours of attempting to
sand around the 5000 odd rivets that hold the truck
together.
(Content restored from my original site)
After spending the week doing research and trying
to figure out how to best strip 15 year old paint from
the truck's soft aluminum body, a guy from a local
collision shop informed me that there were
industrial automotive paint and epoxy removers
available. A few phone calls and $37 produced a
gallon can of Strip it dry from Sherwin Williams.
I've been dying to try it out but unfortunately it's
already getting dark. Tomorrow I'll be anxiously
awaiting the return of our local star with the hope
that this chemical cocktail will bring the body to bare
metal, saving me countless hours of attempting to
sand around the 5000 odd rivets that hold the truck
together.
Saturday morning: A quick trip to Canadian Tire for a few supplies and assorted solvents before I begin.
There is little in the way of instruction on the tin. I have absolutely no idea how long to leave it on or how to
neutralize it if so required. Truthfully, I don't have the slightest idea what the fuck I'm doing. I fear that this
jazz may actually work too well - possibly chemically reacting with the aluminum, possibly leaving a residue
that will make it impossible to repaint the truck.
There is little in the way of instruction on the tin. I have absolutely no idea how long to leave it on or how to
neutralize it if so required. Truthfully, I don't have the slightest idea what the fuck I'm doing. I fear that this
jazz may actually work too well - possibly chemically reacting with the aluminum, possibly leaving a residue
that will make it impossible to repaint the truck.
Let's see... The label on the can says that the stuff is made of a homogeneous mixture of equal parts
magic and pure evil. It's poisonous - Say it isn't so - and the State of California is fairly confident that it's a
carcinogenic that pregnant women shouldn't snort or eat. However, should one decide to eat it anyway
then it's really best served with a glass of milk and a phone call to a physician. It's also not intended to be
sold to the general public. Excellent. This sounds like just my kind of juice.
magic and pure evil. It's poisonous - Say it isn't so - and the State of California is fairly confident that it's a
carcinogenic that pregnant women shouldn't snort or eat. However, should one decide to eat it anyway
then it's really best served with a glass of milk and a phone call to a physician. It's also not intended to be
sold to the general public. Excellent. This sounds like just my kind of juice.
So let the clown show begin! This stuff smells exactly like the stuff that I use to trim around the boys and
has the consistency of thick wood glue. Meaning it smells bad and it's messy - presumably this is the evil
side of the mixture. The instructions say to paint it on in one direction but failed to mention that it's
impossible to do so and that the brush will quickly dissolve. An attempt at even coverage with blotting
motions immediately yielded results.
has the consistency of thick wood glue. Meaning it smells bad and it's messy - presumably this is the evil
side of the mixture. The instructions say to paint it on in one direction but failed to mention that it's
impossible to do so and that the brush will quickly dissolve. An attempt at even coverage with blotting
motions immediately yielded results.
So does it remove paint? Yup, it sure does - but
what a freaking ugly mess. Under the rolled on
house paint there appears to be at least two layers
of the original Canada Post logo as well as
reflective stripes made from graphics vinyl. With a
little bit of work the paint and stripes come off in
sticky messy strips. Although not clear in the photo
(left) the exposed patch is not bare metal. It appear
to be several layers of primer.
The verdict appears to be that the stuff works and it
doesn't at the same time. Yes, it peels the paint but
it leaves a sticky mess that re adheres within a few
minutes. Of course this very well may be my misuse
of the product.
what a freaking ugly mess. Under the rolled on
house paint there appears to be at least two layers
of the original Canada Post logo as well as
reflective stripes made from graphics vinyl. With a
little bit of work the paint and stripes come off in
sticky messy strips. Although not clear in the photo
(left) the exposed patch is not bare metal. It appear
to be several layers of primer.
The verdict appears to be that the stuff works and it
doesn't at the same time. Yes, it peels the paint but
it leaves a sticky mess that re adheres within a few
minutes. Of course this very well may be my misuse
of the product.
I may have to experiment with exposure time and different removal methods to get the residual crap that's
left behind. I did manage to clear most of a two foot square in under 20 minutes though. One lesson
learned today: Whatever this shit is made from, it will burn your skin right through latex gloves. It doesn't
dissolve them - they appear to be intact - it just burns through them.
left behind. I did manage to clear most of a two foot square in under 20 minutes though. One lesson
learned today: Whatever this shit is made from, it will burn your skin right through latex gloves. It doesn't
dissolve them - they appear to be intact - it just burns through them.
The first brilliant idea:
Maybe what I really need to make this product shine is a
pressure washer! Another trip to Canadian Tire for a
gas pressure washer, 50 feet of hose, and plumbing
hardware to connect it to the house.
For my trouble I'm poorer by $500. I'm wet. The kitchen
is wet. The dog is wet. The truck looks about the same
as it did this morning but the entire back yard, back of
the house, my car, and my hair are covered in red,
white, and blue stringy sticky chunks. Aw fuck. What an
unbelievable mess!
Maybe what I really need to make this product shine is a
pressure washer! Another trip to Canadian Tire for a
gas pressure washer, 50 feet of hose, and plumbing
hardware to connect it to the house.
For my trouble I'm poorer by $500. I'm wet. The kitchen
is wet. The dog is wet. The truck looks about the same
as it did this morning but the entire back yard, back of
the house, my car, and my hair are covered in red,
white, and blue stringy sticky chunks. Aw fuck. What an
unbelievable mess!
Saturday May 7th:
Although it still doesn't look like much I managed to bring about a third of the large 4 x 10 foot panel down
to bare metal in about 4 hours today (below). Trial and error has taught me that slapping the goop on and
then scraping one layer at a time off with a piece of soft aluminum seems to work to the last primer coat.
To remove the primer I've been wetting medium steel wool with stripper and having a go by hand until the
primer turns into a thick paste that can be wiped clean with methyl hydrate. I think I'm winning.
Although it still doesn't look like much I managed to bring about a third of the large 4 x 10 foot panel down
to bare metal in about 4 hours today (below). Trial and error has taught me that slapping the goop on and
then scraping one layer at a time off with a piece of soft aluminum seems to work to the last primer coat.
To remove the primer I've been wetting medium steel wool with stripper and having a go by hand until the
primer turns into a thick paste that can be wiped clean with methyl hydrate. I think I'm winning.
I truly hope that whatever asshole famously lamented
the road less travelled is slowly roasting in hell and
currently employed as Satan's personal fuck-toy..
I'm tempted to try a brass wire wheel on an angle
grinder. This whole Ralph Macchio "wax off" shit is just
not my bag. There must be an easier way. I'm about
two-thirds of the way through the can of the evil stuff
and there's still a lot of paint on the truck..
As only the top half of the truck need be stripped to
bare metal and a portion of that is glass, I figure 3
more cans will do the job. The factory white paint on
the lower half of the truck is for the most part intact
and will require only light preparation to accept a
primer coat. I intend to leave a large portion of the
truck including the large upper side panels, rear
doors, and extrusions around the windshield bare.
The rest of the truck will be finished in either flat grey,
olive drab, or flat black. In the case of the latter, I am
seriously considering a red and yellow flame job on
the front. At the current rate of progress I'm hoping to
have the body painted by September.
the road less travelled is slowly roasting in hell and
currently employed as Satan's personal fuck-toy..
I'm tempted to try a brass wire wheel on an angle
grinder. This whole Ralph Macchio "wax off" shit is just
not my bag. There must be an easier way. I'm about
two-thirds of the way through the can of the evil stuff
and there's still a lot of paint on the truck..
As only the top half of the truck need be stripped to
bare metal and a portion of that is glass, I figure 3
more cans will do the job. The factory white paint on
the lower half of the truck is for the most part intact
and will require only light preparation to accept a
primer coat. I intend to leave a large portion of the
truck including the large upper side panels, rear
doors, and extrusions around the windshield bare.
The rest of the truck will be finished in either flat grey,
olive drab, or flat black. In the case of the latter, I am
seriously considering a red and yellow flame job on
the front. At the current rate of progress I'm hoping to
have the body painted by September.
Saturday May 22nd:
Things are shaping up as I learn what works
and what doesn't. The aluminum body isn't
near as soft as I had originally thought and a
soft brass wire wheel mounted on a 2500 RPM
drill does a very nice job of stripping without
damage so long as close attention is payed to
the pressure on the drill.
Saturday May 29th:
The passenger side front extrusions and
castings as well as the large horizontal
extrusion above the windshield have been
cleaned to bright metal (right) and the
possibility of leaving some of the pieces bare is
being considered. The passenger side front
fender has been wet sanded and a rattle coat
of self etching primer applied.
Things are shaping up as I learn what works
and what doesn't. The aluminum body isn't
near as soft as I had originally thought and a
soft brass wire wheel mounted on a 2500 RPM
drill does a very nice job of stripping without
damage so long as close attention is payed to
the pressure on the drill.
Saturday May 29th:
The passenger side front extrusions and
castings as well as the large horizontal
extrusion above the windshield have been
cleaned to bright metal (right) and the
possibility of leaving some of the pieces bare is
being considered. The passenger side front
fender has been wet sanded and a rattle coat
of self etching primer applied.
Sunday July 24th:
There has been some progress to report in the
last few months. Most of the passenger side
has been completed to primer and the large
four by ten foot panel has been stripped clean.
Unable to find grey or drab rattle lacquer
locally, flat black was chosen by default to
satisfy the mean utilitarian "CIA bling" look that
I'm aiming for. The matte finish effectively
masks the multitude of body and paint
imperfections and hides the fact that the truck
is being hand painted with spray bomb.
I'm fairly pleased with the way the black has
been laying down so far but there are several
places that will require revisiting with high build
primer and sanding block due to the black
showing lit off angled imperfections that the
primer coat had concealed.
There has been some progress to report in the
last few months. Most of the passenger side
has been completed to primer and the large
four by ten foot panel has been stripped clean.
Unable to find grey or drab rattle lacquer
locally, flat black was chosen by default to
satisfy the mean utilitarian "CIA bling" look that
I'm aiming for. The matte finish effectively
masks the multitude of body and paint
imperfections and hides the fact that the truck
is being hand painted with spray bomb.
I'm fairly pleased with the way the black has
been laying down so far but there are several
places that will require revisiting with high build
primer and sanding block due to the black
showing lit off angled imperfections that the
primer coat had concealed.
Sunday August 28th:
Above and right - Four gallons of toxic stripper
and a pair of aching guns later the paint
portion of the project seems to be taking
shape. I had been avoiding the hood expecting
it to be one of the more labour intensive
panels but oddly, I managed to knock it off in a
single weekend and lay the paint before
Sunday dusk.
The front and passenger side have for all
intents been completed. The rear wheel well
has been radiused to clear the eventual choice
of rubber and the 3/16 inch thick aluminum
treadplate kick panel has been fastened with
sixteen 1/4 - 20 marine stainless carriage bolts.
Next week should see the beginning of work on
the rear door portion, where I expect that the
experience gained so far will aid in speeding
up the job process and minimizing mistakes.
Above and right - Four gallons of toxic stripper
and a pair of aching guns later the paint
portion of the project seems to be taking
shape. I had been avoiding the hood expecting
it to be one of the more labour intensive
panels but oddly, I managed to knock it off in a
single weekend and lay the paint before
Sunday dusk.
The front and passenger side have for all
intents been completed. The rear wheel well
has been radiused to clear the eventual choice
of rubber and the 3/16 inch thick aluminum
treadplate kick panel has been fastened with
sixteen 1/4 - 20 marine stainless carriage bolts.
Next week should see the beginning of work on
the rear door portion, where I expect that the
experience gained so far will aid in speeding
up the job process and minimizing mistakes.