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Refinishing painted wheels

PostPosted: Fri Jan 10, 2014 4:07 pm
by ohDirka
So my girlfriend picked up a set of EM1 wheels for a damn good deal. Problem is they are painted...poorly. I was planning on refinishing them and polishing them. What is the best method for removing the paint on the wheels?

I was thinking aircraft paint remover but wasnt sure if there were any other alternatives that the great citizens of Civic-eg.com know of (besides sanding them)

PostPosted: Fri Jan 10, 2014 6:23 pm
by teal_dx
Stripper for sure :thumb:

I've used the aerosol stripper, too and it works well. Just don't breathe it.

Sanding will be a PITA in the recessed corners of the spokes and paper will clog up. Plus you will scuff up the surface once you get through the paint. After you get the paint off, the surface might be in good shape and you may want to just re-clear the machined surface because wet sanding & polishing is a long job (but the end result is worth it).

PostPosted: Fri Jan 10, 2014 9:19 pm
by ohDirka
teal_dx wrote:Stripper for sure :thumb:

I've used the aerosol stripper, too and it works well. Just don't breathe it.

Sanding will be a PITA in the recessed corners of the spokes and paper will clog up. Plus you will scuff up the surface once you get through the paint. After you get the paint off, the surface might be in good shape and you may want to just re-clear the machined surface because wet sanding & polishing is a long job (but the end result is worth it).


Thanks Teal. :thumb: I'll go that route. I dont know if i'll go to the extremes that you did with the HX wheels (they were super nice). I'll probably get a polishing wheel for the dremil and try that for shining them up at bit.

PostPosted: Mon Jan 13, 2014 2:28 pm
by teal_dx
Next time I polish wheels, I'm going to set this up: http://youtu.be/uM-0d-q0aas

PostPosted: Fri Jan 17, 2014 3:21 pm
by ohDirka
teal_dx wrote:Next time I polish wheels, I'm going to set this up: http://youtu.be/uM-0d-q0aas


What did he put on the polishing wheel? I watched a few other videos and they put something similar on it. It looks like a bar of soap.

PostPosted: Wed Jan 22, 2014 4:14 am
by Axix23
take them to a polishing shop and get them sand-blasted. Then polish yourself.

PostPosted: Wed Jan 22, 2014 4:21 am
by teal_dx
ohDirka wrote:
teal_dx wrote:Next time I polish wheels, I'm going to set this up: http://youtu.be/uM-0d-q0aas


What did he put on the polishing wheel? I watched a few other videos and they put something similar on it. It looks like a bar of soap.


I think it is tripoli