Hi. A few years ago I renovated an old Optimus stove (a 111, that is integral with its steel case) by derusting the case, then spraying with aerosol (acrylic?)grey primer, then metallic green, then with clear laquer. The problem has been that all these layers of paint have never really hardened and every time I used the stove, the paint softens and the stove glues itself to whatever surface it is resting on.

So I decided to remove the paint and maybe get the case hot dip galvanised. Or just a flash over with a thin coat of metallic green without primer or laquer.

I liberally daubed the case with paint and varnish remover, hoping that the soft paint would blister and disappear with a blast from the jet wash. No such luck. All the paint remover seems to do is to partially disolve and soften the paint, turning it into goo that is not easy to scrape off to bare metal.

Can anyone suggest a way of effectively removing the paint layers. I assume if I am to get it galvanised, every scrap of paint needs to go. I had wondered about buying some caustic soda and making a concentrated boiling solution that I could dip the case in, but am wary of the hazard involved as well as its effectiveness.

Thanks

Thanks for the replies. I used the electrolosis with washing soda method when I first did the renovation to remove the rust from the case and it was quite effective. But won't the paint act as an insulator and stop the process?

As a quick test, I'll pour some hot caustic soda solution into the case tonight and see if anything happens.