Can we talk about using a heat gun on old paint before sanding?

I was working on a 1998 Ford F-150 bed in my shop last Tuesday, trying to strip some really thick factory paint. I figured I'd try a heat gun to soften it up first, thinking it would make the sanding go faster. I set it on medium heat and worked a small area for about 90 seconds. The paint bubbled up, but when I went to sand it, it just gummed up my 80-grit disc almost instantly. It took me twice as long to clean the disc and redo the spot with just a sander. So now I'm wondering, is the heat trick only good for certain paints, or did I just do it wrong? Has anyone else had this happen and found a better way?

2 comments

2 Comments

ninam867d ago

I read that heat can melt the paint into the sandpaper.

jade6187d agoMost Upvoted

Is that actually a problem? If the paint melts a bit, it might fill the scratches and give a smoother finish. Could work out fine.