[Rhodes22-list] Home Made Peel Away Bottom Paint Remover

[Rusty Gesner]

Rob,

What size bag of garden lime?
Do either either sodium or potassium hydroxide work equally well?
How much glycerol?

I've heard that (in baking) brown sugar is more acidic and hydrophilic
so it absorbs more moisture than white.

Thanks - Rusty


On Sun, Jan 15, 2012 at 7:19 PM, Rob Granger <rgranger at sbc.edu> wrote:
<snip>
> I mixed about 2lbs of potassium hydroxide with a bag of garden lime in a 5
> gal PVC bucket and then rolled it onto the bottom of my new-2-me Rhodes.  I
> also added some glycerol to keep it moist instead of using paper.  I left
> it on for two days and then pressure washed the boat.  Attached are
> pictures.  It worked remarkably well.
>
> So here is the thing you need to know.  Lye used for canning or most drain
> cleaners are either sodium or potassium hydroxide.  Read the label before
> you buy. The lye is probably the most economical way to go here.  Garden
> lime costs $4 at Lowes.  So for less than $8 you can strip your old bottom
> paint.  To keep the paste moist so it remains active, add 5lb of sugar.
> Sugar is hygroscopic and will trap moisture out of the air.
>
> I could not believe my eyes as the bottom paint on the boat just flaked off
> with the pressure wash.  And I wish I had known this trick several boats
> ago.
>
> Fair winds all,
>
> ... the other Rob