Removing a rattle can paint job??

Not too sure about your situation, but I removed rattle can spray paint from a generator using acetone without damaging the original paint or the plastic fuel tank.

Last summer, I more or less restored a bike that had been completely murdered with flat black rattle can. Even the seat and the lower half of the windshield had been painted. I tried acetone, laquer thinner and gasoline. Results were similar with all three, but I think acetone may have worked a little better than the rest. The paint on the tins had been trashed prior to the black, but I was able to salvage the original powder coat on the frame.

Cheap, easy, and safe means of removing an oxidation based paint like spray paint from plastics or what have you can be done with simple Dot 3 / 4 brake fluid. I used my bottle of used discarded fluid for removing spray paint. If you can soak the part is better, but soaked rags laid on the surface will work well too. Very soon the paint will simply crinkle and lift. It will come off in sheets. I use a plastic putty scraper and take it off. Now laquer based paint is a slightly different matter....

Cory

Maybe try taking the top paint layer off with wet and dry, if you are careful you should be able to avoid sanding through to the primer.

This is good 'wet flatting' practice too for one of the most important of bodyshop skills and you will be suprised what you can do.

You'll probably end up respraying sooner or later to get everything matching. Having the skills to prep a bodykit to flatted primer stage, and wet sanding/compounding the finished job will drastically reduce the cost of any respray.
The problem being doing it just right...

Old signwriter's trick for removing sign enamel from factory painted doors, tailgates, &c, is to spray it with easy off oven cleaner...the lye in it will soften enamel, and leave the underlying factory paint alone...Wear chemical gloves, long sleeves & eye protection though!

Maybe try taking the top paint layer off with wet and dry, if you are careful you should be able to avoid sanding through to the primer.

as in, carefully wet sanding down to the basecoat. In reality black is difficult to match - really, and you might end up respraying the whole bodykit.

I like London Taxi black, has a touch of violet in it, really 'pops' in the sun.

Bring a properly prepped bodykit in flat primer to a painter and you have done 2/3 of the work, if you can compound the clear to a glassy smooth finish after letting the base and clear set for a week (unless oven baked) you will amaze yourself at your skills. Careful on any sharp edges, like the later GPz...sand throughs are a paintjob killer. Prepping a part is harder than you think, you need to get it wrong before you get it right.

9 days so far. No, your not saving it! Put it in primer, tell people your waiting on your painter to paint it.
I would charge $500 to paint 4 pieces of KZ, the tank, 3 plastic. A solid color. Plus the paint cost. Some paint is $40 a pint / some is $200 a pint. You need to be a chemist nowadays to paint. Self etching primer, high build primer, sealer primer, base coat or single stage plus clear. Then sand paper, tapes and all the wash lacquer thinner for clean up.
This is why people get sticker shock when the painter says $1000 for a motorcycle job. That's cheap!
I will paint my own finally this spring/summer. 4 body parts, both metal fenders, headlight bucket and tach / speedo tops/bottoms.
All in same pearl tri-coat. You have to do it all at same time, so there is no difference in the shades of the multiple coats. I love to paint.
I get into a total zone, crank the music loud and lock the doors. Almost a spiritual high! and a couple hours later, when the mask is off and you look at the virgin paint, nothing has touched it yet. It is something only a painter can experience. Sorry for the tangent and TMI.
Some day I'll post the pics, about 6 months from now!

Very true, even at 'mates rates' paint and consumables is shockingly expensive. ....and so many hours involved, even at a silly $10 an hour rate.

I was serious about going pro but the numbers just didn't add up.

Even worse, when you know how to do it 'right' most paintjobs don't meet the standard....some of mine included.

No such thing as a perfect paintjob, just very good , good, average and poor.

twerth wrote: Last summer, I more or less restored a bike that had been completely murdered with flat black rattle can. Even the seat and the lower half of the windshield had been painted. I tried acetone, laquer thinner and gasoline. Results were similar with all three, but I think acetone may have worked a little better than the rest. The paint on the tins had been trashed prior to the black, but I was able to salvage the original powder coat on the frame.

NICE JOB!

Coming from someone that's been there, done that. I bought a couple spray bomb dirtbikes, painted carbs, rims, etc and know the tedious process it is removing that crap. I always say people should need a permit to buy spray paint or JB weld.

Lotta work Twerth, nice final product. I had a lotta work on a vintage dragbike that the PO painted a lot of stuff matte black to get rid of corrosion. I had to replace a few chrome parts that were DA sanded.

Before:

AFTER: