[Denalio]

Hi,

I am new here and have been reading all the great information. I have a question that hopefully some one can help with. I need to strip the factory paint from the inside of stainless steel exhaust tips (304). The paint is already peeling (not even a year old) from the inside of the pipe so I have two options 1. strip and repaint or 2. strip and polish. I want to strip and polish. What should I use to strip and then to polish? The inside where the paint is peeling was not preped properly at the factory and I suspect this is why it is peeling. So that being said the inside is not mirror polished like the outside. I would like to polish the inside to a mirror finish. What products and what tools would I need? What do you use to polish inside exhausts, die grinder with a buff wheel? Thanks.

[funkdoktor]

why would you wanna polish the inside of an exhaust? just wondering. got any pics? maybe im reading this wrong.

[Denalio]

Here is a pic. It's peeling. I want to polish the inside lip. These are before the winter it is a lot worse now.

[ShinySideUp]

Mineral Spirits? Won't do a thing to the stainless steel, but will help remove the paint. IMHO working with anything less would be a waste of time...

[richy]

"00" steel wool and varsol

[POPPAJ]

I have a Mercury Marauder with the SS megs which are about 24" long. I just do the outside with a 4' pad in a drill motor and Blue Magic and they turn out great. I don't do the inside as they remain a nice tan color. Here's what I would do with yours, If painted remove the paint with paint remover,why waste time polishing out something that you want to remove.
I think that Edge offers wool polishing balls that chuck into a drill motor, use the smallest one that they offer, 3"?,with the Blue Magic and I bet you will like the results. I like the BM as it will wash out of the pads without staining, others I have tried leave a black stain. Use some sort of machine to get up enough friction to make the polish work. By hand it just takes too long and you won't get the best results.

[Denalio]

Thanks for the advice. I was going to use a die grinder with a buffing pad to get inside. Heat is the main concern with stainless. If it gets to hot the nickel will oxidize and release carbon and it will gold or blue. Then I would have to wash down with phosphoric acid and then sodium bicarbonate to neutralize the acid and start over. I will try the polish after I strip the paint as suggested and see if this works. If not I guess Calcium Aluminate abrasive will probably get the mirror finish. Thanks again to all.

[JohnyB]

How will you polish useing Calcium Aluminate abrasive without genrating heat?