Advice for prepping plastics

Josh|RD125LC · World Chat Champion Joined: 08 Sep 2004 Karma :

Hey,

as you all know, Im restoring my 125LC. But the one thing thats getting to me is how long its taken to prep the plastics for spraying. I have near enough done the two side panels. Took me about 4 hours to rub down the paint off each one. There was about 6 layers of paint on each in total. So you can imagine how long it took me to get back to the plastic. I still have to do the front mudguard and the tailpiece. Spent about an hour on the tailpiece a few days ago and got barely anywhere.

Anyway, I'm just wondering if there is any better way to rub the paint down. What I'm doing at the minute is using 240 wet and dry paper, but it seems to take ages to get anywhere. Its taking too long and I need a quicker and better way to rub the paint down.

Any help would be appreciated.
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Honda MBX50 | Yamaha RD125LC | Suzuki RG125F Lucky Strike | Suzuki GSF600S
RD125LC Pictures

Dom_ · Points Mean Prizes Joined: 02 Aug 2004 Karma :

Electric sander, or a mouse thingy.

Josh|RD125LC · World Chat Champion Joined: 08 Sep 2004 Karma :

I have tried a delta sander, but it left imprints where it had been sanding. So I would of had to fill it if I used that. Although I could get softer paper I suppose.
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Honda MBX50 | Yamaha RD125LC | Suzuki RG125F Lucky Strike | Suzuki GSF600S
RD125LC Pictures

VFR400UK · Scooby Slapper Joined: 29 Jun 2004 Karma :

Can you not use stronger grit to get the paint off, then finer grit to smooth out the scratches?

ZRX61 · Victor Meldrew Joined: 05 Nov 2003 Karma :

If you're only going to repaint the panels I have to ask why the hell you are taking ALL the original paint off???
Prepping side covers shouldn't take more than about 10 minutes each....

Is there crash damage?.. & even if there is.. there's still no need to remove all the original paint.....

Phoenix · Twisted Firestarter Joined: 01 Aug 2002 Karma :

Shouldn't be any need to remove all the original paint unless it's coming away in places, then it's probably best to get rid of that layer if you want the job to last. If you use a power tool to sand it, you run the risk of hitting the plastic and then melting it giving you a nice load of filling to do. Personally I'd just sand it down until you hit an old layer of primer, shouldn't take long.

ZRX61 · Victor Meldrew Joined: 05 Nov 2003 Karma :

Josh|RD125LC · World Chat Champion Joined: 08 Sep 2004 Karma :

I want to take it back to original paint because if it cracks with 7 layers of paint on, the crack will be very noticable, which is what I found out myself. So taking it back to original and spraying from there won't make cracks very noticable if they do get cracked. And it'll most likely give it a better finish as well. And if it does get scuffed/scratched etc, then it wont take as long to prep it again.
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Honda MBX50 | Yamaha RD125LC | Suzuki RG125F Lucky Strike | Suzuki GSF600S
RD125LC Pictures

ZRX61 · Victor Meldrew Joined: 05 Nov 2003 Karma :

Doesn't matter how many layers of paint there are.. so long as ya keep it to a max of about 15 thou thickness (new bikes/cars etc are about 7-8thou). So basically you can out an entire new paint job over an old one IF it's 15 thou or less when ya done..

What ya gonna paint it with? Dupont, PPG, Spies etc?