Next Project--Refinishing Wrought-Iron Birdcage

[Ira]

I've had this huge old cage that I got for free on freecycle.org leaning against the side of the house for months , and I wanna make it like new for my African Grey Tonto. (The Cockatiel and lovebirds don't wanna move, so I'm not upgrading them.)

Not too much rust at all, but what's the EASIEST way to get the old paint off and refinish it? Would I use a torch for this?

And please don't say a wire brush, unless that's the ONLY way to do it. Whenever a task involves a wire brush, you know you got a big job ahead of you.

Remember that a birdcage has a gazillion little bars, which doesn't make this any easier.

[Miriam C.]

Morning Ira,
Airplane paint remover will get it off. You buy it at the auto parts place. Wear gloves, it will burn the sh** outta your skin. Oh, and where's the

[Ira]

Morning Ira,
Airplane paint remover will get it off. You buy it at the auto parts place. Wear gloves, it will burn the sh** outta your skin. Oh, and where's the

I'll try to do pics later.

It's called AIRPLANE paint remover? Is that a brand name, or a type?

Also, what kind of gloves, and how do you use the stuff? With a brush?

[Miriam C.]

Not awake yet. Ok, brush it on and let it dry. Then use a uhhhhh-wire brush to get the residue off. Sorry It goes really easy.

I think Airplane is a brand. It takes paint off metal really fast. Cheap Dr. gloves will do. The stuff really burns the skin fast.

[Ira]

:lol: Not awake yet. Ok,

Today my younger boy turns 11--and I've up since 7 CLEANING for a bunch of 11-year-olds coming over later.

I tried to tell my wife that 11-year-old boys don't really care about a clean house, but she just won't listen.

[Miriam C.]

Justice
When ours turned that age we had pool parties, at the local pool. They loved it. Then we had skating parties in winter to cover the winter babies. No house cleaning needed.

BTW---if the house isn't clean the other parents will talk about your wife. Then they will send their kids over to your house to make a mess cause you won't care. Then she will go on strike and you will have to clean everyday.

[Ira]

We didn't invite the parents--just the kids.

Taking them to see Meet The Robinsons (???) in 3D, then pizza parlor, then home for the cake and their party favors.

Of course, my wife is doing all of this--I'm just playing chauffeur and giving the kid his first issue of Playboy when all of the guests leave.

JUST JOKING!!!

[Miriam C.]

I just wonder how many men our age got their first Playboy at eleven or twelve.

Seems to me they knew a lot more than us girls.

[Podunkfla]

Ira... Aircraft grade stripper is just a strong commercial strength product that has more methylene chloride in it, the key ingredient that does the work... usually about 65% or more. The strippers you get at the bigbox stores will work too, just make take longer and more applications. The cheap ones have very little methylene chloride in 'em. If it's under $20. a gallon, it's prolly pretty weak. Ya kinda get whtcha pay for with this stuff. Using one of those green scotchbrite pads will help a lot... hell you can just about use them alone to take the paint off! Oh yeah, ya may want to try using plane 'ol lacquer thinner first. A lot of imported metal stuff is painted with lacquer cause it's cheap and dries fast. Comes off easy too.

[EZ]

:lol: Justice
When ours turned that age we had pool parties, at the local pool. They loved it. Then we had skating parties in winter to cover the winter babies. No house cleaning needed.

BTW---if the house isn't clean the other parents will talk about your wife. Then they will send their kids over to your house to make a mess cause you won't care. Then she will go on strike and you will have to clean everyday.

Oh my gosh, what insight!!! Aunti M you are truly a fountain of knowledge on many subjects and I bow at your wisdom. Whatever stripping information comes from this thread will pale in comparison to saving Ira from years of cleaning.



Ed

[tk]

Ira, Don't know if you can find a place that can do it, but I used to work at a hot-dip galvanizing plant that used an alkali bath to take off paint followed by an acid bath for rust both of which needed to be removed prior to plating. Could be a real short-cut for a vew bucks.

Tom

[Kevin A]

Ira,
Go get it sandblasted, hereya go.
http://www.servicemagic.com/c.Sandblast ... nk_id=3750

[AlaskaJack]

Easy-Off oven cleaner! (then hose it off really good!) My neighbor who manages a large auto body shop swears by this.... But beware!! It is some kind of NASTY so do it outside and in an area where everything is already dead!

Also you may want to do some research about paint.... Make sure you use something that is not going to be toxic to your bird(s).

[Leon]

Take it to a powdercoater and let them strip it and coat it. The cured powder is safe and doesn't involve any solvents like paint, just gasses a bit when curing but that's gone when it cools. Powder isn't very expensive because they don't have all the EPA stuff to contend with.

[BrwBier]

I would say a furniture stripper or a sand blaster, but in the spirit if getting the cage for free you need to find someone who will trade the work for something you have or can do. Keep the cost free or very low. It will make the story of the cage better.
Brwbier