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Tips & recommendation In this section we provide some tips and recommendations based on our long experience of using the Speedheater Method. The house's construction and location have a greater impact on how to remove paint, for instance, than the actual paint system used to paint it. Construction refers to the way the house has been built, including surfaces and carpentry, for example. Location refers to the house's exposure to erosion from the sun, wind and water etc. We have generally based these guidelines on working on a wooden house, i.e. a house with a wooden facade. When should paint be removed? To help decide when paint should be removed, a scratch test is a useful aid. See 'Paint Removal'. Old, dried-out layers of paint? It is quite common when removing paint that one side of the house is considerably more difficult. This is usually because the paint dries out over time and the layers of paint have become too dry. A house on the coast and/or exposed to strong sunlight (e.g. the south side) may also need particular consideration and preparation beforehand in order to ensure effective paint removal. Sun, wind and heat all tend to make the old coats of paint hard and dry, which complicates the process. The same is true of interior wood details such as furniture, ceilings, mouldings, frames, doors, stairs, etc. that have been indoors and therefore exposed to heating for a long time. After first trying out as shown in the instruction manual, if the paint is particularly hard to remove in places it is a good idea - either 24 hours before or at least overnight - to apply a mixture of 80% boiled linseed oil and 20% balsamic turpentine or low-aromatic white spirit (observe local laws and regulations on indoor/outdoor use of chemicals and solvents). This mixture will re-moisturise the paint, making the job easier and saving time. It can be applied using either a brush or a spray bottle, and will speed up and simplify the job dramatically. It bears repeating that you should start off by trying out as described to avoid any unnecessary steps and additives. Masking To prevent damage, mask off any areas you do not wish to remove paint from. You can either use hardboard covered in aluminium foil, or heat-reflecting aluminium tape. Linseed oil A good linseed oil should first have been cold-pressed and then boiled. Working progress and working tempo? The Speedheater IR Paint Remover, model 1100 may seem small, but most of our Do-It-Yourself customers have removed the paint from entire houses using nothing but the Speedheater and a set of decent scrapers. Ideally work as a pair, one heating and one scraping. The next surface is heated up as the previous one is being scraped. This makes for a highly efficient working process, primarily designed for DIYers, in which the tool is continuously in useful operation. For even greater efficiency, use our time and labour-saving accessories: the Speedheater Arm and the Speedheater Stand Attachment. A product doesn't 'get tired'; the tool is in operation all the time and you can focus on stripping paint. The accessories allow a better work rate than the work of two people. When using the Speedheater Method - professionally in particular - we recommend that you always keep the big picture in mind. Using good tools throughout the paint removal process saves time and ensures higher quality and profitability. Another DIY tip is to complete one side of the facade at a time, i.e. including painting, before starting to remove paint on the next side. Because the Speedheater Method removes paint so efficiently, it is easy to underestimate the time required to do the actual painting. Planning always pays off. We would also recommend using some kind of platform or scaffolding. It is said that when re-painting, you go over the same spot six times. Therefore, working from a platform or scaffolding clearly raises the tempo and offers increased safety compared to working from a ladder. Bear in mind that the platform should be mounted around 30 cm from the wall (observe local laws and regulations) to enable a suitable working position with plenty of clearance for tools and equipment. The working speed will depend on the surface, the paint, weather conditions and of course your own abilities. A reasonable rate for two people working with the Speedheater 1100, IR Paint Remover is about 2 square metres of fully stripped surface per hour. This refers to a surface in a good enough condition to paint. You may need to sand the surface slightly to make it perfectly smooth. When working on an exterior facade, always work without an angle support. The angle support is intended for use on windows and doors where you need to keep both hands free for scraping. The angle support weighs around 500 g which is an unnecessary burden for a whole working day. Renovating windows To work effectively, take the windows down and hold them steadily on a workbench, securing them with e.g. a screw clamp. Using the Speedheater's angle support and a piece of hardboard covered in aluminium foil to mask off, even transomed and mullioned windows can be renovated without the heat cracking the glass. However, always be careful and follow the instructions that come with the tool. The window frames that need most attention are the bottom ones as this is where all the moisture gathers. Always take particular care when renovating the bottom frame, and check every year that the putty is providing a proper seal. When working in cold temperatures, we recommend taking the windows down, replacing them with temporary windows, and then keeping them indoors to bring them up to room temperature before starting to renovate. In our instructions, we do not recommend removing the window pane while renovating. In our opinion the renovation will be sufficiently professional in any case, and the process will be much safer and faster, which is ideal both for professionals and DIYers alike. The potential benefits are not worth the risk of cracking the pane when removing it. There is always a risk of cracking a pane during removal - even though the wood is now clean and there is no putty - as there is often tension in the frames. Our method is instead based on the areas behind the pane and putty being re-moisturised when applying the primer. One tip is to stand the window against a wall or similar after priming so that the oil runs in and revives the old putty behind the glass. Alternatively, use a small sprayer to spray a little oil in behind the putty. Don't forget to take the opportunity to treat and maintain fittings, hinges and other details on the windows while you're renovating them anyway. Boats Removing paint and varnish from wooden details on plastic boats, or paint and varnish from wooden boats, is usually easy with the Speedheater IR Paint Remover. The only problem is that the heating speed could be higher than your scraping speed. Therefore, a good idea is to work with the angle support mounted on flat surfaces or to lay the IR paint remover upside-down when scraping. Putting back loosened bumper guards can be a complicated, hard-going, irritating process, but heating the loosened part with the Speedheater IR Paint Remover makes it a lot easier. Working environment I Lead particles and plumbic gases: Flakes of old paint may contain lead. Children have a tendency to put the most unlikely things in their mouth. Research in the USA has shown that young children can have heightened levels of lead in their body. The main reason for this was shown to be that they have put flakes of old paint in their mouth - partly out of curiosity, and also because paint flakes taste sweet. However, paint renovation is likely to be the most common situation in which lead particles are released and become harmful. You never know what you could come across during a renovation project, so it's essential always to take great care. Fumes and smoke gases Tests we have conducted on fumes when removing old paint from wood and carpentry, show that in normal use no harmful quantities of smoke gases are released. Recommendations and guidance The low operating temperatures of the Speedheater Method, 100-200°C, are not hot enough to turn lead into gas (which happens at around 400°C). However, paint fumes could still contain substances that are harmful to human health. Always ensure there is good ventilation/air exchange and/or use a protective mask. When removing factory-applied paint, a protective mask must always be worn. When removing two-component paints and varnishes, epoxy-based finishes and boat hull paints, a protective mask must always be worn. Extra care should always be taken when working indoors, and we recommend that a protective mask or a fume extractor always be used.         mailto office@tcm-asia.com     office phone +66 (0)76 - 249505     direct call: +66 (0)86 - 9439834