Thanks Paul
I've always said I would rather be lucky than good
MTV said his was around 1330 (weighed)with similar set up, paint, leather interior/MT prop. That was giving me hope that I could get close.
So, I don't know. I am happy with it now, but have hopes of making it better.????
Gary

Gary, another thing on the stripper tryouts, if you can get small quantities of different brands of stripper, try them on the different paints on your plane. Some of those paints react differently to different strippers.

As for the 170 weight lose program, the MT would be a big diet and move the CG back towards normal. I just can't justify the cost and would worry about their durability off airport. I know of a few local ones that have been sent back somewhere for repairs at the owners expense. I live on an airstrip and you can tell when they take off, they spool up pretty quick.

Paul

Plane naked stripper. About 200$ for a 5 gallon container delivered. 18882415758. They are out of Oklahoma. Spray it on, leave for 5 hrs, come back and power wash off 90% of the paint or more. Do a second time if need be. I have stripped 3 planes now and none have taken over 10 hrs total labor. The last one I stripped completely in about 6 hrs start to finish. After the mess on the floor dries sweep it up and dump the powdered paint in the trash. You will never use the "slime"remover ever again.

I'll give it a try
Thanks
Have you ever checked how much the plane weighed before and after stripping?
Mine looks to have 3 coats, some wore off. I am hoping to lighted it by 50lbs.????
Thanks gary

No, but I still have the wings to strip, maybe I'll roll it up on the scales next spring after I finish the wings. Years ago we recovered my brothers PA-12 cut all the old fabric off it and weighed it, I don't remember how much it weighed but do remember thinking it wasn't very much. Do have access to scales it be interesting to weigh and follow the transformation of your 170 to the ultimate off airport machine.

Paul

Hey Paul
I don't have a scale, just what the w+B says, don't figure that is worth much. My buddy painted his 180 and said it added 37#'s of paint (after it dried)
I probly won't hit 1300, with larger fuel tanks, x/baggage, fuel pumps, fuel scan. Just ordered the "Top Prop". Had a chance, maybe, with the MT prop.
Probly be somewhere between 1300-1350???? I'll still like it.

I thought I would add to this because I have recently been working on stripping some paint (three layers) and have tried multiple products and techniques. Keep in mind that I have not been supremely successful at this every time, and that I have spent countless hours of time using a power washer because of the less effective methods I have tried. Below is the technique that has worked for me, and I finally achieved the "paint is all gone to the bare metal with no effort" nirvana that I thought was impossible. But even that was on a limited basis.

Supplies: 5 gallons of Bonderite S-ST 6776 LO Aero (it is also called Turco 6776 LO) $125 from Avial other people and they can deliver it to your house. This stuff if not the peroxide based super tree friendly stuff, but it also should not impact your ability to reproduce as much as the "aircraft stripper" stuff found in stores. It smells terrible. Did you ever read the label of the "aircraft stripper" stuff from the store? It says "not for use on aircraft."
Harbor Freight 1.5 gallon texture sprayer, probably start with the smallest nozzle. $22
Take a look at how many plastic paint drop cloths you think you need, and then buy 4 x more than that
Access to an air compressor (for the texture sprayer)
Power washer
Full face respirator- this will help keep overspray out of your eyes and the smell out of your brain.. You do like to see don't you? I have the 3M version and it is about $140 on amazon
Rubber gloves
Aluminum tape
coveralls, tyvek suit, or whatever it takes to not get stripper on you. The stripper, not the glitter is what you are worried about.
Warm weather
Forgiving neighbors


How to:
Block of your windows, holes, and anywhere else you don't want stripper to get on your airplane. The more disassembled your project is, the better
Lay down a layer of plastic and place all of the parts you removed on top of it. On the ground is way better than a sawhorse. Trust me.
Hook up your fancy paint spackle sprayer and fill it up. Spray stripper until your heart is happy.
Once you have sprayed the individual parts that are on the ground, turn them upside and then cover them up with another tarp. This should just be a loose tent not a saran wrap vacuum packed affair.
For the rest of the airplane, spray it and warp it up in plastic. I tried the packing saran wrap stuff and it was too tight. Tent the thing and let it cook overnight. It will most likely take another application on the vertical surfaces. I like to use a plastic scraper and get the loose paint off, then reapply and let sit another night.
Once the warm 24 hours has expired, unwrap and throw all of the plastic in the garbage after you use the plastic scraper on the loose paint (this will prevent having one million pieces of old paint on the ground after you power wash).
Get your pressure washer out, preferably one with hot water and commence to washing. I like to follow up with a bunch of dawn dish wash soap, a scrub brush, and lots of water.

This whole process is still challenging, but the right products, application, and removal is the key.

Good luck