How to Remove Paint From a Scuba Tank

If you scuba dive, you've undoubtedly run across scuba tanks that have been painted. People paint scuba tanks for two reasons. One, they're under the mistaken impression that painting the tank will actually protect it and two, to give their tanks a sense of unique style. What's commonly misunderstood is that painting a tank actually traps air between the tank and the paint causing corrosion. Luckily, you can remove paint with some relatively simple measures and have your tanks looking as close to new as possible in no time.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

Painters tape Paint stripping brush (wire brush) Paint stripping chemical solvent Rubber gloves Paint brush Scouring pad
Painters tape
Paint stripping brush (wire brush)
Paint stripping chemical solvent
Rubber gloves
Paint brush
Scouring pad

Step 1

Tape off the valve area with some painters tape to keep it clean and protect it from damage and contaminants.

Step 2

Score through the paint using the wire brush. You only need to remove enough paint to give you a good foothold for your chemical paint stripper to do its job. Get as close down the the metal of the tank as possible without scratching the tank itself.

Step 3

Put on your rubber gloves.

Step 4

Apply the chemical stripper to the tank using a paint brush. Allow the stripper to do its work for 15 to 30 minutes. The paint should be bubbled.

Step 5

Remove all of the bubbled paint. You should be able to remove some with your fingers and more stubborn spots with the wire brush. Repeat steps 2 through 4 as necessary to remove all of the thick paint from the tank.

Step 6

Rub the tank down with a scouring pad to remove all ingrained paint and return the tank to its sparkling, silver self.

Tips & Warnings

To add flair and personality to your tank, try using a Sharpie or two. They come in all sorts of colors and wont do damage to the surface of the tank.

Article Written By Patrick Cameron

Patrick Cameron is a freelance writer with 10 years of diverse experience in consumer goods branding, promotions and retail communications. He works out of his home in Denver, Colo. He received his Bachelor of Arts in mass communication from the University of Minnesota.

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