Removing Paint from Valve Name Plates

as we almost face this problem in a lot of old equipments due to repeated painting works . we find a good and successfully way to remove thick layers of old paint by using PAINT REMOVAL . I don't know it's chemical composition but it's available in paint warehouses. using a small brush and put a layer of that removal on name plate , leave it for some few minutes , paint will foamig and easly to remove by soft cloth . If it's needed you can repeat again two or three times .

This is a really tough one. You might try heating the paint with a heat gun higher than the operating temp of the motor and scraping it off with a wooden spatula. The ink may stay in place/may not.

Paint strippers probably will remove the characters, too. But, maybe there will be a ghost of the characters left behind. If the ink has been in place for 20 years, who knows? Just a thought.

No guarantees.

Good luck!

If the inscription of name is not paint then you could probably try acetone...its a real good paint remover...even automotive paints...

best of luck

If you are really worried about the letters then you can go the manual labor route and lightly sand it off. Use a rough grit to carefully get the top layers off then use a fine grit as you get near the bottom. Since the painted letters will be raised you will start to see the letters appear through the paint on top. At this point use a very fine grit and lightly work the paint until you can clearly read all the letters. This will take some finesse and is a serious pain in the butt, but it produces good results.

Make sure the motor has cooled off because sanding paint on a warm/hot motor will cause the sandpaper to gum up.

Happy sanding.

Doug

Thanks for the vote.

Doug

The best and cheapest way we use is to get a little grease on your finger and fully apply thin smear to the whole plate or label, getting it into any engraved cracks. I have yet to find a paint that will stick to grease. The paint can be applied to everything, once dry most comes off with a rag. Sometimes a light wire brushing might be needed.

Rok

If the data is painted on the name plate,it would be difficult to read once the coating paint layer is removed.Modern name plates have to be in SS and the data engraved or punched.No painted letters/figures allowed.

You stll can get the vital info by looking at the valve : The size ( measured at flange),MOC of the body,Type of valve ( e.g. Gate,globe,butterfly,check,ball, plug etc).Even the pressure rating can be judged by flange thickness.The internal parts- MOC ,of course can be ascertained only after the valve is opened.

CR4 readers can help if there is picture of the valve with some one along side to

judge the size ( for large size valves).

Regards

Chuck Cowlagi

There does not exist one "good way" to repair what an idiot has done to the tag. I've scolded many people in the past for doing what they felt was a major improvements to equipment.

Sometimes referred to as a 5 gallon overhaul...

Depending on the thickens, age, type of paint applied. You may find any number of the above suggestions will work. Just try a small corner of the tag first so you don't cause damage to the information that can not be retrieved once lost.

Good luck!!!

If the information is stamped then painted (you suggested looking at indentations underneath), the solution is simple. Remove all paint with acetone or mineral spirits. Give the nameplate 10 minutes or so to dry. Then use a foam brush to apply a smoot layer of paint across the entire nameplate. While the paint is still wet, wipe off the excess paint with a rag. The paint will remain in the indentations, giving you a nearly new nameplate with all information clearly legible.

Disclaimer: Any information which is not stamped (indented) will be lost. Be certain that all the information you need is indented. Often, variable information such as the model number, material & size is stamped, but the manufacturer's name, along with the labels telling you which box contains which bit, are painted.

Most tags I've dealt with were inked, not painted. So for me, the most effective methods of information retrieval usually involved painstakingly lifting the paint off the tag with an Exacto knife, or using a solvent like turpentine that would soften the paint and leave the ink. If you can get the paint off in one piece using the Exacto knife method and the ink has stuck to the paint, it will be in mirror image, or just read the shiny spots on the tag if it all comes off in many little pieces.

Either way, try to not scratch the tag so as to preserve what clues you can.

Another ploy that doesn't always work is to use a glycol based cleaner like 409 or fantastic. It will leave the ink, but may have no effect on the paint either depending on type.