HELP ME!!! Rat Fur Removal Advice Needed

[CBRXJ]

belt sander with 36 grit...just did it to an 810 carvin...may I can find some pics.

 

[sigterm]

Nair

 

[bass71]

paint stripper

 

[g4string]

Don't know if it's been mentioned, but a rotary sander and orbital sander are two different animals. A rotary sand will generate heat....as the disc spins in the same circular direction at high speeds....an orbital sander does not spin in the same "direction" per say. The random orbital moves in random direction as the sander moves in a circular fashion. This causes less heat build up since the sanding disc isn't hitting the same "spot" as it's sanding.

 

[Downunderwonder]

Aircraft stripper is some of the nastiest stuff you can buy in a can. I don't think you can even buy it here anymore. We had it at work 30 years ago but I haven't seen any since.

 

[ColonelZulu]

Don't know if it's been mentioned, but a rotary sander and orbital sander are two different animals. A rotary sand will generate heat....as the disc spins in the same circular direction at high speeds....an orbital sander does not spin in the same "direction" per say. The random orbital moves in random direction as the sander moves in a circular fashion. This causes less heat build up since the sanding disc isn't hitting the same "spot" as it's sanding.

I have an orbital sander and an attachment for my drill.

Both clog. The "rotary" drill defiantly melts. The orbital just clogs and then is worthless.

 

[RickyWoo]

BELT SANDER 60-80 grit. Watch it around your edges and corners. Get a belt sander "eraser" to clean the belts. Will work light years better than an orbital.

 

[2saddleslab]

Did a much smaller and easier job on an Ampeg PB112. I anticipated lots of trouble removing the fur but found it much easier than expected. Not sure if it was the glue used or amount used but it came off without a heat gun and very little residue.
A Little Back To The Future, Ampeg Style.........

Best of luck. Once complete you'll forget the trouble you had but always have the satisfaction seeing the project thru.

 

[Zooberwerx]

Heat gun and a medium / wide metal putty knife with some flex to it (...I sharpen mine).

Riis

 

[Mr. Business]

I did 3 and will never go again. Once I had mine at that point, I blow torched and then sanded. It was much easier with everything nice and crispy.

 

[1958Bassman]

Get a coarse wire brush and make sure you have a way to comb the fur out of it.

 

[armyadarkness]

Get a gallon of Acetone from Home Depot and cotton towels. Keep it very wet and wipe... it'll all go away very fast, and the acetone evaporates very quickly, so it won't harm the structural glue.

There is no sander or sand paper made which will do what you're doing. You have glue residue, which must be removed.

 

[bassliner50]

I do not like rat fur at all, but not about to remove it from my gear. Much prefer tolex and similar.

 

[bassliner50]

Get a gallon of Acetone from Home Depot and cotton towels. Keep it very wet and wipe... it'll all go away very fast, and the acetone evaporates very quickly, so it won't harm the structural glue.
There is no sander or sand paper made which will do what you're doing. You have glue residue, which must be removed.

Yes acetone. Try some nail polish remover in a spot first (mostly acetone) to convince yourself. Watch your eyes.

 

[two fingers]

Get a coarse wire brush and make sure you have a way to comb the fur out of it.

This was my first thought.

 

[armyadarkness]

By the way... as others have mentioned, if your base structure surface is that poor, it's highly unlikely that you'll be happy with the final results of your tolex. It tends to reveal whatever it's put over.

I understand that you already bought it, but we have a saying in the fabrication field... "in for a pint, in for a pound". Better to throw out the tolex and save your project, than to save the tolex and throw out the project. You'll spend a lot of aggravation, time, and money... only to discover that the tolex goes in the garbage anyway.

If that's what you insist on, then clean the cabd down to good wood, removing all traces of glue. "Deck" or "resurface" the cabs with bondo and a block sander, then do your tolex.

A lot of work!!! But in the end, will be worth it.

Otherwise, I highly recommend carpet or Upol Raptor for a haywire job like you've discovered

 

[Tommyc]

With that look you may have just created a new "look" analogous to reliced instruments. Gig with it and it will attract more attention than any tolexed cabinet.

 

[g4string]

Also, don't know what solvents you're using, but I'd second trying acetone and a scrapper. I work in the aviation industry....and acetone will take up some pretty knarly adhesives. Also, I do think a belt sander would prob work better (and faster)than a palm orbital. Lastly, when your done, you will want to fill in the voids with bondo. Use a smooth plastic scrapper, then hit it with your orbital sander. The bondo will take care of smoothing out any imperfections that might show trough the tolex. Lastly, work the bondo in small batches. That stuff cures extremely fast. If you mix the entire can at once, it will more than likely dry before you get done working the cab. Also.....bondo mixes extemely in non-proportionate. You'll use a dime sized dollup of curing agent for a fist full dollup of bass resin. So be mindful of how much curing agent you're adding to the resin. A little goes a looooooonnnnngggg way.

 

[Spherical Cube]

I expected a blood-chilling story about a literal rat interacting with a cab or amp in an unintended and lethal way...

 

[tchristian]

Which solvents did you try? I suggest lacquer thinner, acetone (as mentioned), white gas (Coleman fuel). I'd also try more heat (as suggested) while scraping. There are some good suggestions already. Surprising, though, how many people tell you to try what you already tried . . .