Application of Strippable Coating

[moke]

I wanted to see if any of you may have some war stories regarding the application of strippable paint? I wanted to be sure that I did'nt overlook anything. I know that the best method is to seek input from an end-user.

Thank you in advance,

Ed Young (Moke)

[Phurst]

It has to go on thick. It has to go on thick. It has to go on thick, or buy a ton of paint scrapers and wire brushes. Tape the edges before applying. Try it some place cool first. Test it on similar surfaces before the real thing. Make sure it is compatible with the chemistry. Hire someone else to do it.  

[vikingfan]

check the humidity level since always will have an effect on your drying time. apply evenly and thick unless you have time to waste and don't mind pissing everyone off since you sprayed it on way too thin. I remember back in 1993 I believe it was I was doing a cavity decon at callaway and no sooner had we completed the spraying, some idiot operator starting filling the lower cavity !!! what a freakin mess !! WORMY you remember this huh ??

          J J

[alphadude]

use a paint thickness gauge and get someone who has applied those coatings. there are several formulations and it has a limited shelf life.  most of the ole ARC guys were very very skilled at this.  i see some good advice here but putting it on thick and etc will get u some problems. The paint is suppose to shrink as the polymer forms and a thick application will not allow this to happen-if applied right it will almost peel itself- you have to apply it like its spose to be done. the formulator will give u drying times,application method, humidity levels, temp etc. follow them or u will not be happy. do not get any with EDTA or any other chelating agent or u will not get it into the ground.  i have had many good experiences with it and many bad. the bad times is when we went down our own path and John Wayned it!

billy potter or joey throwbridge know a lot about it.  its almost a lost art since most of the guys have moved on to other things.

[moke]

Phurst, JJ, and Alphadude,

Thank you very much. I knew that my little pea brain was NEVER as strong as three! I know now that asking questions, especially amongst my peers, is no match when you think you may conquer the subject alone.

This is one of the attractions of this site that I enjoy. It's the closest thing to a Bullshit session in the break room of a Nuclear Generating Station that I have not seen in 11 years.

I remember subjects from Gambling techniques (Bill Blust-Bill I used your method at the local Catholic Church (Black Jack) and did well!), Law, Religion, Guns/Ammo, Automobiles, Real Estate and more.. oh and the local hotspots!

Have a Great Week! Many Thanks!

Moke  

[Doc_REM]

Thick is GOOD, thin is BAD!!!
You want it to be appox. 3/8's of and inch or better. you will get some sac's in it, but if put on the right way it will peel it's self! Had a crew at Fitz. last year that did a really good job! House People, who played with it for awhile before doing the cavity, sheild blocks, and part of the refuel floor its self!!!

[doctormoo]

overspray can be a real pain mask everything
ya may want to hire some professional maskers from the local body shop
check your ventilation paths
i remember some paint having ammonia
as a drying agent or it smelt like it
most of the strippable coating needs to go on thick just have plenty of help
2 on the machine and two handling your hoses

[remballwannabe]

hey vikingfan, i was there for that. it was funny as heck. would you ride that rickety old 'cavspan' now a days? we were all hung over just about everytime we put that thing together...and for mr. tarbox...billy p. can piss in one hand and crap in the other to see which fills up first...Wormy was the man!

[vikingfan]

remball, hell know i value my life more now than i did back then LOL. do you remember a particular incident where we had to teams on separate spans and one team got stranded over the cavity? in responce to your question hell yes wormy was the man back then, and according to him he still is !!

James

[moke]

phurst,Vikingfan,Alpha Dude, Doc Rem, Dr moo, T Tarbox, Remballwannabe:

"I wanna thank you" (Peter Frampton Style!!)

You gotta like the Member Names Fegetaboutit!

Thank you kindly for the input because there are numerous scenarios to consider regarding stripcoat. The Nuclear/Radiological industry has matured from an openess and information exchange such as that contained within this post. Additionally, I now understand that it's extremely important to consult the end-user vice the office jockey.

Thank you bro's for hooking me up!

Your input is greatly appreciated! This one of the reasons that keeps me coming back to this site.



Ed Young

[uRiaL]

ALWAYS PUT IT ON THICKEST IN THE CORNERS AS YOU WILL PROBABLY START PEELING THE GUNK FORM THERE.KEEPING THE SPRAY GUN CLEAN WILL ALSO AIDE YOU IN THE PROCESS.A DIRTY SPRAYGUN WILL ONLY CAUSE THE PAINT TO BLURT OUT IN GLOBS. :)i maybe forgotten but not too many had an edge on me for  the stippable paint.I WORKED WITH WILD MAN WORMY.You have to be moving constantly

[moke]

Hi RL,

I was wondering how many times you blurted the F word when the gun became clogged or was that Wormy's line?

When the fustration hits you in the cavity, emotions take over the activity!

I can related to corner crud and I do appreciate your input.

Keep on Keeping on!

Mahalo,

Moke

[Pochron]

ALARA coat 1146 has to be applied thick. The surface makes a difference. A test coat is always good. This coating dries yellow and is quite easy to peel if done correctly. This type of coating leaves quite a bit of radwaste. Bartlett TLC is easier to apply. It doesn't have to be put on as thick, but should be applied per the directions. This coating dries almost clear, and is very elastic. There is minimal radwaste with this coating. There is no Ammonia in this type of coating, but the smell is still there. It will clog your nose or respirator cartridge. There will also be some plate out on the deck if not careful. Another thing to remember with both coatings is the mixing. Make sure the coatings are mixed thoroughly with no lumps, strained through a screen to remove any lumps. It’s no fun to be spraying a cavity and have the airless sprayer clog up. Remember to run at least 55gal of water through the gun and sprayer when finished. This will enable you to use the equipment at a later time. One other thing the gun should be used with an anticlog nozzle.

I once saw the coating applied using no nozzle in the gun. Dryer separator pool coated in 45 minutes, and the stripping was easy.

I don’t know if ALARA 1146 coating is still available, but the Bartlett TLC is. When the shelf life has run out the coating can still be used on non safety related decontamination projects ie: crane hooks, floors (provided they are sealed or painted), tools and equipment.
(y)

[alphadude]

i think that most of the formulas origninate in florida from one company-pva type paints- williams was connected to the formulator. becareful with out of date stuff-we have had some bart. coatings go out of date and never dry.  if they were frozen or subject to extremes in temps this may also prevent proper setup.  lumping in coatings is a sign of some failures or improper handling and storage. with any protective coating-if u have lump problems when u open the can=poor quality control.  means old paint, remixed paint, improper storage, improper formulation, and so on.  using half a can of paint, then closing and reusing, leads to many problems-storage control, oxidation, lumps of dry paint.  best to use up the can when its open.

[Jr8black3]

Ed, I can tell you horror stories of that crap, or great stories about it.. As a manager what do you want to hear,,LOL... If they had it back in 1987 @ C-E Canada, we could have covered the place and left, but then we wouldn't have been able to enjoy the expierence up there...

To do what Rons crew did in 14 weeks, I will never know how in the hell we did it, I guess we were all young and didn't give a crap,, Hey ED?? Why is my hair falling out??..

Hope your doing good moke..

Kevin Ott

[moke]

Yes. What's is scarry is that they made me the RSO and it was the first time I dealt with Alpha in a big way. You guys got away with murder.

I remember one thing: the ratio between men vs. women was; 1:7 or seven nice French Women to one male! Almost like Fulton, MO. when the colleges are in session.

I am certain that many in the US can relate to a fuel processing plant and all of the Uranium Oxide Powder. What a nightmare. I remember the workers using the same PPE like work shoes and coveralls that just did'nt seem right. Or, the fact that all you needed to do was to use the hand and foot monitor.

Anyway, the experience helped me to grow a set of balls and it was a lot of fun. I was just speaking about Nova Scotia, Labrador, Prince Edward Island and other North Atlantic locations. I miss the way that they prepare seafood and the people were fabulous much like everywhere I have been.

Anyway, I now know that sripcoat has a one year shelf life.

Have a Great Weekend!

Ed