roof welded question before using evercoat over the welds

Finally got the roof and visor welded on and welds ground down..... I do have the paint on the roof .... factory dodge I presume since it is off of a dodge caravan... there are a few small cracks in this paint... can I sand those down or does the whole roof need to be down to metal?? and if so is there a stipper I can use since sanding this paint is hell... is stinks very bad I am wearing a dust mask. if I have to take it down to metal can I use a stripper and if so do you have to do anything to nuetralize the stripper once the paint is off or does it dry and is rendered useless? I was going to start to go over the welded area with some evercoat but I didn't want to start with out finding out about the paint on the roof...

thanks,
simon

keep the striper out of your weld joints i would tape them off . i wipe the panle down with a damp rag .then with lacquer thinner and a 3m red scuff pad i use a body filler spreader to work the striper and the old paint up then work the thinner and red 3m pad till clean then sand and clean one more time .if theOEM paint is working loose strip it .less you like re do s:)

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Originally Posted by pat mccarthy

keep the striper out of your weld joints i would tape them off . i wipe the panle down with a damp rag .then with lacquer thinner and a 3m red scuff pad i use a body filler spreader to work the striper and the old paint up then work the thinner and red 3m pad till clean then sand and clean one more time .if theOEM paint is working loose strip it .less you like re do s:)

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no the last thing I want is to redo it.... I sanded down where the paint was cracking... that is the only way I know how to describe it... they are small (about a 1/8) of and inch in a couple locations.... I was hopeing that I could just sand these areas down put some putty then prime but if they need to be stripped to do it right that is what I will do ... I still have almost 4 months to get it under paint before my wedding and I plan on taking off a week when I am ready to base and clear.... I figure I should be able to get it done in this time... thanks for all the help

simon

when in doubt stripe it to steel then you will know what you have .i never like going over weak paint .if there some thing going on it best just to start with clean steel

A DA sander with a 5" pad and 80 grit then 180 grit sanding disc should work great on the roof panel. You can prime right over the 180 scratches. Get most of the paint with the 80 grit, then finish to bare metal with the 180. Don't leave any of the paint.