Hi Englishdavid.
You haven't actually asked a question but I have presumed by the dilemma you describe, you want to know if this heat gun will help remove excess paint. And in most areas, the answer is yes.
However, you need to be aware of a number of potentially serious issues in using a heat gun to remove paint. If you've done it before, are probably familiar with heat for paint removal. If you're
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Hi Englishdavid.
You haven't actually asked a question but I have presumed by the dilemma you describe, you want to know if this heat gun will help remove excess paint. And in most areas, the answer is yes.
However, you need to be aware of a number of potentially serious issues in using a heat gun to remove paint. If you've done it before, are probably familiar with heat for paint removal. If you're not, it may be a good idea to practice it on a board outside before actually working it on a structure.
The problem with paint removal is, in most cases we have no idea what kind of paint is in the layers to be removed. Many will burn if the temperature reaches it's flash point. Oil paints tend to be more-so than latex though dried latex can also burn. Another concern is if the paint is older, could contain lead. Lead paint removal is always a hazardous endeavor. However, it's debatable which process is worse.
Melting or burning lead based paint will release toxins possibly worse than just sanding because the rising heat will disperse those gases more readily than sanding. When sanding, gravity kind of takes over and most will fall to the floor and can be vacuumed. It's still a hazardous job either way.
But let's assume lead ISN'T an issue. You'll want a variety of scraping tools for the job, particularly if you have moldings of various shapes. And always pull your scraping tools (not push) since pushing can cause you to run into wood fibers resulting in wood gouges and dry wall divots. You'll also want a sacrificial board to scrape the paint of your tools. For straight scrapers, a razor scraper can be a good friend. But a nice straight board edge is good too. For curved scrapers, disposable rags work well.
Heat the paint to a point where it just starts to bubble but not burn and quickly scrape it off. Don't expect to reach bare wood in every case as the wood will have soaked in some of the paint. Work large areas in each step as you'll likely still have to sand those areas. But it will be much easier to sand. You should keep on hand, a fire suppression device while using a heat gun, have a safe place ready to set down the heat gun after use as the nozzle will be very hot. And wear a breathing mask to avoid inhaling fumes and gloves that can be discarded. Hot blobs of paint can get on your hands and will burn skin like melted plastic. Since you say this is the exterior, should make this job much easier than interior. But you still have a job ahead that I don't envy. Just consider all safety precautions and you should be able to get this done in good time.
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