Product Description

The Wagner PaintEater removes peeling paint and smooths surfaces in one easy process. Works on siding and trim as well as concrete block, steel and masonry. Uses a durable 3M spinfiber disc that avoids paint buildup. Disc Diameter (in.): 4.5

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #16516 in Home Improvement
• Brand: Wagner
• Model: 513040
• Released on: 2006-04-19
• Number of items: 1
• Dimensions: 5.13" h x 11.00" w x 10.75" l, 4.50 pounds

Features

• Power rotary paint remover and surface-prep tool with replaceable 4-1/2-inch disc
• Removes paint chips; feathers paint edges; abrades surfaces
• Retractable, ergonomic handle for one- and two-hand use; great for ladder work
• Multiple ergonomic hand-holds to minimize fatigue and provide safety on a ladder
• Weighs 4 under pounds

Amazon.com Product Description
The Wagner PaintEater is a one-step paint remover that's aggressive on paint but gentle on siding and trim. Included in the system are the PaintEater machine and 3M spun-fiber disc, which work together to get rid of paint, feather rough edges, and smooth the surface of wood, masonite, steel, or concrete. In just one step the PaintEater eliminates the time-consuming, labor-intensive chores of traditional exterior-paint prep and ensures that your new paint will go on smoother, adhere better, and last longer.

The Wagner PaintEater package includes: Wagner PaintEater 3M disc

Features include the tool's Flex-Disc, which is pliable for handling both flat and curved surfaces. View larger.

The PaintEater powerfully removes paint, then gently smooths the underlying surface to prepare it for a fresh coat.

Quickly and Easily Prep Your Home's Exterior
Painting a home's exterior is a big project, but one that pays off in curb appeal as well as protection for your home. The first and most tedious step in painting your home is to get rid of loose or flaking paint and to prepare a smooth surface for a fresh coat. The PaintEater is an award-winning tool from Wagner Spray Tech and 3M that will help make quick work of this process.

The Wagner PaintEater was awarded the Handyman Club of America's Member Tested and Recommended Seal and Contractor Tested and Recommended Seal.

Aggressive on Paint, Gentle on Siding and Trim
The Wagner PaintEater aggressively removes paint but is easy on underlying substrate. With the PaintEater you can prepare most outdoor surfaces, including wood and masonite siding, concrete, and steel. The machine's powerful, 3.2-amp motor delivers 2,600 RPM for removing even the most stubborn pain, paint oxides, and mildew; this optimal rotary speed gives just the right combination of performance and control.

Flex-Disc System for Precise Results
The PaintEater combines a high-powered machine and a tough 3M spun-fiber disc with high-performance abrasive embedded into the fibers. Together they provide you with speed, power, performance, and control, so you don't have to worry about damaging surfaces.

The PaintEater's innovative Flex-Disc System allows the disc to conform to surfaces for precise results around flat trim and siding. The disc can be operated on its edge--to remove stubborn paint chips--or flat--to smooth or feather edges. The outer edge of the disc is ideal for preparing the surface underneath lap siding. The disc's compact size--4-1/2 inches--allows you to access tight corners; its open-web design minimizes buildup of paint and dust and allows the disc to easily glide over screws, nails, or sharp edges without damage.

Removing the disc is just as simple as using it--no tools required. Simply engage the arbor lock and unscrew.

Ergonomic Design Provides Comfort and Safety
The PaintEater is ergonomically designed to allow for multiple hand positions and to ease hand fatigue. It can safely be used with either the right hand or left hand, and the retractable handle and soft-grip cover allow you to easily switch between one-handed and two-handed operation. And even with its rugged, glass-filled polypropylene body, the PaintEater is lightweight enough for you to carry from job to job.

A shroud design at the base of the unit ensures that your hands stay safely away from the disc during operation. For added protection, the PaintEater features a Velcro strap for securing the tool safely to your hand when working on a ladder, rooftop, or when you just need extra leverage. For peace of mind, a silicon boot protects the on/off switch from dust and moisture.

The Wagner PaintEater is backed by a one-year limited warranty.

What's in the Box
Wagner PaintEater and 3M disc.

Amazon.com
Rated by "American Painting Contractor" magazine as one of the top 10 painting products to come out in the last year, the Wagner PaintEater is three surface-prep tools in one. Great for outdoor painting projects large and small, the PaintEater is the first rotating paint prep tool on the market that, in a single pass, removes paint chips, feathers paint edges, and abrades surfaces for excellent paint adhesion. Aggressive on paint, gentle on siding and trim, this tool efficiently removes peeling paint from siding and trim as well as concrete block, steel and masonry. Equipped with a soft-grip main handle and retractable side handle for optimal comfort, the tool is also designed for single-handed operations where the other hand wants to hold onto the ladder, as well as two-hand operations where high-pressure, aggressive work is required to whisk away loose paint siding, trim, and outdoor furniture. A Velcro strap offers secure hand position for ladder work. A protective shroud keeps hands safe near the rotating disk. A smoothly designed, arbor lock makes it easy to change disks without tools. Lightweight and easy to control, the unit's flexible disc gets into corners and quickly removes paint from clapboard overhangs. --Brian D. Olson

Customer Reviews

great tool
I had two quotes to paint my 3,000 sq. ft. ranch house: $5,000 and $6,000. The main reason was a the labor involved in scraping and sanding and the thirty windows. The house was in bad shape.

Not one to easily depart with 5 grand, I decided to paint the thing myself. This was the first tool I bought and I have to say it has payed for itself ten times over. It took an entire week of sanding with the machine and unlike others it performed flawlessly. I went through three disks so you may want to pick up a disk or two depending on how big your project is.

I removed the gray plastic shield surrounding the disk. Simply squeeze it and it pops right off. The reason was I couldn't get the machine close enough to those tight spots and it was blocking my view. Plus, I was wearing safety goggles and a respirator (a must have unless you like lung cancer, very fine dust particles) so flying chips weren't a problem.

You can use the machine to feather edge every single paint chip and pock mark as if your restoring an 18th century piece of furniture or just run it along and quickly knock down the chips. Depends on how much time you have. I found that in places where people will be notice, like near the patio, it worked well to spend extra time to get a nice smooth surface. Other places I just quickly moved it along and in some really tucked away spots, I just used a scraper, but it simply doesn't do as nice a job.

As far as durability, if you apply a lot of pressure you can definitely hear the motor bog down. As an electrical engineer, I can assure you that running a motor at full load to point of where it almost stalls will severly shorten the lifespan. I had good results just applying very little pressure and letting the machine do the work.

Overall, if your tackling a big job, I'd definitely give it a try.

"A good tool but ........"
Wagner's "Paint Eater" came along at just the right time for me. I was facing the unpleasant task of repainting a rather large and weathered corn crib and the belt sander that I had used to accomplish this task some eleven years ago had apparently gained considerable weight with the passage of time.

The "Paint Eater" appears to be one of those tools that actually delivers on its promises. Much of the credit however, must go to "3M" who evidently has "partnered" with Wagner to produce a paint removal head that is nothing short of amazing. However, this was not my first impression when first observing what looks a bit like a stiffened "Brillo Pad". I recall thinking, "oh yeah, this ought to last about five minutes".

But, as the paint chips began to fly and I began to make a dent in the project, I sensed that this little disc was really something special. Indeed, on a structure that is some 20'X 30' and with 9 1/2' walls covered with 1"X 4" boards, I was able to strip over eighty percent of the building before wearing out the first disc.

Unlike sanding discs, this "3M" material never irretrievably clogs. To clean it, simply turn on the tool and hold the disc momentarily against the side of a cement block and it cleans up quite nicely. (Do not forget to always wear safety glasses and a decent mask/respirator when using the tool. Gloves are a good idea as well.)

So if this tool is such a wonder, why four stars instead of five?The reason is simply that Wagner in my opinion needs to rethink some of their approaches to tool design.

First; most major manufacturers include a parts list with their tools. The concept of having to send a tool back to a service depot instead of just ordering up a part is antiquated and for small repairs only results in a longer "down time" and customer frustration and dissatisfaction. Please "Wagner", get with the program and let your customers decide whether they want to handle their own basic repairs. If not, then they can certainly utilize your service center.

Second; since the body of the tool is not much more than a single speed motor, design it so that a common "wear" part like the brushes are externally accessable. Again, this means less hassle and a happier customer.

Third; the encased switch is not sensitive enough, especially when wearing gloves.

These criticisms aside though, I still found the "Paint Eater" to be easy to handle and comfortable to use. It does the job, is reasonably priced and it sure beats my old belt sander!

Eats a Hole in your pocketbook
Works good right out of the box. Died after the first 3 hours. Replaced it. 2nd one died as well. Was working fine, no overheating etc. Shut it off to move the ladder. Tried to turn it back on and nothing. Both units had the same symptoms. Too much money for a product with such a short lifetime and they obviously have a manufacturing defect. You can expect to see a lot of these in discount "refurb" catalogs.