Urethane basecoat vs Acrylic Lacquer

[Bill Burton]

I am trying to decide whether to use Urethane basecoat color or Acrylic Lacquer color on my next stunt ship.  What have you guys found to be the best in application, appearance and weight.

Thank you
Bill

[Avaiojet]

Bill,

What "acrylic lacquer" product would you be using?

[Howard Rush]

I've used both.  The lacquer was PPG Duracryl.  The polyurethane basecoat was Deltron 2000 DBC, used under the tutelage of Mark Scarborough.  Both cover nicely.  White and yellow lacquer can cover in one (1) coat if you know what you're doing.  It took me two coats.   The lacquer with DCA 468 lacquer clearcoat got both me and Bob Parker, who taught me how to use it, on the front row of the Nats.  I think it's nicer to use than dope, but it's not at all fuel proof.  Also, it's getting hard to find.  I had to scrounge all over town to get all the colors for the last plane on which I used it.  I made two planes with the PPG lacquer basecoat and PPG D893 catalyzed clear Isocyanate Death Paint, recommended by PT Granderson.  Darker colors couldn't be left in the sun, because the paint would get lumpy, presumably because lacquer solvents wanted out and couldn't get though the clearcoat.  This was a bit of a nuisance. because it needed to be continually sanded and buffed, but still got on the Nats front row.  I used the polyurethane basecoat on my current dog, with the PPG D893 clear.  This worked great.  One peculiarity of the Deltron basecoat is that the instructions say to put the clearcoat on within 24 hours of tooting the basecoat.  It took me four days, but it worked OK.  Mark put all the paint on his new Impact profile in 12 hours: http://stunthanger.com/smf/index.php/topic,34731.msg373144.html#msg373144 .    I don't have the weights handy, but I sorta remember the urethane as being heavier.

[Bill Burton]

Thank you Howard for the information.  I appreciate you taking the time to post that.  Avaiojet, I have not gotten far enough with researching to consider a brnd yet.

Thanks
BB

[Randy Powell]

My experience with urethane base coats is that they are really ,really light and tend to be somewhat unstable. Just about anything will wipe them off. But once the clear coat is one, they are great. Be careful with taping over a base color.

[John Leidle]

  Randy,   once you shoot the basecoat they make an "Intercoat" clear you can shoot over the color. I resists pulling up with tape  then after all trim is on   shoot the 2 part clear.. fool proof . To me lacquer & dope are similar. The Urethane can get heavy but so can dope...  ask my how I know this.
   John

[Randy Powell]

John,

Yea, but I've never used is because it's just more paint. You can tape directly over the basecoat but you do have to be careful and be sure to use tape that doesn't leave anything behind as you can't wipe it off.

[Derek Barry]

I've used both.  The lacquer was PPG Duracryl.  The polyurethane basecoat was Deltron 2000 DBC, used under the tutelage of Mark Scarborough.  Both cover nicely.  White and yellow lacquer can cover in one (1) coat if you know what you're doing.  It took me two coats.   The lacquer with DCA 468 lacquer clearcoat got both me and Bob Parker, who taught me how to use it, on the front row of the Nats.  I think it's nicer to use than dope, but it's not at all fuel proof.  Also, it's getting hard to find.  I had to scrounge all over town to get all the colors for the last plane on which I used it.  I made two planes with the PPG lacquer basecoat and PPG D893 catalyzed clear Isocyanate Death Paint, recommended by PT Granderson.  Darker colors couldn't be left in the sun, because the paint would get lumpy, presumably because lacquer solvents wanted out and couldn't get though the clearcoat.  This was a bit of a nuisance. because it needed to be continually sanded and buffed, but still got on the Nats front row.  I used the polyurethane basecoat on my current dog, with the PPG D893 clear.  This worked great.  One peculiarity of the Deltron basecoat is that the instructions say to put the clearcoat on within 24 hours of tooting the basecoat.  It took me four days, but it worked OK.  Mark put all the paint on his new Impact profile in 12 hours: http://stunthanger.com/smf/index.php/topic,34731.msg373144.html#msg373144 .    I don't have the weights handy, but I sorta remember the urethane as being heavier.

Just imagine if you put wheel pants on your planes, you might get 21 points.

Derek

[Steve Fitton]

Just imagine if you put wheel pants on your planes, you might get 21 points.

Derek

Don't rock the boat dude, not now that I have gotten used to the Howard no wheelpants look on my Dreadnought.

[Howard Rush]

Don't listen to Derek.
It's just one of his rants.
My finest maneuvers
Are done without pants.

[Derek Barry]

Don't rock the boat dude, not now that I have gotten used to the Howard no wheelpants look on my Dreadnought.

See what you have done Howard!

Derek

[Howard Rush]

Ironically, Mark spent a lot of time advising me on how to paint the silicone-contaminated carbon wheel pants that I never got around to installing. 

[Mark Scarborough]

Howard,
you never told me,, or I dont remember,,
were you able to get them painted eventually?
by the way,, the new Plane looks very nice,,