I have just the finishing color and decals on a new model.  I want to blow on a coat of clear. Will polyurathane be fuel proof?  I am using an air brush with a 4 oz. jar.

Thanks........Steve

I've used Deft rattle can polyurethane to shoot on reworked wood props. Seems to be relatively fuel resistent. Or at least the props don't gum up with they get fuel on them.

Marv,

Well, Omni is quite a bit cheaper than say, DuPont or pPg/Ditzler. Or even Matrix. I think I paid $22 for a quart of paint and about $12 for the hardner and it lasted 4 planes easily. Could probably stretch it out to 6 if conservative with paint (which I seldom am). Overall, probably no more expensive than dope and possibly a bit cheaper, depending on how may coats of clear dope you put on as topcoat. I just went through about a half gallon of clear with the new plane's topcoat.

There are quite a few 2 part auto clears that we can use.  I recently got a gallon of NAPA "Econo Coat" 2 part clear.  Only drawback is that it's a 4-1 mix.  You use 4 parts clear "paint" to 1 part hardener.  But it was along the lines of a gallon of butyrate dope, price wise.  A few dollars more, but it will paint a good many more airplanes than a gallon of clear dope will.  One to two coats of clear versus 6-8-10 of dope.  I don't believe I use a pint, mixed, of the 2 part on a 60 size plane.

As to the substrate and color coats, there must be a hundred ways to get a front row finish.  It's mostly in the preparation (sanding) of the airframe.  Although there are several ways to build up the "finish", it all comes down to having everything "right" before you start painting.

Bill <><

Bill,

I would agree with this. Most of a front row finish is in the prep of the airframe. I have one method (generally) of building up to color coats if I'm building a plane without open bays. Another for planes, like this last one, that is mostly open bays. More air than wood exposed in that one. But however you do it, once you get up to primer/fillercoat, you have choices to make. I doubt I'll use urethane color coats again. I might, but probably not. I'll stick with lacquer and perhaps use 2 part urethane topcoat, whatever I use to build up the surface.

Hi Randy,

I think I agree with you on the basecoat products.  I love the availability of colors (locally, no hobby shop around) the ease with which they go on, their lightness (need less to cover) but repairs and touch ups can get hairy! 

I would rather be able to get acrylic lacquer again in North By God Carolina, but I guess I never will.  So I would really like to use *some* lacquer finish (I just like them!) but it isn't easy to do here unless I mail order.

BTW: Aaron's Satana is done with all Duplicolor Spray cans and a clear urethane automotive clear coat.  Foamie, so patching silkspan isn't a problem, and the spray cans covered quite nicely.  You just aren't in as much control over the amount used as you are with a gun or airbrush.