Hi,

Does anyone know if the lacquer thinner that one can purchase at Wal-Mart or Lowe's, is compatible with butyrate dope?  I use it all the time with nitrate dope and have never had a problem.  Being cheap, err frugal, I would rather spend $11.00 for a gallon of lacquer thinner than $9.00 for a quart of butyrate thinner.

Thanks,
Henry

I'd suggest that you not use "Brand X" thinner except to clean brushes and spray guns. The difficulty is that, even though a thinner appears to work fine now, problems may occur down the road with peeling or excessive hardening/crazing. Even some super-premium auto lacquer thinners don't work well, long-term, with our butyrate dopes, so price alone is not a reliable guideline.

The thinners sold by the manufacturer are formulated to work with the like-branded dopes, and even this has created problems with some brands. One problem I've heard of with SIG dopes is that they use the same thinner for both Nitrate and Butyrate dope, with the result that neither dope receives its ideal mix.

Of course, if you were building conbat planes whose lifespan might be measured in hours (or minutes), my suggestion is probably moot.

I cannot reccomend strongly enough to use the thinner that the dope manufacurer recomends. To use anything else for applying dope, or any paint for that matter, is asking for trouble.

As an ex restorer I couldn't agree more. Sometimes the wrong thinner works "OK" but sometimes you have to start all over.

On a similar subject. I recently bought 5 gallon of gun cleaner. I am sure this is reprocessed lacquer thinner and what ever else happen to be in the mix. The smell of it doesn't even remotely resemble the odor of lacquer thinner and as it evaporates it really smells terrible. It only works fair. A bargain at 15 bucks for 5 gallon? Not really.

I have used Dupont 3608S lacquer thinner in Sig dope for years, and never had a problem. Works in nitrate and butyrate both. Some of my planes are 14 years old and the finishes are still good. This is what Windy U used before Brodak dope came along.

I tried several acrylic lacquer thinners in my Sig Dope.  Never the cheap kind, only the automotive grade.

I have had consistently and completely excellent results with Dupont 3608S (no other suffix, and DEFINITELY not "V") and none of the others.  And that is only in Sig and Randolph dope.  I do not have a place  locally to buy dope or dope thinner.  I use to be able to buy Randolph's at the local airport, but no longer.  This has been my standard for over 15 years, and have no qualms with it at all.  I tried three different PPG thinners and they didn't work at all to suit me.

I do completely understand what Mark is saying, and would actually agree with him.  But I have found that combination to work with out any negative side effects.  I cannot guarantee any other combinations.

Bill <><

I've been using 3608S for year with Brodak Dope with no complications.   My friend turn be on to 3602S instead.  It works much better in colder and humid evironment. but cost twice as much as 3608S which I get at a local auto paint store for $12/gal.   I use the 3608S on everything except the top clear coat.   It's just as cheap as Acetone, so I also use it to clean my brushes and spray equipment.