Tinting filler nitrate dope

[Dennis Toth]

Guys,
Has anyone trying tinting nitrate filler coats with nitrocellulose finger nail polish? In doing a Google search it indicates that nitrocellulose finger nail polish is nothing but nitrate dope. We want to tint some nitrate filler but don't have black nitrate dope, thought the finger nail polish would work?

Best,       DennisT

[Bob Whitely]

Dennis, Why don't you try it and let us know? You must have some black
fingernail polish around there somewhere? Regards, Bob

[Douglas Ames]

http://www.color-wheel-artist.com/hue.html

[GGeezer]

Dennis,
I tint nitrate dope all the time for my scale free flight models, this is what I do.

I take some empty small bottles like 1 oz dope bottles (hard to get these days) to my local friendly paint store and ask them to fill up the bottles with pigment from their pigment dispensing machine. They will most likely tell you that they don't sell it that way and don't know what to charge. Tell them that you are considering painting your house and yard fence soon and would possibly like to use their services. If this doesn't work, tell them you build model airplanes and need the pigment to tint the DOPE... they will think you are crazy  for sure (or just have pity on you) and give you all you need at no charge just to get you out of the store! Works for me  .
Now this paint store pigment is remarkable, it will mix with just about anything, water, oil, lacquer, you name it.
I buy black, white, red, blue and yellow and with these primary colors you can make any color your heart desires.

Orv.

[Dennis Toth]

ORV,
Great tip, never thought of the pigment at the local paint store, we'll check into this. Also going to try the nail polish deal. This was for adding a little tint to filler coat to give it a little gray to show the rough spots.

Best,    DennisT

[Don Hutchinson AMA5402]

I have used finger nail polish as a trim color several times, applied over butyrate color with butyrate clear topcoats. Thinned with butyrate thinner and sprayed. Acted just like butyrate.  I would test first before using with nitrate dope on a good airplane.

[billbyles]

Guys,
Has anyone trying tinting nitrate filler coats with nitrocellulose finger nail polish? In doing a Google search it indicates that nitrocellulose finger nail polish is nothing but nitrate dope. We want to tint some nitrate filler but don't have black nitrate dope, thought the finger nail polish would work?

Best,       DennisT

Why not just use butyrate dope in the color you want?  There is no need to use nitrate dope on models at all.  I can't imagine screwing around trying to tint nitrate dope when butyrate is readily available in a multitude of colors & has numerous advantages over nitrate.

[Dennis Toth]

Bill,
This was for the filler coat with the Zinc steroid added. By adding a little bit of tint to the mix it allows you to see surface imperfections when you sand it out. The nitrate is used because it sticks better for substrate and fills with less coats because of the higher solids loading. Some use Butyrate from bottom up others like the nitrate just a finishing choice.

Best,         DennisT

[Dave_Trible]

Hey Dennis!  I'm with Bill (in case you didn't know Bill refinishes full scale war birds for a living). I've never used anything but butylrate mostly because it's fuel proof all the way through the finish-nitrate isn't.  If you've experienced a fuel soaked airplane you'd appreciate that.  As far as seeing imperfections most shoot on a light coat of silver or grey to make those pop out at ya and also as a blanking coat for even color and blocking light from coming through open bays.  Add a touch of baby powder to the last coat of clear before color to fill.

Dave

[Bill Little]

HI Dennis,

Well, I am with you.  Over the past 40 or more years I have developed the finishing system I use and am very comfortable with it.  If I stray from it, I feel lost!   I like the Nitrate for the substrate for the same reasons you do.  I know it doesn't make sense to Bill B., but then he is into a job that has him restoring full size birds so he is bound to certain systems by FAA guidelines.  Fortunately we do not have those boundaries to deal with.  Never had a problem doing things the way I do them.

BIG Bear
RNMM/AMM