Luster Coat Sticky Problem

[Chuck Feldman]

My good friend Toby has  recently finish a Veco Thunderbird. It is painted with Brodak dope and it has had 6 months to dry. The dope finish was dry. Finally Toby put on Top Flite Luster coat clear gloss. It has been two weeks now and it is sticky. Unusable as it is now. What can be done about this? Thanks

[Roger Vizioli]

Chuck,
Had similar problem on my RM307.
Passed the heat gun over it (carefully) a few times, no change.
Set it aside for (?) weeks, in the hot garage. It finally dried.
FYI -
It was sprayed over Brodak white and has yellowed as if it is years (not a few months) old.
Yellowing might not be obvious on darker colors.
Roger V.
North of you but still Hot! :-)

[Richard Entwhistle 823412]

Brodak dope is a butyrate according to their web site.  As per the instructions on Top Flite web site about using LustreKote:

"CAUTION: LustreKote paint has shown the tendency to soften and deform some Butyrate plastics. This is most common on very thin butyrate or when applied in very heavy coats. We have found that LustreKote can be used safely to paint the framework of typical clear butyrate model canopies, but if applied too heavily, it can deform the part. To prevent this first test the LustreKote on a spare part. Next fit the canopy carefully and glue the canopy firmly to the model. Failure to fit the canopy accurately can create a strain that may be amplified if the canopy material softens. Finally, apply the primer to the surface in very light coats. It is because LustreKote is truly the most fuel-resistant paint available from a spray can that these additional steps are necessary."

Use the system: Brodak clear on Brodak color, LustreKote clear on LustreKote color.

Richard

[GGeezer]

Not knowing that this may be a problem, I just finished spraying LustreKote metallic red on a plane that was preped with butyrate clear dope. In my case, the LustrKote dried about the same as if I had used butyrate color. Lucky, I quess.

Orv.

[Frank Imbriaco]

I  shot Chevron Clear (rattle can) one week ago over  my Sig Butyrate silked "Scrambler " combat design. Was planning to use PPG Concept Clear, but decided to forego the health risk and all the work - plus  the can says "good for use on dopes". I took that to mean Nitrate , Butyrate- but not me...

Great results. The problem is I need to find a new supplier as Tower no longer carries the stuff.

[Clint Ormosen]

Why is everyone trying so hard to find the most incompatable products to spray over dope? 

If you spray dope over the dope, you won't have a problem.

[Juan Valentin]

 I used Lustercoat over SIG white butyrate dope and with time it yellowed. Later on it has continued to darken in some spots it looks like rust.
                                                                                                 juan

[Larry Renger]

"Why is everyone trying so hard to find the most incompatable products to spray over dope? If you spray dope over the dope, you won't have a problem. " - quote

Because, if you use anything over about 5% Nitro, dope is NOT fuelproof!  Even with wax over it, you will get white spots wherever raw fuel hits.  Not good!  Lusterkote is really fuelproof, at least to 25% Nitro.  Epoxy is good for any level.  The 2-part, lethal urethanes are also good to any nitro level, just don't breathe the air.....at all!

[john e. holliday]

Chuck, tell Toby to take the plane and put in his car.  Park the car out in the hot sun light with windows rolled up.  If it does not cure in a day he will have to jut let it sit  until it does cure.  I had a two part finish that I hadn't put enough hardener in.  I had to let it hang for a couple of weeks before it cured.  Anyway if things get better hope to see you guys again and will bring a plane.   

[Chuck Feldman]

Hey John,

I wish that idea worked. We put it in a car on the lot and left it for a week. It is still sticky. I think we are going to take rubbing compound and start taking it off that way. If we get it down to where it isn't sticky we can go from there. I recently had to wash the finish off a Smoothies with acetone and start all over. About coming to Stuart. Your very welcome but wait till it gets cold there.

Chuck

[dennis lipsett]

I  shot Chevron Clear (rattle can) one week ago over  my Sig Butyrate silked "Scrambler " combat design. Was planning to use PPG Concept Clear, but decided to forego the health risk and all the work - plus  the can says "good for use on dopes". I took that to mean Nitrate , Butyrate- but not me...

Great results. The problem is I need to find a new supplier as Tower no longer carries the stuff.

Chevron paints have been out of production for quite awhile so you had old stock from Tower. It was called Perfect paint and for the most part it was. It was slow drying if not the military colors but flowed out really nicely and was completely brushable for a finish. The clear was good but did have an orange tint to it and was not UV resistant. I wish that it was still available but you can blame the EPA for part of it and the manufacturers inability to reformulate it satisfactorily.

[john e. holliday]

Hey John,

 Your very welcome but wait till it gets cold there.

Chuck

Hey, if I come I will bring it with me.  Been in the 90's with 90% humidity.   

[billbyles]

"Why is everyone trying so hard to find the most incompatable products to spray over dope? If you spray dope over the dope, you won't have a problem. " - quote

Because, if you use anything over about 5% Nitro, dope is NOT fuelproof!  Even with wax over it, you will get white spots wherever raw fuel hits.  Not good!  Lusterkote is really fuelproof, at least to 25% Nitro.  Epoxy is good for any level.  The 2-part, lethal urethanes are also good to any nitro level, just don't breathe the air.....at all!

Well, my Impact was finished with Sig Light Coat clear topcoat, and I flew it on as much as 20% nitro (Powermaster YS20-20) fuel and had no fuel spotting problems over the slightly more than 2,000 flights it has.  That included the occasional flinging raw fuel on it due to refueling goofs.  

I agree with Clint.  There is nothing out of a rattle can that is more fuelproof than Sig Light Coat dope, and they take a long time to dry.  However, I have heard that there is a company that is making a special rattle can with a capsule of hardener in it that can mix the base paint & hardener as it is sprayed; the cost is said to be really up there.  

To be truly fuel-proof one has to use, as you stated, either two-part epoxy (epoxy base plus catalyst plus reducer) or two part polyurethane (polyurethane base plus hardener plus reducer).