I've used nothing but dope from the beginning with the exception of a couple machines I put a Dupont Imron top coat on in the early 80's when it was the rage.  I wanted to look at some new ideas but don't have and couldn't use expensive spray equipment for 'Death Paint' in my apartment building.  I have read of some using rustoleum in rattle cans but hadn't seen anything about how fuel proof it might be. I bought 6-7 cans including primer and two types of clear they offer.  The paint specialist at work told me these enamels are lighter than laquer too.  I took an old retired airplane with a Sig dope finish and sprayed stripes of each can dowm the wings.  No problems on top of the dope-good because I still wanted to use the dope for wood prep and covering. I then cross-painted over this with the clear.  Now I spattered my 15 percent fuel on the paint and waited 20 minutes.  It was cleaned off with rubbing alcohol.  Everwhere fuel had been the paint was etched and NO gloss remained.  I also tried clear dope OVER the Rustoleum and got bad alligator right away.  Could try urethane top coat but why?  Going back to dope.  Now the devil question;  if YOU were appearance judging and you had three beautiful airplanes before you,  one Monocote, one Death Paint, and one with the hand-polished dope how would you score them (effort mean anything?)

Dave

I have heard that Rustoleum metallics and clear are NOT fuel proof, but have never tried them.  I have used non-metallics and they are fuel proof.

Dave,

I've used Rustoleum for over twenty years and never had a problem.  But, as stated above, I let it cure for at least two weeks and never clear coat.  I'm pretty sure the only complete fuel proofing you're going to find is with catalized auto paint.  My auto paint expert tells me is nothing in a spray can that he knows of that's fully fuel proof.  Only varying degrees of fuel resistant, of which Rustoleum is high on the list.

Paul

Well I think I'm going to stick with the dope anyway.  Actually there are only two ways I know of to get a Nats level finish.  One is the hand rubbed dope and the other is the sprayed on auto clears (death paint) which I can't really use so my choice was already set for me.  I was hoping simular results were possible via the rattle can.  My gripe with the dope was shrink/warpage, and sometimes availiability of Sig Litecote.  Just started using Certified non-tautening.  I think that wii solve my issues.  Rub-outs?  Got all winter on my butt anyway.

Dave

Thanks Dennis.  I've not tried that.  I will.

 So, SOMEBODY went missing this year....Oh hey Brett!....bites both ways-a few years ago I built a semi-scale zero.  I finished it in all-black dope with red trim.  At it's only contest (we took home the hardware but fried the PA in it) I noticed a friend massaging the airplane.  When asked he said he was looking for the seams in my Monocote.  Two others did the same thing that day.  I always wondered if the judges judged it to be Monocote.  Anyway, hope you are building a new one for next year. I'm refinishing two and will build two more take-apart versions.  See you in Muncie (twice) in '13.

Dave

Thanks Tim.  I think there IS a use and place for the stuff here-just not on my airplanes.   In my crashing-a-bunch days, to save money.....It's about the final quality of the finish, simply not competitive as a spray and go.  It would have to be rubbed out and as you say just not hard enough for that even if I felt it were fuel proof.

Dave

".... I wanted to look at some new ideas but don't have and couldn't use expensive spray equipment for 'Death Paint' in my apartment building....Going back to dope."  --Dave Trible

Dave,
You can get away with dope fumes in your apartment building?  I sure can't in my condo.

Mike Jones is the guy who did the test, and he says that the combo passed the masking tapr pull test just fine!