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Author Topic: Coverite - Balsarite balsa conditioner - film formula: Same as CLEAR DOPE ???  (Read 2951 times)

Offline Mark Misegadis

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Coverite - Balsarite balsa conditioner - film formula: Same as CLEAR DOPE ???
« on: August 17, 2009, 06:15:08 AM »
I bought a can of this stuff and have been using it as if it were clear dope on 1/2 profile planes. The owner of the RC shop suggested this and said it was the same as the Aerogloss clear dope that I had been using.

Is this true? (Most important question here.)

How compatible is it with other fuel proof coatings if I were to paint a plane after using this material?

Thank you, Mark
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Alan Hahn

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Re: Coverite - Balsarite balsa conditioner - film formula: Same as CLEAR DOPE ??
« Reply #1 on: August 17, 2009, 07:30:22 AM »
I would say the best answer would be for you to test it on some scrap balsa with the paint you want to use.

The reason I say this is that you shouldread through some of the many postings here where people make comments about XXXX and an overcoat that went terribly wrong. Almost always you will see someone say that they had no problem (and I believe both accounts!).

So I say try it yourself with the products that you plan to use and see if you are happy.

My guess is the answer is yes, that you can overcoat with a butyrate product (or other).
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Offline Mark Misegadis

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Re: Coverite - Balsarite balsa conditioner - film formula: Same as CLEAR DOPE ???
« Reply #2 on: August 17, 2009, 09:50:58 AM »
Hi Alan, Thanks. Yes it appears that results are mixed in many of these threads.

I still have this question: Is it just clear Dope.?"   Can it be used as such?

Mark
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Offline Joe Messinger

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Re: Coverite - Balsarite balsa conditioner - film formula: Same as CLEAR DOPE ???
« Reply #3 on: August 17, 2009, 10:25:39 AM »
Mark,

I would say, no, Balsarite is not the same as clear dope.  It is heat activated and adds to the adhesion of the plastic film used for covering.  I've never tried to apply dope -over- Balsarite but I think you might end up with a mess if you did.  Others may have different opinions but I've used Balsarite on a number of planes and although it is called a balsa "conditioner" it is mainly an adhesive.

Joe
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Offline Ralph Wenzel (d)

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Re: Coverite - Balsarite balsa conditioner - film formula: Same as CLEAR DOPE ??
« Reply #4 on: August 17, 2009, 11:10:12 AM »
Oops! I messed up. The remaining statement stands, however.

Can't comment on compatibility of overcoating, but I would never attempt it!

« Last Edit: August 17, 2009, 02:14:17 PM by Ralph Wenzel »
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Ralph Wenzel
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Offline Mark Misegadis

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Re: Coverite - Balsarite balsa conditioner - film formula: Same as CLEAR DOPE ???
« Reply #5 on: August 17, 2009, 11:40:36 AM »
Ralph, not sure what your looking at but this is not a water based product. It in no way something you can clean up with water and soap.

It is methyl ethyl ketone based. You can clean up with Laquer thinner however. But MEK would be best.

I just talked to the manufacturer and it is technically an adhesive however they are tentative about classifying it as such due to comparasins that could be made to things like CA, Epoxy, Etc.

So.. that means I am going to strip this stuff off.. and might poke my RC shop guy in the ribs a little for having been in the hobby for a hunerd years and not knowing any better. He is a nice guy so I wont poke him too hard. I can tell you that overall (and this is why I frequent this message board.. ) most folks you run into discarded information about thinks like Dope or Silk along time ago. It all goes into that "yeah.. we used to do that #@$.. Now I fly Electric.."   "Or Control Line... yeah.. 40 years ago."

Course I cant complain too much as those same guys will give you a box of old used C'L stuff for free.  ;D

Everyone. Thanks for jumping in with the replies here!!!
Mark

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Offline Mark Misegadis

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Re: Coverite - Balsarite balsa conditioner - film formula: Same as CLEAR DOPE ???
« Reply #6 on: August 17, 2009, 02:00:37 PM »
Well guys .. this is a dope poor town. 3 bottles of Midwest Aerogloss in the entire town.

Mark
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Offline Mark Misegadis

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Re: Coverite - Balsarite balsa conditioner - film formula: Same as CLEAR DOPE ???
« Reply #7 on: August 18, 2009, 01:43:20 PM »
Update - Stripped the Balsarite - off this little 1/2A profile with laquer thinner. It turns white and rubbery into almost a gummy like substance that has to be pushed around with a brush. After that I let it air out for a bit and when back with clear dope.

Quite abit lighter than what I had from the build up of the Balsarite. I can tell you that I think the Balsarite should be a good product when used for its intended purpose as an adhesive for covering. I am not sure I would use it for fuel proofing wood as my first choice although I think it would work well there too.

Mark
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Alan Hahn

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Re: Coverite - Balsarite balsa conditioner - film formula: Same as CLEAR DOPE ??
« Reply #8 on: August 18, 2009, 02:33:41 PM »
Mark,
The film Balsarite isn't meant to be an adhesive at all--more of a balsa conditioner. It hardens up the surface of the balsa. That actually makes it nice as a surface for a film covering (that has its own adhesive). The treated surface is more resistant to dings than the untreated surface. As a bonus it is also fuel proof, which means if some fuel gets through the film covering, it shouldn't get into the wood.

The fabric version is the one meant to be an adhesive. For example I use that to attach MicaFilm which doesn't have its own adhesive layer like Monocote or Ultracote.

The white rubbery stuff was most likely a reaction between your lacquer thinner and the Balsarite. I have seen that when I used some to clean a brush I was using with lacquer thinner from the hardware store. If I had used either acetone or Ironoff (not sure on that name--it is the "official" balsarite thinner), you don't see that at all. It comes off like dope would.

Since I have both versions of Balsarite in the shop, it isn't obvious to me that the film version is a thinned down version of the fabric (or "original" Balsarite. I could be wrong of course. They certainly smell the same, but I guess that is just the thinner.
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