stunthanger.com

Building Tips and technical articles. => Paint and finishing => Topic started by: Dennis Toth on January 05, 2020, 07:14:47 AM

Title: Is there any advantage of Base Coat/Clear Coat over dope with same Clear Coat?
Post by: Dennis Toth on January 05, 2020, 07:14:47 AM
Guys,
Just wondering is in final finish is there any advantage of using base coat with clear coat over using dope for color then the same 2 part clear coat? Seems if you have a solid, smooth, flat dope substrate and good dope that has gassed off then the then 2 part clear coat, isn't it just the final sealant and gloss for either system. Why use the base coat color (unless there is a particular color that isn't available in dope)?

Best,    DennisT
Title: Re: Is there any advantage of Base Coat/Clear Coat over dope with same Clear Coat?
Post by: pmackenzie on January 05, 2020, 08:47:57 AM
Base coat dries very fast, much faster than dope which has to gas off.
Title: Re: Is there any advantage of Base Coat/Clear Coat over dope with same Clear Coat?
Post by: pmackenzie on January 05, 2020, 11:11:02 AM
Not much difference in the prep work required for dope or automotive base coat

A couple of different methods:

http://www.flyinglines.org/ptg.finishing.html

http://www.flystunt.com/2014/01/28/a-modern-model-finish/

Dope is more fuel proof than base coat. With the latter the clear coat is the only protection.
Title: Re: Is there any advantage of Base Coat/Clear Coat over dope with same Clear Coat?
Post by: Walter Hicks on January 05, 2020, 02:09:10 PM
The advantage is that you can get an unlimited color selection in basecoat paints , and they ususally cover better than dope as the pigments are better . Less color coats to cover. Also they do not keep shrinking  like dope. You can paint in bad weather, humidity etc. When done properly they do not weigh any more than dope either.
Title: Re: Is there any advantage of Base Coat/Clear Coat over dope with same Clear Coat?
Post by: Avaiojet on January 05, 2020, 04:42:26 PM
The advantage is that you can get an unlimited color selection in basecoat paints , and they ususally cover better than dope as the pigments are better . Less color coats to cover. Also they do not keep shrinking  like dope. You can paint in bad weather, humidity etc. When done properly they do not weigh any more than dope either.

Walter,

You're absolutely 100% correct. I couldn't have said it better.

In fact, I did. I said the same thing 10 years ago.  LL~
Title: Re: Is there any advantage of Base Coat/Clear Coat over dope with same Clear Coat?
Post by: Brett Buck on January 05, 2020, 07:26:25 PM
Walter,

You're absolutely 100% correct. I couldn't have said it better.

In fact, I did. I said the same thing 10 years ago.  LL~

   Yes, only 20 years after everybody else started using it....

     Brett
Title: Re: Is there any advantage of Base Coat/Clear Coat over dope with same Clear Coat?
Post by: Dennis Toth on January 06, 2020, 12:18:20 PM
OK, so unless you need some special color (like Porsche Boxster yellow) or you need it tomorrow, then good quality, high coverage Brodak dope and death paint clear coat work just fine. Pretty much what I've been doing for at least 10 yrs (well that's when we started with the 2 part in a rattle can clear, others have used Imron years before). I like dope cause I have lots of it in the shop to use up. I use inexpensive Preval spray bottles (Home Depot) and a little elbow grease to get it smooth and flat, still works and is reasonably light, 2 part gives an OK gloss.

I sometimes just like to take the pulse of what others have tried. Since the 2 part clear is the fuel proofer almost any paint will do, (not sure about brushing it but rattle cans will do just fine, just have to watch the weight), always more than one way to do it.

Best,  DennisT