News:



  • June 13, 2025, 04:10:07 AM

Login with username, password and session length

« previous next »
Pages: [1]   Go Down

Author Topic: Last minute finish job  (Read 2061 times)

Offline Matt Brown

  • 25 supporter
  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Commander
  • *
  • Posts: 316
Last minute finish job
« on: May 31, 2025, 04:27:31 PM »
I have decided to attempt to finish a profile Vector I messed up a couple years ago. I had decided I was going to strip it down and start over due to very rough silkspan finish. I had not gotten to the stripping part yet though. I decided early last week to attend Brodak. My old Twister just doesn’t fly well enough to try to compete with it so I thought I’d just throw a little paint on this vector and fly it. I shot a couple coats of Duplicolor primer filler and sanded on it a bit. It’s still rougher than a corncob but it’s all I have at the time. I was thinking a flat gray with some simple trim colors. All I have though for color is white, orange and blue in dope. Can I use Rustoleum colors and then clear coat with clear dope to fuel proof it? Not sure of anything when it comes to different paint chemistries. I’d assume if I can clear coat with dope then I should be able to apply some trim colors over the Rustoleum as well.

Thanks, Matt

If it flies well enough, I’ll still strip it sometime in the future and put in a respectable finish!
Logged

Offline Dan McEntee

  • 25 supporter
  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Admiral
  • *
  • Posts: 7490
Re: Last minute finish job
« Reply #1 on: May 31, 2025, 09:51:21 PM »
    There is NOTHING fuel proof about Rustoleum. Some solid colors are fuel resistant. Do a search on here for anyone that posted Allen Brickhaus' rattle can finish procedure that was in some of his construction articles. I know it was in the Beguine Mustang. He spells out what colors he found to work best and they require considerable curing time. I don't know when Brodak is but you probably don't have enough time. You certainly can't put clean dope over any kind of Rustoleum. If anyone needs to clear coat this type of finish they use two part catalyzed automotive clear, and use that sparingly because it can build up weight fast. If you have the colored dope you need, you can work pretty quickly with dope and maybe be ready to fly by the contest if you don't get too fancy. Clear dope these days is also only fuel resistant and some guys just spray the two part clear around the nose, wing roots and root leading edges where fuel might get sprayed. The general rule of thumb is what ever you start with, stay with that brand of system through to the end. The Duplicolor primer may be compatible with dope but do a test section first. If I were you, I would practice with your Twister and try to improve it's flight trim, while you get the Vector ready for the trip.
   Good luck and try to have fun!
  Dan McEntee
Logged
AMA 28784
EAA  1038824
AMA 480405 (American Motorcyclist Association)

Offline Dave_Trible

  • 24 supporter
  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Admiral
  • *
  • Posts: 6705
Re: Last minute finish job
« Reply #2 on: June 01, 2025, 06:44:58 AM »
If speed is important then there is little that is faster than regular dope.   It will be dry enough to fly in 12 hours if just a fuel proof finish is what you are after.   If you were wanting to wet sand and rub out the finish a longer term cure is best but that's not what you are after.   Just use dope all the way.  Hard to understand why any urge to use Rustoleum type paints-they are generally lousy for IC airplanes unless you believe you are saving some money by doing so.   In the long run I doubt that since the finish won't stand up very long in the methanol environment and the whole airplane will be a mess  if it is flown much.

Dave
Logged
AMA 20934
FAA Certificate FA3ATY4T94
 Investing in a Gaza resort if the billionaire doesn't take all my social security check

Offline Ken Culbertson

  • 25 supporter
  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Admiral
  • *
  • Posts: 7031
Re: Last minute finish job
« Reply #3 on: June 01, 2025, 08:35:02 AM »
If you are going to strip it in the future why not one of the MonoKotes for the wings?  All of the "chinakotes" are good for at least one season.

Ken
Logged
AMA 15382
If it is not broke you are not trying hard enough.
USAF 1968-1974 TAC

Offline Matt Brown

  • 25 supporter
  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Commander
  • *
  • Posts: 316
Re: Last minute finish job
« Reply #4 on: June 01, 2025, 05:28:47 PM »
Quote from: Dave_Trible on June 01, 2025, 06:44:58 AM
If speed is important then there is little that is faster than regular dope.   It will be dry enough to fly in 12 hours if just a fuel proof finish is what you are after.   If you were wanting to wet sand and rub out the finish a longer term cure is best but that's not what you are after.   Just use dope all the way.  Hard to understand why any urge to use Rustoleum type paints-they are generally lousy for IC airplanes unless you believe you are saving some money by doing so.   In the long run I doubt that since the finish won't stand up very long in the methanol environment and the whole airplane will be a mess  if it is flown much.

Dave

The urge in this case was to get the color I thought I wanted. My color selection in the dose I had on hand wasn’t great. I knew I could run to Lowe’s and grab a spray can.
Logged

Offline Matt Brown

  • 25 supporter
  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Commander
  • *
  • Posts: 316
Re: Last minute finish job
« Reply #5 on: June 01, 2025, 05:34:10 PM »
Quote from: Ken Culbertson on June 01, 2025, 08:35:02 AM
If you are going to strip it in the future why not one of the MonoKotes for the wings?  All of the "chinakotes" are good for at least one season.

Ken
since it already had 6-8 coats of clear dope on it, I didn’t want to try to put film over the top of that. I’m probably way overthinking this! If I had some gray dope, it would already have that color. I had white blue and orange. I just didn’t want one of those for the primary color because its surface is so rough.

Matt
Logged

Advertise Here
Pages: [1]   Go Up
« previous next »
Tags: