propjobbill

Is Minwax Polyurethane Clear Gloss? I remember reading some place that it was. I'm not talking about the water base stuff

combatpigg

My Feedback: (3)

NO NO NO NO NO NO.....the only truly fuel proof finishes are those that require you to mix Part A with Part B. Even the epoxy paints will get dulled from exposure. The guys who claim fuel proofness up to a certain % of certain finishes don't tell you how fastidious they are about cleaning their planes.

gabe200

My Feedback: (21)

yes polyurethane is fuel proof i use it all the time i use the minwax fast drying clear gloss and i also have used pactra polyu

gabe200

My Feedback: (21)

i forgot make sure to let it dry for a least 24 hours and then fly fly.......................

BMatthews

Avoid the Polycrylic. Goes all sticky from raw fuel. Definetly NOT fuel proof.

small_rcer

gabe200 posted that MinWax Poly is fuel proof.

Can I trouble your for the UPC code or the part number? The local stores seem to have many flavours of MinWax Polyurethane and buying 2 or 3 versions to test could be bypassed if you can tell us the part number or UPC Code.

Thanks

Jim H

gabe200

My Feedback: (21)

heres the the upc code 2742633050

KidEpoxy

wont different size cans have different UPCs?
what size is that code for?

digital_trucker

Nelson hobbies makes a beautiful line of fuel-proof water-based polyurethanes. There's an additive they sell that you add to it to paint ove open framework (or for higher than 10% fuel). It goes on wonderfully, and I can vouch for the LiteFab covering they sell too. It goes on like nobody's business...handle compound curves like a dream. It's basically natural Solartex, I think.

propjobbill

Thanks Gabe,

The stuff I am using is Minwax Fast Drying Polyurethane Clear Gloss. The UPS code is 27426 23000 but it is an 8oz. can. The bar code is probable different depending upon what size you get. I am goint to take your bar code with me and see if it is the same thing but a different size can.

Thanks Bill

propjobbill

I just returned from the store yours is the same product. The only difference is your UPC is for the 11.5 oz. spray can, thanks

MJD

My Feedback: (1)

For sure, fuel-proof on a .46 sport model and fool-proof on a nitro-loving 1/2A are two differnnet levels of the same problem, although the basic chemistry is the same. I think that number is determined by the manufacturer's R&D team, and represents the percentage that they feel is safe enough to quote on the can without the builder slapping the paint cans on the dealer's counter or phoning the paint manufacturer to chew them out for claiming their paint is fuel-proof.

I'd have to see a polyurethane finish endure a few flight and cleanup cycles of a 1/2A on 35%, before I would feel comfortable thinking it is really fuel-proof, and even then I likely wouldn't bother with it, dunno. Dope, films, and epoxy work for me, and 1/2A's use so little.

propjobbill

My problem is not with the amount used,but I use some foam parts on some of my planes and most or the dopes and paints will eat foam. Latex being water base works on foam, but it is dull and some latex paint is not fuel proof for hi nitro use.

MJD

My Feedback: (1)

Ah I see.. right onto the foam. That does create some challenges doesn't it? I don't know how effective a vapor barrier the polyU is, but I wonder if butyrate or another spray-on fuel proof finish could go over the PU if it was not good enough on it's own.

MJD

planebuilder66

My Feedback: (8)

Yes, polyeurothane is fuel proof, here's my proof, my field box, cleared about 7 years ago and I've managed to pour 1/2A fuel in all the compartments due to my lazyness on putting caps back on the bottles, sig, byron and power master up to 35% fuel has sat in the bins and drawers for up to a week before cleaning them out. So go ahead, but the lighter fuel-proofer is sigs nitrate dopes, they dry very light and soak into the wood better than poly. The poly I use is minwax helmsman spar varnish, works very well.
Just my .02

MJD

My Feedback: (1)

Okay, that's great. But one question - Sig nitrate dope? It's long been preached that nitrate dope is not fuel proof, although it is fine with diesel and gas. Hence butyrate dope for glow powered models. Nitrate won't disappear instantly in a glow fuel spill I know but if it is the outer finish on a nice looking glow model, I imagine it will start looking tatty pretty quick.

Is that the stuff they call polyurethane varnish, or just spar varnish - I assume the former, but thought I'd check. They are two different animals or so I'm told. I was advised not to use polyU varnish on my full scale prop, but maybe that was because it already had several coats of regular varnish, dunno.

MJD

planebuilder66

My Feedback: (8)

You know, your right, butyrate dope is 100% fuel proof up to what % nitro, I don't know, midwest says at 25% it deminishes, but nitrate is for shrinking, the helmsman spar urethane is oil based, hense the mineral spirts clean up. But here, I'll do you one better, a bottle of 25% 1/2A nitro(Byron) poured into the radio compartment and let to sit for 1/2 hour, will post results. It's 8:35 EST when I poured it in the compartmant, I know you all love real world testing, So here you go!

MJD

My Feedback: (1)

Well, I'm in the middle of finishing a canoe paddle for a buddy, and have a few more coats of spar varnish to go. Maybe I'll paint up some test coupons and hit them with fuel, I'm curious.

I hope you don't dissolve something with the 25% fuel.. [X(]

MJD

planebuilder66

My Feedback: (8)

Well,it's been over and hour, I had to grill the honey mustard chicken and do the taters, it's still in the drawer, stitting there waiting for me to clean it up. The drawers under it are still dry, this box was built using wood gle, not epoxy or CA, so if it disolves the varnish, it'll eat through the glue joints too. Here's the results, but keep in mind, you need at least a week for this stuff to get a full cure, My experiment is kind of extreme, I dont expect you guys to pickle your planes in 25% nitro for an hour +.

unclecrash

I believe the guys at PPG told me only 2 part epoxy is nitro proof. Because I was asking what the top fuel guys paint there cars with. Or I think they said 2 part acrylic urethane is fuel resistant. I do my boats with the 2 part acrylic urethane. and running 50% nitro you better get it off quick. Or it will start to eat in. Now the burnt residue is a diferent story.

planebuilder66

My Feedback: (8)

Well, the helmsman spar varnish works fine, I cleaned it out after sitting for an hour and fifteen minutes, no leak through or disolving of the compartment, just a little cleaner than before. I guess you could say it's fuelproof up to 25% nitro, but it's heavy for a finish, I still recommend butyrate dope, it's far lighter than minwax.

unclecrash

How come in the third pic it looks all messed up. There is a difference from fuel proof to fuel resistant.

unclecrash

Im doing a test right now but am not sure if the block of paint I have split in half is acrilic urethane or epoxy can't find the can but I do have the catylist so I will call ppg tomorrow and they will know what it is from the catylist number. I just placed 50% boat fuel on half it at 10:30

planebuilder66

My Feedback: (8)

Reflection from the flash, here's a current photo of it cleaned out, dirt still in the corners but nothings wrong with it. I subject my field box with all my gear sitting in it and I give real world proof and some are still not convinced? O-well, you can make some of the people happy all the time but all of them never. The first photo is before dumping the 25 nitro in it, the side stains have always been there, the last 2 photos are after 1.25 hours of exposure time, the compartment is still the same, no change in wood coloration from nitro or oil in the fuel.

planebuilder66

My Feedback: (8)

50% nitro is 100% more than any of us use, if your using 50 nitro in a 1/2A, you need prozac, too much adreline my friend. But I'd like to see the results, afraid I've never had a need for 50% nitro and assume I never will. Heck!, if I could get my motors to run on FAI fuel, I would because of the cost.