RCU Forums - Fuel proofing over paint

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Fuel proofing over paint

I would like to paint my plane with a lacquer based paint and need to know what can I use over it to fuelproof it from nitro?
I covered with polyspan and nitrate dope.

Thank you.

Steve

Steve, this is what you are after.

https://www.spraymax.com/en-us/produ...clear-glamour/

Here is a water based solution. Use a foam brush to apply. Use the crosslinker for maximum chemical resistance. You can buy it in 4oz size.

https://www.systemthree.com/products...ethane-topcoat

A lot of the answer depends on what lacquer you want to use. Lacquer is a very broad term, so a given topcoat may not be compatible. For example, the S3 WRLPU (which I've used) will not stick to a glossy surface. I put it over Behr flat exterior latex for a good finish that's incredible durable, but a bit heavy.
If you haven't decided yet, why not just use butyrate dope? It's a lacquer too, and is fuel proof. You can get a nice finish that's light with it, or with a bit more work use butyrate clear and some elbow grease to really shine it up.

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rcu...0e5a3e635.jpeg

All Duplicolor Lacquer with Transtar urethane clear.

Lacquer paint is just that, Lacquer. There are many types of paint out there that because of their fast drying characteristics get the label Lacquer but their chemical makeup is not Lacquer. Nitrate and Butyrate are just what the name applies. I have used the Lacquer with a urethane clear finish system on many models with great success including my Divergent F3A although if you walk into a auto paint store or body shop and tell them you plan to put urethane over Lacquer they will tell you that you can't do it. Reason being is that when heavily applied Lacquer will gas off for weeks. If it is still gassing off when the clear is applied, the clear will be chemically compromised and may not fully cure and can become cloudy. Not really an issue with models as we apply paints very lightly to keep the weight down. It's still best to let your Lacquer base colors gas off for a few days before applying the urethane clear. Please note that when I refer to urethane clear it is the 2K product ( clear plus activator) and not any of the home improvement type clears.