Puff The Magic Dragon

My Feedback: (2)

Anyone know of any over the counter Fuel Proof Paints? Like Rustoleum, Krylon. clearcoat??????
Thanks: Johnny

Crash Campbell

Hi Puff,

In my experience the only paints I have found that are both "over the counter" and glo fuel proof (I run 10% Nitro) are automotive paints and water based house paint. Both need to "cure" for a couple of weeks before they are fuel safe. That said I'm only dealing with exhaust residue and I wipe it off after each flight. I think that raw glo fuel would destroy both of these if they were exposed to it for any length of time.

There are specialised hobby epoxy paints (Nelson's et al) that are fuel proof and lustre coat is very fuel resistent when cured.

Cheers,

Colin

ro347

My Feedback: (13)

Ive had a hell of a time trying to figure out what to get myself. Everybody seems to have a different experience.

KitBuilder

So regular old latex house paint is glo fuel "resistant'? I assume this is airbrushed on?

Crash Campbell

Hi KitBuilder,

Short answer is yes, at least with the water based vinyl paints sold here in OZ. The cure time is vital, providing you are patient and don't need a super high gloss finish (war birds) the water based paints are Ok. For a high gloss the auto paints, with a clear top coat, are the go in my experience.

Cheers,

Colin

Redback

Just finished an Ultra Sport 60 with water based house paint airbrushed on, followed by a coat of Nelson's clear gloss.

So far so good!

Terry

Rodney

Klass Kote (I hope I spelled it right) which is a 2 part epoxy paint much like the old Hobby Poxy paint. Extremely durable but somewhat expensive. An excellent product.

buzzard bait

Stay away from Rustoleum, Krylon, etc. Some have had success, others, like me have had disasters. Apparently formulations change, and also differ for different colors. It's not worth the risk, because if it fails you have an awful mess on your hands. It can work on a test piece, as mine did, and fail on the plane downstream from the exhaust.

I'm going to try the Nelson clear over latex idea. Never heard anything bad about this.

Jim

MinnFlyer

My Feedback: (4)

You can also use an OTC Polyurethane spray. Only problem with them is they turn a very SLIGHT yellow. You'll never see it on a color, but it will show up if you put it over white.

RCPAUL

My Feedback: (1)

Rustoleum in the basic colors and in a can that says "fights rust" are fuel proof. Other colors and clear are not.

Paul

buzzard bait

Is that different from "Stops Rust"? Because that's the stuff that failed downstream from the exhaust.

RCPAUL

My Feedback: (1)

"Stops Rust"? Sorry, if that is what is on the can - I could not remember. How long did you let it cure before getting fuel or exhaust on it? I've used Rustoleum for a long time and found it fuel proof up to at least 15%. But, it can stay soft til completely dry.

Paul

ro347

My Feedback: (13)

How long are you letting it cure?

Rodney

I have found that you need to let it cure for at least a week, more if it is humid and/or cool.

buzzard bait

Two weeks in my case. On the exhaust side, behind the engine, it turned to goo using 10-15% nitro. Formulations sometimes change, I read somewhere.

Maybe they had to give up "Stops Rust" because it didn't.

Puff The Magic Dragon

My Feedback: (2)

I'm Recovering a Nextstar for my son with Coverite Fabric, & want to do the trim colors with paint. Can you use Dope over Coverite Fabric???????????? If that don't work I guess I'll use Sig Coverall & Dope. A lot of fuss, but dope looks good.

Steve Landron

I did what MinnFlyer suggested when I first built my TF P-40, I shot the Camo scheme with regular Testors spray paint and then finished with a good coat of satin finish Polyurethane spray enamel. The finish came out great and still looks good fifteen years later.

Steve

frets24

My Feedback: (15)

Krylon yellow is definitly NOT fuel resistant even after 2 years. I'm stripping a cub cowl that I painted a long time ago and thought it would stand 10% nitro. One day at the field and the paint is toast. By the way I'm using 20% nitro as stripper and it works great!!! I knew I should have hit it with a coat of Nelson's clear.

If you have a paint job that you're wanting to keep and not have ruined, why guess at it and experiment...just go ahead and get some Nelson's Hobby Paint or KlassKote and leave the worry behind. brushed or sprayed looks great and won't let you down.

Other colors I KNOW to soften or krinkle when exposed to glow fuel:

Krylon; yellow, red, royal blue satin, black, silver, aluminumn and white. Also clear, gloss and satin

Rustoleum; silver, aluminumn, machine grey, dove grey, white, black, industrial black, hunter green, putty, greek stone and both gloss and satin clear.

In other words, after a month to two years drying/curing time, virtually every color I've test paneled does a lousy job of resisting raw and/or hot glow fuel.

Mustang1971

My Feedback: (30)

Klass Kote all the way. Absolutely impervious to gas and glow fuel. Also, nearly bulletproof! I paint my spinners with it and even slipping starter cones just leaves a rubber glaze that is easily wiped off!

spitfire66

I found a good website/blog on tompierce.net. He used nelson's hobby clear and had perfect results. I am going to order this and try it out. Tom's blog is what every beginner like myself should use for info!

trike_flyer

Hello all

You can use pactra model car paint from your LHS.  It is the one they paint the inside of the bodies on the rc cars with.  They get just as much fuel on the paint as us pilots do.  Seen a few guys wiping the car bodies after they were done playing.  Painted my 1/2 A plane with it and it has not lost any paint yet after a year of flying.

TF