Let's see...Polyure..., Krylon, Latex house paint, windshield washer fluid, Floetrol, Rustoleum

I paint my automobiles with automotive paint. I paint my house with house paint. I think I'll paint my model aircraft with some concrete floor paint, some waterbased or waterborne house paint and OH, it has to be fuel proof. Then I'll use something at Home Depot that somebody says worked on his Super Duper Whiz Bang Flyer.

Between Jerry Nelson's paint, Sig Dope, Klass Kote, Monokote paint, Lustrekote, Randolph Dope, and Stits Lite paint for aircraft, it's going to be real interesting to see how long this thread gets on ways around using proven systems designed for Alcohol or gas powered aircraft.

Koverall is polyester. Fill the weave first, this can be with POly Brush or Nitrate dope. The idea is to try to establish a chemical bond. this can only be done two ways: chemical or mechanical. Chemical is Poly Brush, Mechanical is to saturate the fabric with Nitrate dope or whatever else you are using in this case.

Dope was used in the Olden Days to shrink the linen or cotton. It worked great because it could grab all the fibers in the threads and pull tighter and tighter. Dope shrinks through its entire life, even non-taughtening dope.

When the aircraft industry switched to Polyester ( just before jumpsuits in the 60s ) the dope didn't bond as well. Polyester is basically monofilament line woven into fabric. It's very slick with no little fibers to grab. That's why you need to Saturate the fabric. With the Stits system the chemicals all bond together beginning with the fabric and each suceeding layer.

A little known fact in the aircraft paint is the Randolph Butyrate Clear is actually half Nitrate and half Butyrate. Again, sneaking up on a chemical bond. When you apply Butyrate Colored Dope it bonds to the layer underneath, hopefully.

Chemical or Mechanical, try to get a bond so it doesn't fall off. Makes the builder look really silly at the flying field.

Anytime you're using waterbased paint you can use either foam brushes or small rollers. They work great on waterbased products but NOT with solvent based products like dope or lacquers.

Has anyone done a weight comparison on 4 coats of Nitrate, couple coats of Latex house paint, a coat or two of Polyurethane, and the other methods available?