Im gettin back into control-line and I have a question.

What could I use to fuel proof a fuselage?

I have a Combat Kittens kit and getting a Lil' Satan and I was thinking on using Ultrakote or some sort of Monokote instead of going thru the doping and silkspanning..........

Any ideas.....

Those will work.

Robert

Here is my little Half A Skyray covered in Monocoat. About ten years old now still in great condition with a lot of flights on her. Probably a bit heavier than some covering but my airplane didn,t know that.

Don,t fly her any more since I need to use airplanes with sixty foot lines now in my wheelchair.

John

I cover the wings and tail with film and then mask them off. I overlap the tape a little onto the film and sand and prep the fuselage and fin for paint. Use Klass Kote, which is fuel proof to a very high nitro content but a little pricey and is best when sprayed. Also I've used Lustrekote which is fuel proof to some degree, 25% seems to be the limit but it matches Monokote fairly close if you use their primer and comes in spray cans. Heat the can up in the sink with hot tap water, that excites the propellant and it's easier to shake the paint up. Tower still sells it so I still use it.
Chris...

 I also have a lil Skyray that at the time when I was working on it I had doped the top half of the wings and fuselage sides but havent finished it........I reckon I will go with the monokote style then since im a on tight budget. Thanks!!

If it's a 1/2A Skyray with all solid construction, one can of Lustrekote primer and a can of Lustrekote color will do it. Monokote is necessary only for open bay wings and such large areas like on 35 and bigge models. Your choice, I think two cans of spray paint for the 1/2A would be cheaper.
Chris...

One can Lustrecoat primer 6.99
One can Lustrecoat color 6.99


One 6' roll Monocoat 12.99



As a long time user of Top Flight Lustrecoat rattle cans I am distressed to note most of the colors are now gone and discontinued There are only at this moment seven colors avaliable and this is rapidly shrinking.

I know they have alternatives to Monokote like Ultrakote and such.......something simple for the skyray....

 but I have a Combat Kittens kit and will get a Lil Satan kit from sshobbies soon and will use something lighter... Just dont care to put in hte time and hassle of dope and silspan unlike my dad who swears that silkspan is the best..........Altho I dont doubt it lol

If you are covering open bay, rib framework and just looking for something fuel-proof to put on the bare wood, then Polyurethane varnish - such as Minwax, is fuel proof up to at least 40% nitro. Just brush it on or buy the spray cans and spray it - it comes in gloss and satin (semi-flat).

For a slab-wing, like a 1/2A Skyray, you can do the whole thing in varnish or spray with an enamel like Rustoleum, then use a coat of the varnish over the top. Rustoleum is 'kinda' fuel proof, but not 100%, and also it is heavy so go easy with it. Between the Rustoleum and the Lustrekote, they are pretty much the same as far as using the rattle-cans, though the Rustoleum will be a little cheaper and comes in more colors.

I have been tinting the varnish with artist's oil paint (comes in a tube, from art supply stores or craft stores). It gives a finish that is kind of 'candy apple' or transparent color. It goes well with a transparent film covering. You could even mix to get different shades. I have also used Rustoleum from the small cans meant for brushing to tint the varnish.

<added>

Here is a picture of transparent blue monokote on the wings and a tinted Polyurethane varnish fuselage.

The Skyray needs to weigh about 5 oz to stunt well and it will indeed stunt.

I just paint 2 coats of clear dope on the entire plane and then just a little color trim.

Forget the monokote and silkspan for this type of plane. Too heavy and difficult to repair at the field. I've seen beginners totally demolish a Skyray into 5 or 6 pieces. A little CA and they are back in the air in 15 minutes! Repairs are much easier if the plane is NOT covered.

hehe On my Skyray as I said i have the topside of the plane in Fokker red already when I last worked on it........I still have a bottle of Black Dope that I could jsut use on the bottom and that would be all she wrote..

 I was mainly looking for monokote or something like that for the combat kittins or lil satan or any other profile with built-up wing.... Thanks for the tips!!

I would like to suggest using Doculam as it is about one third the weight of Monokote and is completely fuel proof. Goes on milky white, goes nearly clear as glass after heated, you can lightly paint the framework before you apply or lightly fog the inside of the Doculam with paint and apply. Drastically different looks.

Read more about this here: http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_84...tm.htm#8474734

Here is a pic of a couple of planes, the wings being covered in Doculam after having lightly painting the inside (adhesive side) of the Doculam.

Robert

Cajun Ace. I have read the other answers and do not argue any points. OTOH, Brodak Dope is good stuff, and cheaper that comparable others. I do recommend it. It is not all that expensive as it goes a long way.

For very small models, a usable flying fuel proof finish can be obtained by coating one coat either clear or color. Sand smooth with 320 or such. Now mix some baby talcum powder with a thinned dope, color or clear and brush on another coat. I suggest color as you get the base color started. Good sanding and then a couple coats of color. If more "perfection" is needed add a few more coats of dope. Model should not be subjected to fuel for a couple weeks, if you can stand it. Fuel on any dope before at least a week can give you heart ache.

You can use regular tissue from gift shops (especially at the $1 gifts ) and using a double layer, applied with either dope or craft glue sticks, water shrunk and several coats of clear dope can provide decent covering for small models, .15 and below.

Artistic color schemes can be accomplished with tissue.

There have been some indiividuals trying to say you must use nitrate then butyrate to obtain shrinkage. That is very much in error.
Nitrate shrinks so much and generally quits. Butyrate never quits shrinking, so very weak structures such as rubber power usually needs a couple drops of castor oil per ounce of full strength dope for the last couple coats.

Acetone, M.E.K, or lacquer thinner will thin either nitrate or butyrate dope. However with the fast drying thinners you will need some Retarder to defray "blush", especially in humid / warm times.

I have three 1/2-A dope finish models that are over 12 years old in the garage and still ready to fly when any youngster wants to do so, plus one larger .19 size that I built in 1985.

Craft store cellophane with 3M77 spray adhesive. Seal the major seams with clear packing tape. Do the nooks and crannys in the engine area with epoxy.