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I want to paint a fiberglass cowl with Lustrekote (Monokote brand spray acrylic lacquer) to match the color used to cover the plane, but I want to take an additional measure to avoid any future corrosion or damage by applying a final clear polyurethane paint layer. Is this a good idea?

Gray Beard

My Feedback: (-1)

No.

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I don't intend to nag about this but a plain "No." is just as good as no answer. I don't mean to disrespect or discard any contributions but how am I supposed to learn something from this advice? If I just take that "No" like a final answer then I'll have to come back and ask more questions that I would in other case be able to solve myself if a minimal intention of helping rather than displaying venerable knowledge was applied upon trying to help or advice someone else. Then, if no, why is it a bad idea?

JohnBuckner

My Feedback: (1)

In my opinion it simply has no further benefits, just more paint. I rather like Lustrekote and have used many colors over the years and for the most part quite happy.

What does make me unhappy is in the last year or so seemingly the majority of the colors have been discontinued and no longer avaliable with only clear and about five basic colors is all thats left, who knows before thats gone too.

John

carrellh

Lustrekote appears to be fuelproof, and seems pretty tough. I might hit it with a final coat of clear lustrekote, if the color coat is not as shiny as the monokote. The yellow I used to paint my field box is definitlely not as shiny as yellow monokote. If it looks good after it dries I'd leave it alone. Adding more paint doesn't necessarily add more protection. Too much paint can cause cracking.

Depending on who you ask, and exactly which one you use, polyurethane may or may not be fuelproof. It is even possible to have chemical reactions between different paint types. If you do decide to use poly, be sure to test it on something before you put it on your cowl.

Gray Beard

My Feedback: (-1)

The NO is very simple. If people would take the time to read the instructions they would find the answer right in front of them.
On the paint can in direction #5 it states Fuel Proof Up To 15% Nitro. So why bother with something like Poly U?
At the moment I'm getting hit with questions about A lot of things, radios and plane set up mostly but what I have noticed is the people asking haven't bothered to read the instructions, not at all!!
My NO to you last night was just me venting.
Sorry, I won't do that again, should have just left it alone.

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It's ok I understand, I don't usually ask before reading but it's just that I don't have the actual cans so I cannot get the instructions. Then I will go only with Lustrekote because they still make the missile red that I need. Thanks.

JohnBuckner

My Feedback: (1)

All Missle Red no top coat needed, no fuel proofing needed with 25% nitro fuel (this ship was used for pylon racing):

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John, does it produce a high quality finish? Does it deteriorate over time? Does it crackle or become brittle? I'll be using it to paint the fiberglass cowling on a .60 Extra.

JohnBuckner

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It has always worked well for me going back years and just out of a rattle can. I suppose you would not call it a museum finish but then agine that is more a function on the effort I put into it. All of my airplanes are working airplanes not museum pieces.

Its good stuff. What is curious is you called it a lacquer and I was always under the impression it is a Polyurethane?

Here is a photo of another of my airplanes this one with a YS run on a short stack and 45% nitro with the cowl painted black with good old Lusterkote No problems.

John

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Yes, according to the Monokote website, Lustrekote is an acrylic lacquer. The reason I started this thread is because I've read that polyurethane paints are more fuel resistant than Lustrekote and because someone at my field mentioned that Lustrekote is prone to crackling.

Le Don Dorato sure looks nifty John, how many planes do you have? What technique do you use when painting with Lustrekote? They recommend using an initial primer layer but I don't know if that's just for light colors that may appear uneven if there is not a white layer underneath. What benefits are there from having a primer base coat instead of just applying the missile red coat directly?

Gray Beard

My Feedback: (-1)

There will be no cracking or peeling IF, this is A big IF!! You use the correct undercoat or primer. Don't ask me how I know this. I finally broke down and just bought the Lusterkote primer after fooling around and trying out different types and makes and brands.
If you do the search you will also come up with Midwest Clear Varnish and this is A fuel proof Poly U.
Neither of the paints are any more fuel proof then the other, well, not that I have ever found. If you read the instructions you will notice they both speak about dry time to get to that fuel proof spot in life. That's the key to these paints that say fuel proof on them. I let them dry at least 10 days before I even look at them again.
The clear also states in the instructions not to use it over white paint.
The clears tend to YELLOW very fast and it shows up and looks nasty on any light colors.
The brush on Poly you can get in brush on cas at the hardware stores will also be fuel proof after given enough time to set up and dry, again, about 10 days. Both types of bases too.
I may have some shots of an Extra I built for A friend. I always tell anyone I build for I'm not A very good painter. On that plane I had to continue with the pattern and colors I covered the plane with. If you don't look the cowl looks really good but it crackled and peeled, mostly the white. Not all paints are compatable with all primers and I ran into that problem again. Thing ended up looking like A fifth grader painted it.[>:] Only one color and brand are easy!!

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And what about the final clear coat? I want to know if I will only be needing the primer can and the missile red can or if the final clear coat is imperative.

Gray Beard

My Feedback: (-1)

Let see if these will blow up big enough to see how bad some of the paint is.

Gray Beard

My Feedback: (-1)

Nope, sorry. And that's not me in the photo, my buddy Bud who I made this plane for. It was maiden day for the little beast.

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It's faintly noticeable in the last shot but its not that clear. This is the brush on poly job you mentioned?

Gray Beard

My Feedback: (-1)

Nope, the only time I use the brush on type of poly is when I'm putting on A clear coat over A covering like Solartex, any of the TEX is just A cloth type of covering and has A lot of weave in it.
Then it's put into A spray gun and shot on too. I almost never use A brush for anything except pin striping.
Before anyone asks, the clear coat is just to make clean up easier on the TEX type of covering and that in turn keeps it from staining so fast. The covering is fuel proof just like any of the plastic coverings.

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Suddenly things have gotten much more complicated because none of the LHS carry Lustrekote primer because of the transportation hazards. I believe Tower won't send it either because I believe they only do international air shipping which wont carry aerosol cans. Now I have to decide if it's suitable to use only the red missile color (the LHS does carry this color) or which is the best solution.

khodges

My Feedback: (1)

You don't need LustreKote primer, or any other primer, for that matter. I've used LustreKote on 7 or 8 different planes, over ABS, fiberglass, Koverall, plain epoxy, and never primed any of it, the paint is still there, still in great shape (at least on the ones I didn't crash). Just make sure the surface is CLEAN and FREE OF OIL. I usually wipe down the surface with a cloth dampened with denatured alcohol to remove dust, skin oils, etc. and then just hit it with the color coat. You CAN prime, if you want, to sand for a smooth surface and to fill minor dings, or to give a lighter base color, but the paint won't stick any better.

Make sure the paint can is at room temp, shake it until your wrist gives out, mist on the first couple of coats and then do a couple of fairly heavy (on the verge of running) coats, letting them get dry to the touch in between. Keep the tip clean, if the paint isn't warm and well stirred (or shaken, if you're a Bond fan ) it will sometime glob at the tip and then you will get a spattered finish

All polyurethane will do as a topcoat is yellow the color. I painted a L-4 with part LustreKote, part Krylon once, topcoated the whole thing with polyurethane. The poly has flaked off most of the bottom (where glow exhaust hits it the most), but the LustreKote still looks new, after 3-1/2 years.

JohnBuckner

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Things only need to be as complicated as you care to make them.

I use no primer at all only Lustrecoat. I do heat the cans immersed in warm water before each use.

Here is my other thirty eight (Yuppee with overall Lustrekote) and another large fiberglass cowl with only Lustrekote on this big Midwest kit CAP I built.

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One of those 10oz cans is enough to do a cowling, wheel pants and landing gear or will I need 2 cans?

JohnBuckner

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Two

Gray Beard

My Feedback: (-1)

I use the primer mainly to fill in pin holes in the glass, most of it is sanded off before painting, just not all of it. Not A must do thing.