thailazer

Wondering where the good sources for fuel proof paint are these days. Krylon is available locally, but not sure it would be fuel proof. Any advice on rattle can paint advice would be appreciated.

rgburrill

The paint itself is not affected by fuel but use a fuel proof primer like Lusterkote to protect you plane. And I use Rustoleum, not Krylon.

speedracerntrixie

My Feedback: (29)

thailazer

Speedracerntrixie... That is what I feared. I have some 2 part epoxy paints that I can brush on, but was hoping to do a quick spray from a rattle can on a project. Not sure I want to invest in a compressed air spray rig but that might be the only way to get a good fuel proof finish.

speedracerntrixie

My Feedback: (29)

aspeed

I got away from rattle cans when I was a teenager and painted my car with them. It didn't take long to recover the cost of paint, and that was when rattle cans were just over a dollar. Now they seem to be $7 thanks to the VOC rules. Now everything really needs to be a water base, which unfortunately is what methanol seems to be a solvent for. Even a small Harbor Freight compressor with a little tank and a touchup gun would be good enough for a plane for maybe $100. I got a 2 hp compressor, 35 years ago and never looked back. I oil spray three or 4 cars a year, paint cars, motorcycles, garden furniture, use the air hose to clean the shop, and planes. The air chisel gun is cheap, and cuts through sheet metal very fast with no chips and the scaler cleans rust from most structural steel quicker than anything else. Great investment over the years. Just oil spraying one car is $80 now, so the cost is really negligible over time. I find cleaning the guns easier than brushes as well, except for the Pasche airbrush with the extra needles. The automotive 2 part paints work well, but maybe are a bit pricey. Just a clear coat is good enough though for models.

tedsander

Was just on the same search - found that my TX with the fancy custom "carbon fiber" paint job was not even mildly fuel proof, so needed something that was. Overcoating with Krylon clear did nothing to improve it.
Lusterkote is gone...except perhaps a few cans of white knocking around.
Only alternatives seem to be Klass Kote or this one, which used to be what Nelson Hobbies sold: https://www.systemthree.com/ But shipping for the small 4oz containers is as much as the paint!
Likely you can still find good old dope around, also.

I won one of these at a club raffle, that allows you to turn any paint into a "rattle can" equivalent: https://preval.com/diy-pro-products/preval-sprayer/
Mine is still in the box, so no idea how well or poorly it works.

I settled on Rust-Oleum engine paint in the can - not the super high heat version, but the one that is supposed to be gasoline proof. But that seems to be only available in red or black. Fingers crossed that it works.

aspeed

I have often wondered about the epoxy for garage floors. I tested a bit on a foam flutterboard to see if it attacked the foam, and it seemed ok and fairly strong with the cloth. There is a fairly expensive clear coat floor epoxy too. It costs about the same as an automotive clear though, so I didn't want to splurge on that. That wouldn't be a rattle can option without thinning, but most of the floor epoxies are water cleanup now. I would not want to waste the spray can above when it costs $10 + shipping, when it is an experiment.

Hemikiller

My Feedback: (125)

If you want truly fuel proof clear, step up to automotive clear. Duplicolor sells a reasonably priced automotive clear lacquer that is available in places like Advance Auto. It's ready to spray out of the can, but you will need some sort of spray equipment. I have used the Preval sprayers to apply urethane base, but never tried it with this particular product.

https://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p/...kRyCBD5nBpM%3D

If you want the ultimate in durability, then an automotive 2 part urethane clear is in order. They are available in a convenient one time use rattle can from an automotive paint supplier for around $20. Be aware that 2K urethanes contain isocyantes and need to be used with great care. At a minimum you should spray outdoors with a cartridge type respirator.

thailazer

Hemikiller...... Yes, good idea and worth considering. I painted a pattern ship years ago (when I had a compressor) with Imron and that was one incredible finish. For now I've decided to just use the common rattle can and brush on thinned Ezpoxy over the top of it.

Edit: Looking at Craigslist, lots of compressors for sale for around 50 bucks.

jollyroger

My Feedback: (6)

Since I fly electric I don't worry about fuel proofing but..... I find the Krylon paints to be a bit dull even with the gloss. I painted an RC boat with Fusion, waited a week then covered it with the clear version, leveled and polished to a nice gloss.
Now I'm discovering Rustoleum as it has a much better gloss and a more consistent coverage and a harder finish. Just let it cure for a week or so.
At this point I can't justify the money for Klass Kote or custom mixed paints.
Haven't tried Sig colored dope yet.

r ward

it's worth the few extra dollars to go to NAPA and get their auto paints in a rattle can. set the can in hot tap water for several minutes before spraying. the higher temp makes the can have more pressure and it sprays better. this works for any rattle can paint, as well.

Lee Taylor

Great posting. One of those, once you go there, you cannot imagine why everyone cannot see this

TomCrump

What experience do you have with this ? You say that you have been out of the hobby for decades. How do you know what works ?

Even if you can't get a good finish from an aerosol, that doesn't mean that others can't.

The question that you posted about using a house spray painting unit to paint models illustrates a lack of comprehension of the products and equipment used in our hobby. Posting from experience is fine. Posting on conjecture cam easily lead others down the wrong path.

Lee Taylor

I know zero about spray systems but I am learning.

I do make mistakes. I am certainly an amateur. I am not online to offer professional advice. I do offer my thoughts as everyone is free to do. I do notice when someone is wrong or mistaken and I just move on to the more knowledgeable
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There was a time in my life when I was a rattle can fanatic. Yes I won model contests. I am still using rattle cans and always will. I have zero experience with spray guns. I am looking and learning about spray systems. I do have a small Paasche system that I think I will expand. At the moment I am focused on a compressor and large tank on wheels + gun.
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I have rattle cans in the house and have a model paint job planned this afternoon. I started with rattle cans 55yrs ago. I will always use rattle cans regardless of any pressure tank spray systems I may own in the future.
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I am the type that delays my first experience with things but once I try them and like them I wonder why I delayed starting. When I am in one of my boats on the ocean or scuba diving offshore on a sunken WWII German U-boat, I wonder why I waited so long?

jester_s1

I painted a plane with flat Behr latex paint and then clear coated it with Systems 3 WRLPU. I had to experiment a little with the latex to get the thinning right so it wouldn't show brush marks, but it works. I gave it a very light sanding after letting it dry for a couple of weeks (important to do) and then brushed on the S3. It also is particular about thinning- about 60/40 paint to water worked for me. The finish is super hard and is fuel proof if you use their crosslinker. I put a thick coat on because I wanted to cut and buff it, but it will flow out nicely if it's thinned right too.

RCPilot100

My Feedback: (4)

Its a real bummer that all the glow fuel paints and clear coats have disappeared. For a gasser, I've used Rustoleum with success. My Nieuport 28 and Mr. Mulligan both have Rustoleum on them and I have no issues at all with gas doing anything to it. The problem is you use standard colors. The Mulligan is all white - the Nieuport is camoflauge so the flat colors they had worked just fine. Where the paint sort of works with the plane you can do that. But when you want a particular color, Rustoleum doesn't work. Or if you want to match Monokote.

I really miss Nelson paints. I can't say enough good about them. But you can still by paint from System 3 paints in their standard colors. Two of them are Clear Gloss and Clear Flat. So my next paint job will be with a custom mixed latex paint to the color I want with a System 3 clear coat.

The other option for painting is good old Dope. I remember brushing it on in my parents basement some 60 years ago and it still works today. The only downside is the odor which can be harmful if you don't take proper precautions. I painted a 1/3 Spacewalker 25 plus years ago and it sill looks like new.

Krk

aspeed

Preval looks like a good option. Just remember it is $12 to get started, and $8 for a refill, plus a trip, or waiting for another bottle to come in the mail... I used something similar when I got my first airbrush with a propellant can. It would freeze up and stop working, and emptied out before the job was done. I have never made large planes either. As I said, a cheap compressor and you will never look back. Something with a tank on is best. I eventually got a 2 hp one, as I use it for painting cars and use air tools, blow out the sprinkler system etc. A Harbor Freight type $100 or less one will suit model use though. Look for sales, use a coupon and check Cu Ft /min rating of the sprayer and compressor size needed.