clear coats
 

HI,I,M LOOKING FOR A CLEAR COAT TO GO OVER COVERITE WHITE WITH RED TRIM.THAT WILL NOT YELLOW.TRIED NELSON GLOSS CLEAR AND NOT HAPPY WITH IT.I HAVE READ HERE THAT IT IS GOOD PAINT,MAYBE DOING SOMTHING WRONG,USING 30PSI MIXING ABOUT 40% WATER WITH A HVLP AIR GUN.I,M GETTING A SPOTY FINISH NOT A GLASS LIKE FINISH.NEED HELP.THANKS

RE: clear coats
 

I have a can of Lustrekote Crystal Clear that works very well. There are also gloss clear and flat clear from Lustrekote. The Crystal clear is great but I don't see it listed at Tower any more.
I know they ae joined at the hip but perhaps a call direct to Top flite could stir up something.

RE: clear coats
 

Are you planning to clear coat your decals so they don't come off?

RE: clear coats
 

YES ,THE ONLY DECALS WILL BE THE N#

RE: clear coats
 

Try PPG Clearcoat DCU-2082

RE: clear coats
 

Another one you can you can use is WATER BASE polyurethane.

I have had great success with this. It does not yellow with age, is definitely good for 10% nitro (I have read reports of it being good to 15% nitro - all I use is 10%), is easy to apply (also comes in spray cans if you don't have spray equipment). Some other nice features are no fumes and soap/water clean up.

For spraying I do the following:

1. Add 1 1/2 caps of Flotrol per quart of water base poly before diluting it.

2. Set my gun/airbrush at 25 psi and do a test spray on some scrap. If it doesn't spray properly, I go to 30 psi. If it still isn't spraying properly, I go back to 25 psi and thin it some more and repeat until it sprays properly. You should not be spraying over 30 psi, with 25 - 30 psi the ideal range.

RE: clear coats
 

When I bought a can of crystal clear Lustrekote from tower it came out to be white! It turned out to be mislabeled. And the white isn't even glossy. I have about 5 cans of Lustrekote and they all should be glossy but they are not. Even when topped of with crystal clear glossy it still looked and felt flat. I now clear coat using a paint called "Varathane" clear finish. It says on the back that its mainly used for clearcoating the insides of furnitures. The clearcoating is amazing and it hardens the covering a bit and it feels and looks like glass. Now thats what I call glossy.

For decals so they wont come off, I use Monokote clear if its not painted. If it is, I clearcoat it using Varathane paint. Btw, I used varathane because at the time thats the only paint I had lol.:) Works Great though.

-Paul

RE: clear coats
 

Campy,

Which brand of water based polyurethane are you using? Can it be applied with a foam brush?

RE: clear coats
 

I use MinWax, but any water base poly will work the same way. You can apply it with a foam brush. If you use the foam brush definitely use Flotrol to hide the brush marks.

If you don't have spray equipment, I suggest getting the spray can and using that. I think you will be happier with the results.

RE: clear coats
 

Look HERE ---> www.warbirdcolors.com

a water-based, polyurathane, fuel-proof paint and primer. Also a satin-clear.

It sprays, it brushes, it air-brushes. Dries HARD, sticks to anything, accurate colors

IT WORKS!!!

RE: clear coats
 

Thanks for the info.I went with nelsons paints and had good luck with.I will keep you in mind for the next project.
ffdq

RE: clear coats
 

I've had good experience with Lustrekote clear.

RE: clear coats
 

Can we use oil based polyurethane? What is the advantages and disadvatages over water based?
Borna

RE: clear coats
 

Are the water based polyurethanes gas and glow proof?

RE: clear coats
 

Oil based polyurethane is yellow to begin with and turns more yellow with age. I've never used water-based poly so no comment on it.

I like epoxy clears or automotive clear (2-part). Both are excellent, very fuel proof and don't yellow (at least for as long as my planes live which sometimes isn't very long).

But one thing that is very important is that the finish under the clear can be put over the clear without a bad reaction. For example, I once applied a silk and dope finish to a model and then painted using Perfect brand polyurethane. I had to apply a patch some time later and the dope crazed the poly. I kept applying dope and sanding until the crazing stopped which was several coats.

Now I only use one type of paint start to finish. If I'm going to overcoat with epoxy I begin with epoxy. If I need to apply the cloth with dope then I paint with dope.

Also be sure to test the clear coat with a spare decal to ensure it won't destroy the decal. I've never had polyurethane react with a decal, but as I said, the stuff I've used was yellow so I don't use it for that reason any more.

RE: clear coats
 

Just before reading your comment, I apply a coat of oil based polyurethane to the plane. Did I mess it up? Is my plain going to get yellow?
Borna

RE: clear coats
 

The oil bas poly is going to yellow as it ages. The darker colors shouldn't be too bad, but your lighter colors, white in particular, will definitely have a yellowish tint to them.

FWIW - I use latex for painting and water base poly as a clear coat. The water base poly does not yellow with age and is definitely good to 10% nitro. Various reports indicate it is good to 15% nitro. A big plus I have found with the waterbase poly is that IT SEEMS to be compatible with just about everything.

As Cafeenman said, be careful of compatibility, some paints won't work together or only a certain way. A prime example is that you can put enamel over lacquer, but you can not put lacquer over enamel.

RE: clear coats
 

How about if I recoat it with Water base poly?

RE: clear coats
 

I doubt that will work since the oil base poly has a yellow tint to begin with. In addition, there is something in (or not in) the oil base poly that sunlight affects and causes it to yellow even more.

Removing it is the only way, and I feel that is more trouble than it is worth. Look at it this way, you have had a learning experience that didn't hurt you and wasn't too expensive. My learning experiences ALWAYS seem to hurt and ARE expensive. :eek: