Navy_Flyer

I was very lucky to find a few cans of Monkote LustreKote at the local hobby shop. Had been there obviously for quite some time, they had a layer of dust on them. Anyway, bought two cans of Jet White and one can of clear. In painting my latest project, I used Rustoleum white primer, sanded between coats. Put down the base coat of Jet White and it turned out fantastic. For the trim color, I could not find any 'fuelproof' paint (for nitro) so I sprayed Rustoleum color. Turned out beautifully. Then my thought was to fuel proof the Rustoleum by spraying the LustreKote Clear over it. After waiting for the Rustoleum to cure for 48 hours (as it says on the can), I sprayed a light coat of clear over it. Waited 5 min, and sprayed another light coat. Looking good. After another 5 min, sprayed a bit heavier coat (as it is instructed on the can). Set the plane aside to dry. Went back to look in about 30 min - and the entire color coat had wrinked/alligatored. Arggggggg! I had to wait a couple of days for the clear to cure, then sanded it all off - what a royal PIA. Re-sprayed with Rustoleum color and it is back to looking OK, but not perfect - so I am saying it now has some 'character', but I am still pissed about it.
So fair warning - if you still have any MonoKote LusterKote laying around, it's excellent and looks terrific - but is not compatible with Rustoleum. I should have done a scrap test first!

AFTER

After wet-sanding.

BEFORE

049flyer

My Feedback: (18)

System 3 marine water based paints work great for me. I have found the paint fuel proof to at least 15% nitro when using the crosslinker. Apply with a foam brush.

https://www.systemthree.com/products...-topside-paint

Henpecked

Argh! That is never any fun. However, and unfortunately.... seen that happen with a straight recoat of the same kind of paint and can. Feel for you. The mysteries of painting. What I find amazing was you finding Lustrekote anywhere..... Glow plane painting is completely being ignored in the RC plane industry at this point.

Navy_Flyer

I agree I was very lucky to find it. I used it all! Here is the final product - except for minor areas where I know the wrinkling was deep it still came out pretty good.

Henpecked

That looks pretty sexy! Shame we can't get fuel proof hobby paint anymore. I think there was four different brands at one point. maybe more of you add colored dope and such.

049flyer

My Feedback: (18)

Painted with System 3 paint over Polyspan and nitrate dope, Cox Medallion .049 for power. No problems with the paint and 15% nitro fuel.

Starwolf2

I have been trying to find paint for the wheel wells of a Top Flite Spitfire kit. I have not been able to find any fuel proof paint. What do all of you recommend? What would happen if I just used Rustoleum?

Outrider6

My Feedback: (2)

I'm thinking that there probably isn't much chance that raw glow fuel would get into wheel wells, and I probably wouldn't spend extra money or go through much effort to make the wheel wells fuelproof. I would feel comfortable with Rustoleum for that part of a plane. But if it were cheap, easy and quick, then I would go with fuelproof paint, "just because".

scale only 4 me

My Feedback: (158)

Did you order custom colors? or just use the clear over something else??

I only have used the clear with the same success

gottabeme

My Feedback: (1)

For my glo planes i use Rustoleum rattle can paint, after paint cures i use Spraymax K-2 clearcoat in a rattle can. This stuff is fantastic and fuel proof to my 15% fuel.
My 1960 Orion still has the original Stit's fabric on it. I stripped old Sig paint,primed and repainted with Rustoleum and top coated with 3 coats of the Spraymax K2
Two years of Florida sun and Morgans fuel and it still looks like i finished it yesterday.

...Gottabeme aka Mr. Slick

049flyer

My Feedback: (18)

I have used only their standard colors and have not inquired about custom colors, I fear the price may be high.

I have had good luck with adding cross linker to the color paints and flying without clear coating, and adding cross linker just to the final clear coat coats. System 3 clear adds a nice gloss or satin finish depending on the clear you use and works good over color tissue for an old school look. Fuel resistance is very good either way, best if you let the paint fully cure for a few days before flying. I think System 3 is a very good and SAFE way to get a fuel proof finish on a glow plane but it does require a little different technique than solvent based paints. Best part is the thinner (water) is almost free.

Automotive paints are pretty toxic so I avoid them.