Proven fuel proof coating for field box -summary so far

[Bill Pritchett]

Verne:
It's the stuff we like to smell, right?
hehe
Bill

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Verne Koester" <verne at twmi.rr.com>
To: <discussion at nsrca.org>
Sent: Monday, August 22, 2005 5:10 PM
Subject: Re: Proven fuel proof coating for field box -summary so far


> Tom,
> I finished a flight box with Minwax polyurethane 20 years ago and it's 
> still going strong. Lots of 30% nitro fuel spilled on it through the 
> years. This is the old fashioned polyurethane, not the water-based stuff.
>
> Verne
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Tom Simes" <nsrca at shinymetalass.com>
> To: <discussion at nsrca.org>
> Sent: Monday, August 22, 2005 4:50 PM
> Subject: Re: Proven fuel proof coating for field box -summary so far
>
>
>>
>> Thanks for the feedback everybody, to summarize, here is what I think I
>> understand about the finishes so far.  If you have first hand experience
>> contradicting this, please let me know!
>>
>> Lacquer:  From what I've read, aircraft dope is a catalyzed lacquer and
>> aparently the catalyst used determines how fuel/nitro tolerant the
>> finish will be.  Don't know what the "good" catalyzing agents are, but
>> apparently non-catalyzed lacquer is not fuel proof at all.
>>
>> Epoxy / finishing resin:  Definately highly fuel resistant, but the
>> longest pot life epoxy I regularly use is 30 minute and so I don't
>> really have a need for the extra 1/2 quart or so I would need to buy
>> (not available in < 1 qt. quantities as far as I know).  Even the West
>> system stuff is not naturally UV resistant - they recommend top coating
>> with a UV resistant varnish.
>>
>> Spar varnish:  Should be color stable and highly UV resistant.  May
>> become brittle and succeptable to cracking / crazing.  Should be fuel /
>> nitro resistant to some degree.
>>
>> Polyurethane (exterior/spar):  Should be color stable, very durable and
>> highly UV resistant.  At least the Varathane water bourne acrylic flavor
>> is reported to not be fuel resistant.
>>
>> So far I am leaning towards either a non-acrylic polyurethane or the
>> spar varnish because of durability and ease of application, but I'm
>> still not clear on how fuel resistant the various brands / flavors of
>> these finishes are.  I may end up buying the smallest quantities I can
>> get of the spar varnish and polyurethane and conducting some
>> experiments.
>>
>>
>> Tom
>>
>> _____________________________________________________________________
>>
>>       |  ,  |               Tom Simes
>> ---------(@)---------        AMA 230068
>>        --|--                NSRCA 3830
>>          '                  nsrca at shinymetalass.com
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