Any (Super) Fuel Proof top Coat for Dope...

What's the latest thoughts about sealing and protecting dope. Especially for sport ships not in the front row. And how does your method work when making repairs. Polyacrylics? Water or oil based? Brands that worked best? Thinned expoxies? How long do you let the dope gas off? Days? Weeks? I'm thinking of brushing finishing epoxy on the nose of my recent profile.

The Brodak colors are cool. Shame to see them wash off during the course of a season's abuse. (Like under the fuel tank.)

Thanx,

We just use dope, nothing else. The inside of the tank compartment is sealed with epoxy before any finish is applied, but nothing but clear dope is used in the final finish. Matt's last two planes have placed in the first and second row and have gone a couple of years and over a thousand flights. Now he uses 5-10% nitro, and does take care of his planes, but I don't think durabliity of the finish is a problem. One thing about dope is that it is much easier to fix. If you get a little ding, you can easily blend into the dope, which you cannot do as well with some of the other finishes. And if you get a bigger ding, well that is easier to fix, also.

Oh, and on the question of "gassing off", with the Brodak dope you will find that it cures faster than the others. Wait a day or two and you can sand. If, however, you decide to use an opoxy type (or any enamel) top coat, make sure that the dope has cured. Otherwise you will find that it will peel on you.

I know some make clear dope work. I think that is assisted by quick clean up, is it not. Leonard, what do you clean with?

Brett, what is non filled coating/laminate epoxy? Do you mean the epoxy without extenders, so that the mix ratio is not 50/50? Can I purchase this at a LHS or Home Depot or must I contact a more specialized supplier?

>What's the latest thoughts about sealing and protecting
>dope. Especially for sport ships not in the front row. And
>how does your method work when making repairs. Polyacrylics?
>Water or oil based? Brands that worked best? Thinned
>expoxies? How long do you let the dope gas off? Days? Weeks?
>I'm thinking of brushing finishing epoxy on the nose of my
>recent profile.
>
>The Brodak colors are cool. Shame to see them wash off
>during the course of a season's abuse. (Like under the fuel
>tank.)
>

Epoxy (non-filled coating/laminating) works well. Also, two-part automotive clear works extremely well, although it's expensive.

Old copies of Aeromodeller used to have ads for "Fuel Proofer". What exactly was the stuff? I've always just used oil-based polyurethane.