Iflyglow

My Feedback: (79)

What is the easiest product to seal solartex with, and will resist 10% glow fuel.

jaka

Hi!
Seal solartex??
Solartex is totally nitro proof as it is!

Iflyglow

My Feedback: (79)

Seal it from oil soaking into the fibers and staining it. I just got done recovering part of a 1/4 scale cub which was royal pain. It took about about an hour just to get the fabric clean enough to adhere the new covering to it. Simple green diluted 50/50 with water, and wipeing it down many times with denatured alcohol. I would like to seal the fabric now. I do not like the fact that poly yellows though, and have no idea what to use. I run 10% and the 1.20 exhaust does not directly hit the fuse. It will get some oil from the exhaust though towards the tail.
I have also noticed that oil will penetrate under the solartex easier than the films.[X(] I went through 3 cans of k2r, and it is now like new (wood).

Rodney

Clear epoxy paint; you can get it from Klasscote--Google for source and availability. I've used Poly but your are right, it yellows with age but on some finishes this is not bad, especially if you are doing World War I bipes, makes them realistic.

Iflyglow

My Feedback: (79)

It is on a 1/4 scale Super Cub, that is white with red trim. It would not look very good a year from now.

Campy

My Feedback: (1)

I use MinWax Polycrylic for sealing Solartex on most of my planes.

There are a couple of caveats with this stuff:

1. For sealing Solartex I use 2 sprayed coats. Let the first coat dry about 1 hour before applying the second coat.

2. Let the Polycrylic dry for a MINIMUM of 7 days before exposing to glow fuel.

3. Do not let the residue remain on the finish for longer than 4 hours or the finish will soften. I have found that the Polycrylic is definitely resistant to 10% nitro residue and various reports indicate 15% has no problems either.

The Polycrylic is water based and does not yellow with age as the oild base polyurethane does.

Another option would be to use Ultracote clear. That will provide a more fuel "proof" sealer than than the Polycrylic, however it is only available in Hi-Gloss and is substantially more expensive than the Polycrylic.

Iflyglow

My Feedback: (79)

Can you get Solartex clean enough to spray minwax on it after the 60% the fuse as been used unsealed. I can get pretty clean, but is it clean enough? There might still be some trace amounts of oil in the fibers.

dant-RCU

My Feedback: (3)

Balsa USA recommends sealing with polyurethane. What Campy says is very true about letting residue remain when using MinWax Polycrylic. However, if you want to spend the bucks and get a gallon ($42.00 at Lowes) of Varathane Diamond Floor Finsish (water based ploy-u) it will stand up much better than the MinWax. Comes in gloss, flat and satin. I have a wood fuel carrier finished with this stuff. Been using it for 3 years and it is exposed to RAW 15% and I have had zero problems with the finish.

It's what I use and it works for me.

Dan

Norm Nestie

FWIW I'm real happy with Minwax polyurethane spray. Clean up with hot water and a bit of dish soap.

Iflyglow

My Feedback: (79)

Norm,
Are you running glow. I run WC 10% and was wondering how long you have to wipe it off. Do you have to do it inbetween every flight, or at the end of the day. Also does the oil attack it, or just the raw fuel.

chuck l

My Feedback: (17)

Is it very difficult to spray paint the Varathane or Minwax using a HVLP gun. Do you have to thin?

Dzlstunter

You might want to consider Nelson water-based clear with cross-linker; it is offered as a fuel-proof finish. But whatever you use, getting the surface clean will be the most important step in the process. Get it as clean as you possibly can--then clean it some more. Good luck, Dzl

Smackdown

I agree with Dzlstunter about using Nelsons water based paint. With crosslinker added it is totally fuel proof. It sprays a little different. Just practice spraying water on a painted metal panel (like your car!!) and pretty soon you will get the hang of "misting" on a coat. I use it mostly to seal Solartex, so I mostly spray clear satin. Gives a great old time look and seals great against dirt/oil. One bottle lasts for several planes, and so does the "crosslinker" additive. Doesn't add much weight, none that I can tell. I hasn't ever turned yellow, I don't get runs and it is very tough. No ordor, the overspray falls as a sort of dust (it drys before it hits the ground). You end up spraying 4 or 5 coats but they dry real fast, like 8-10 minutes. So it doesn't take long to spray a plane. The hardest thing is seeing when you have sprayed enough on, it takes so little. I use a light shining across the part (wing/fuse) that I'm painting. Cleanup is with water. Let it cure out for a couple days before you fly, just for safety sake, but I don't know why you couldn't take it flying right after it drys.

I run 20% nitro through my Saito engines and have let them set 2 weeks before cleaning them off, no problems.

I don't work for Nelson's, I just like their product. They also sell Worldtex, which is the same as Solartex.

hope this helps,

Smackdown

Dzlstunter

Here's a pic of my Worldtex-covered Phaeton II (slightly "bashed") with Nelson's clearcoat. We'll see if I managed to git 'er done on the download.

Norm Nestie

Motorman37, mostly I use 10% sometimes 15%. I clean off the pane after a days flying with warm water and a little dish soap, sometimes Pinesol uif there was a lot of cow s--t on the field. The minwax polyurethane spray was a breeze to use and I probably gave it 3 or 4 light but thorough coats.

nickbee

My Feedback: (7)

I’m going to start an SR Eindecker soon for a winter project. How would one create the white details before sealing with minwax? I know I’ve read sites that recommend Klasscote, but I would rather use something that comes in a rattle-can since I don’t have a spray system. Also how does the minwax work spraying over decals? Any problems with them pealing up from getting wet?

Thanks!

khodges

My Feedback: (1)

I clearcoated my Solartex-covered planes with Top Flite LustreKote clear. It's fuelPROOF, not just fuel resistant. I have also used it over latex painted Solartex, and I use 15% nitro fuel and have had no problems with paint softening or coming off.

Smackdown

The Lustercoat, minwax, polycrylic, dope, etc. do a good job of fuel proofing IF you don't use high nitro content fuel like 20% . Then they turn to a soft goo and take forever to harden up again. I use Nelson's water based. Fuel proof to 100% or close to it. but Imron (auto paint) will also fuel proof to 100% nitro. Klass coat is another good fuel proof paint.

I also use the Nelson paint to seal Ultracote seams so they don't pull up. I wipe the Ultracote down with acetone. Then spray on 3M #6065 art mount adhesive. Then Nelsons satin clear. Holds great, keeps everything down tight. I also like the duller finish on most of my planes.