KRYLON PAINT TEST

andrew wrote:

dinsdale wrote:......applying the finish on what we would call a bitterly cold Winter's night (about 10 or 12°C) worked a-treat.

LOL -- what we would call a bitterly cold winter's night would be about -29C

We had 5.7 last night. Brrrrrrrrr!

Oldenginerod wrote:

dinsdale wrote:applying the finish on what we would call a bitterly cold Winter's night (about 10 or 12°C) worked a-treat.

While over here on the east side it gets a little colder than Perth, anything cold enough to freeze water is too cold for a human body to bear.  Don't know how you northerners do it.
Dinsdale, I'd be interested to know what brands of finishes you use.  It's all well & good for our US friends to quote Rustoleum & Krylon & Lustrecoat etc, but I've never seen any of them out here.  Some local Oz formulas would be handy.  How about Estapol?  I do have a can of Plasticoat clear but don't know how that would go.

Rod.

Rustoleum is available from Bunnings, but it's a single pack epoxy, not just an old fashioned oil based enamel.  I've thought about giving it a go, as epoxy should be impervious to just about anything.  I've considered trying some of the acrylic auto finishes as acrylic should be pretty much impervious to just about anything too.  Also Duco and Dulon.

As for PU (polyurethane) anything works.  Estapol is fine, but I've had just as much success with a Target house brand PU.  In fact, that's the stuff I'm still using, after about 6 years.  To keep it in good condition for long periods I gently trickle some turps down the inside of the can, allowing it to spread over the surface of the remaining varnish.  Then carefully seal the lid back on and place it on the shelf.  The varnish inside is that way completely sealed off from the air in the can so it won't "skin".  It'll keep it excellent, as-new condition for many years if you do that.  Like I said, the can I'm using now is 6 years old and just as good as the day I bought it.  Feast Watson, Cabots and Estapol are all members of the "more expensive" line for me.  I wouldn't be surprised if K-Mart and Supa-Cheap Autos don't have their own cheapie house brands too. I think that "polyurethane" is the operative word here.

If PU is left out in the sun for years on end I'm sure it'll yellow, but on models, which see the sun probably for an hour or two a week - at the most - I don't see a problem.  My sailing dinghies were in the sun (and Perth's summer sun is not to be trifled with) for typically 8 hours a day all weekend and often for periods during the week - anytime at all that I could get on the water.  Never ever had any problems with PU varnish yellowing.