Cellulose paints

Hi all,

Many thanks for the replies so far. There are pros and cons for both lacquer and 2 pack paints, and I’ve still got more research to do yet. I’ve just been curious as to whether ‘cellulose enamel’ was really just nitrocellulose lacuqer, since the two terms ‘cellulose’ and ‘enamel’ would seem to contradict each other. Think I’ll have to dig deeper through some of my other period references and see what they talk about.

Cheers,
Matt

..apparently the brand of aircraft covering that starts with “St” & ends with “its” doesn’t get past the censor on here…

Should have just said “polyfibre” 😉

I used cellulose paint throughout the 80’s on refinishing cars, whilst its less durable in terms of fading, than a two pack system, it does offer the advantage that it wont kill you! (without a suitable air fed mask) Two pack has the unfortunate side effect of making everything it is sprayed onto ,look like a plastic replica (in full gloss) ,if a semi matt finish is required cellulose will probably do as well, as it loses some of its sheen under prolonged bright sunlight but doesn’t go white like oil based paints; if the A/C was going to be left outside like for example a gate guardian, then two pack would be ideal fo this, but if hangared when not flying, I would have thought that cellulose would give good service, its easier to apply (no hardener) , and you can govern the drying time by using fast or slow thinners as required. The other thing you can do with cellulose to give it extra sheen is to mix in blending clear with the last few coats ,this realy does work and seems to cut down the fading effect, although for some reason when using blending clear ,you do have to machine (or hand) polish it ,as it drys semi matt sometimes.

just a pity that the powers that be insisted on Irish linen for the tail feathers instead of S**** so that was an exercise in futility.

I don’t follow. Whats wrong with using the original fabric material on a museum aircraft?

It’s actually outlawed in several places & altho it does have a very finish nice initially it’s not very durable & starts to look like crap after as little as 6 months. It’s fine if you are happy with repainting everything at least once a year, otherwise it’s a complete waste of time & money.
Modern paints are FAR superior & given the correct specs can look EXACTLY like the original finish. As much as I like originality there comes time when it’s just not practical & paint is a prime example.
I think the only 2 countries still producing this stuff are the UK & Nigeria.
The Spit I did for Wright Pat is painted with DuPont Centari & is way more durable that cellulose… just a pity that the powers that be insisted on Irish linen for the tail feathers instead of S**** so that was an exercise in futility.

You might run into more problems trying to get the stuff made in the correct colours for your application. My step-brother (he owns Akron Paints) supplies Ford at Eastleigh & some of the larger DIY chains with their “own brand” paint etc & he won’t touch cellulose.

er, apparently the brand of aircraft covering that starts with “St” & ends with “its” doesn’t get past the censor on here…

I understand that “cellulose” is an abreviation of the base component “nitrocellulose” WRT to paint systems. The enamel description may just be a generic reference to a hard glossy coating system whether clear or pigmented.

“In 1923, E.I. DuPont De Nemours developed nitrocellulose lacquer systems, which offered many color choices and easier application using spray guns. However, lacquer systems required spray application of 3-4 coats of paint to achieve the desired properties. Lacquers also by their very nature have poor resistance to certain chemical solvents. Repeated exposures to gasoline spills could stain and damage lacquer finishes. In fact, in the 1960’s some cars had their gas tank filler located under the license plate to avoid spilling gasoline on the lacquer paint. Nitrocellulose lacquers were used on some passenger cars until about 1957, when solution acrylic lacquers were introduced. Acrylic lacquers offered much improved durability and a wider range of bright, pleasing colors – especially metallics.”

“Nitrocellulose Lacquer: in the 1920’s, several paint manufacturers were involved in the development of nitrocellulose lacquers. This paint had rapid drying and low viscosity properties, and was applied with air pressure through a spray gun leaving a hard dry finish in approximately one hour. When rubbed, polished, and waxed, it far surpassed in durability and appearance the qualities of the Japanese lacquers.

Synthetic Enamel: In the mid 1930’s, a new and completely different type of paint was developed, the alkyd or synthetic enamels. It proved to have superior qualities in film strength, adhesion, luster, flexibility and durability over all previous paints. The resin base was developed from the reaction between phthalic anhydride and glycerin, with gums, oils and plasticizers added during the manufacturing process a drying oil such as linseed, a polyhydric alcohol, such as glycerine, and a dibasic acid, such as Phthalic Anhydride. It dries by solvent evaporation, like the lacquer paints, but the resin remains soft and sticky when no solvents are present. It cures to a hard finish by absorption of oxygen from the air. The curing process can be accelerated by heat, and several methods of baking enamel were developed. Unlike lacquer, when dry, it needs no polishing to produce a high luster finish.”