Paint a translucent plastic tank?

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wheelbender6

Well-Known Member
Sep 4, 2008
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TX
Most of the friction mounted engines come with the somewhat see-thru plastic fuel tank. Can that tank be painted successfully? I would leave some of the tank unpainted for obvious reasons but would like to paint most of it.
 

GearNut

Active Member
Aug 19, 2009
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San Diego, Kaliforgnia
I suppose you could try Krylon Fusion paint for plastics, but I don't know how well it would hold up to fuel.
Engine enamel does hold up to fuel well, but I don't know how well it sticks to plastic.
 

MotoMagz

Well-Known Member
Aug 2, 2010
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Wipe the tank down with thinner...apply Rustoleum plastic primer(light coat) and then a top coat of Rustoleum engine paint.Give it a try on the bottom of the tank first.
 

thegnu

New Member
Sep 15, 2011
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freedom pa
Heres the truth about attempting to paint that tank you have , it is made of a high temp high silicone base plastic , in my buisness we have seen this type of plastic many times in my paint shop an it does not accept primer or paint very well at all. ( even with the best adhesion promoters an primers).
Gary
 

foundmydog

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Oct 17, 2011
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South Carolina, USA
Heres the truth about attempting to paint that tank you have , it is made of a high temp high silicone base plastic , in my buisness we have seen this type of plastic many times in my paint shop an it does not accept primer or paint very well at all. ( even with the best adhesion promoters an primers).
Gary

I have tried almost every paint under the sun and they will peel or drip right off with the first drop of gas on it

Plastic coating may work, but could be a few extra dollars
 

curtisfox

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Dec 29, 2008
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I don't know how good it is but I just read in the new trucking magazine the PlastiKote has plastic bond primer.....................Curt
 

cannonball2

Well-Known Member
Oct 28, 2010
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Colonial Coast USA.
I dont know if the plastics are similar, but we paint the plastic canopies that come in the R/C heli kits. They are commonly referred to as bleach bottle canopies because that what the material looks like. You can sand it, prime it with what ever you like and it probably wont stay on. The trick to making paint stay is to "flash" the plastic with a propane torch. As you move the torch over the plastic you can see solvents wave off of it. Once that is done it will hold paint well even through a crash. This process works on corroplast too. I have heard it some how crosslinks the surface, but dont really know. All the said you might not want to do a gas tank that has been used, might get a real flash!
 

curtisfox

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Dec 29, 2008
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A full tank will never blow even with gas in it but use water. I know a lod welder that used to weld tanker trucks full of gas and never blew.............Curt
 

UriDead

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Nov 21, 2011
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Madison, IN.
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