I appreciate everyone's suggestions, but this is not for me. If I have to wait a week, it ain't happenin'. With the primer I only need to wait a day at most between coats. With the old dope method I only had to wait maybe a few hours (been too long since I've done it to remember for sure, but I know I could do multiple coats in a day).

The whole point of the "primer only" method is that it's supposed to be easier and faster. Adding another layer in there and having to wait a week doesn't support that in my eye.


I'm starting to think of going back to that method going forward. From what I've read, the old Aerogloss sanding sealer dope is no longer made due to restrictions on the chemicals it used. So what do you use for sanding sealer dope these days?


Back to my recent primer experience, although the 1st coat sanding was a nightmare, the 2nd and 3rd coats sanded very easily and it turned out great in the end. I did still have the issues with the primer building up in the sandpaper and had a to use a clean sheet of sandpaper on each coat.

Get your dope from Brodak. Their primer is the same as old AeroGloss Balsa Fillercoat. Their Sanding Sealer is the same as the old AeroGloss Sealer.

Use the Duplicolor filler primer and it's a lot better than the dope method. It is FAST.
I gave up on the dope a long time ago. My finishes are the best I've ever seen.
Glass smooth balsa.
Allen

Duplicolor spray filler primer is basically balsa fillercoat in a spray-bomb can. Pactra used to sell Fillercoat in a spray-bomb too but that ended in the mid-80's. I still have lots of color dope in spray cans but no Fillercoat.

Thanks for the tip on the Dupli-Color filler primer. I will check it out. Just to make sure I'm getting the right stuff, the only dupli-color paint I can find appears to be at automotive stores. Does that sound correct?

I found two different ones in different looking cans. I don't know what the difference is. Here are what I found a auto parts store local to me. Are either of these the right thing?

https://www.oreillyauto.com/detail/...r/fp101/4268120

https://www.oreillyauto.com/detail/.../dpp104/4268104

FP101 is the one I've been using. Doesn't gum up the sandpaper.
The first one you listed.
Still takes 3-4 coats with sanding in between, but easier to use and overall cheaper and easier to acquire than dope...at least for me.
I block sand with 220, then 400 before a coat of Rustoleum 2x primer to look for any imperfections, then color coats(s). Don't sand all the way back down to bare balsa if you can help it. The 2x colors take a day or two to dry. Wetsand with 400 to 1000 if needed, then final coat.
2x gives a hard, high gloss finish. Best gloss from a rattle can by far.
Dupli Color colors can also be a great choice, but a bit pricey.
Allen

I quit using Duplicolor due to cost — almost $8 a can at auto supply places. And our Walmart quit carrying it, and so I’ve switched to Rustoleum 2-in-1 Filler&Sandable-Primer. Not to be confused with other Rustoleum primers!
The link below is for ordering from Walmart.com. Today it is $4.97. It goes on sale often, for a little over $3 a can. I’ll buy 5-10 cans. Ships free to your local store. My local store might have it in Automtive, but it will not be as cheap as when it goes on sale online. This stuff smells strong, so it’s lacquer-based. Dries fast, sands easily. It’s pretty close to Duplicolor primers in application, as far as I’m concerned.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Rust-Ole...2&wl13=&veh=sem

This is the one I use:
https://www.oreillyauto.com/detail/...r/fp101/4268120

To add more confusion into how to finish a model:
http://modelrocketbuilding.blogspot...ips-part-1.html
http://modelrocketbuilding.blogspot...ips-part-2.html

The thinned Elmer's Carpenters Wood Filler fills most of the wood grain.
After that is sanded, a moderately heavy coat of the Duplicolor Primer/Filler is sprayed.
Most of that is removed by sanding.
Two filler steps - that's it for me!
Follow up with white undercoats.

Yeah, I saw the Rustoleum 2-in-1 Filler & Sandable and thought about that too. My local Home Depot carries the just Rustoleum "Filler" primer, which someone earlier in this thread suggested back when the thread was originally started. I wondered how much of a difference the "& Sandable" part made to the sandability. Even the just plain "Filler" Rustoleum primer still says it's sandable.

The one I used on this build that I was frustrated with was the Rustoleum 2x Ultra primer.