banana oil on models?

Question

This is one for you "old timers". I was watching "The Waltons" this morning & JimBob commented about using banana oil on his models. Obviously, they're wooden, whether tissue & balsa or solid, but what exactly is banana oil (besides the obvious) & what is it used for on (wooden) models?

Don Stauffer · Accepted Answer

Chemical name is Amyl Acetate. It is quite similar to clear dope, butnot quite the same. It is not used much for 'solid' balsa (non-flying)planes. It is primarily used to cover tissue covered models.  One can'prep' the wood structure with it before applying the tissue, use it asan adhesive when covering, and then for first coat of 'paint' aftercovering.  There are some who believe it shrinks tissue better thandope.  Also, some claim it warps structure less while shrinking thandoes dope.  It is followed by dope for final coats.Frank May wrote:

Roger Demming · Answer

Amyl Acetate is also a cellulose paint stripper and adhesive thinner.It is also IIRC an ester and I believe that it has the common name 'PearDrops' in the UK because of its pear like smell.D

e · Answer

it was alos the base for a persistent poison gas the fine german chemists developed in ww1. green cross category, i believe.

HarryK01 · Answer

Banana oil was used mainly for water proofing. Doping the covering tissuewith banana oil allowed them to be flown over and to be able to land, orfloated in the local pond(or bathtub, ...for testing purposes naturally).

AFisherJr · Answer

back in the '40s, banana oil was used to attach tissue to the balsa frame ofstick models.  Was lighter than glue, so it allowed the model to fly farther.Al Fisher

Martin Sagara · Answer

Is banana oil still available?  If so, where can you get it?Martin

e · Answer

i've got some snake oil i can sell you.

James Venables · Answer

I recall reading many, many years ago that a good way to do diorama bases, rock and brick walls, accessories, etc was to sculpt them in plastacine (modelling clay, to you northern hemisphere types), then coat with banana oil. Apparently it sets the plastacine as hard as rock!

I've always wanted to try this but I've never seen banana oil or known what it is.

James V

DHopper8 · Answer

wrote>a good way to do dioramaI tried this years ago and it works. An advantage was that you didn't have toworry about setting time. When the Plasticine (sp?)is right, put on a liberalcoat of banana oil and leave to set (for quite a while, IIRC)Have not seen either Plasticine or banana oil for quite a few years. (Buthaven't looked.)Doc H

Rob Grinberg · Answer

I'll have two please...RobG(the Aussie one)And we've got better snakes than you..

Don Stauffer · Answer

Yes it is.  I think both Indoor Model Supply and Penn Valley Hobbiescarry it.Martnews:...

banana oil on models?

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