On Feb 15, 8:05*pm, "Flash" wrote:

Back in the middle of the last century, we doped dry-flies in *- hold on for
this one -- * Ronsonol lighter fluid with parafin household wax dissolved
in it . *Hey, it worked.
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Ronsonol... and other 'lighter fluids' are in fact, naphtha, available
in quarts, gallons and 5-gal containers from a competent painter's
supply house.

Old-time sailors use a number of formulas containing paraffin wax
dissolved in naphtha and mixed with BOILED LINSEED OIL. The mixture
was painted on to CANVAS then allowed to dry in sunlight. The result
was known as OIL-SKINS. This was usually the top-most cover of any
battened-down hatch, the foul-weather gear you wore, covers for boats
on davits, and so forth.

Among airmen, a modern-day equivalent would be Johnson's 'Jonwax 50.'
This will waterproof a sewn canvas propeller cover, cockpit cover,
etc. But if you can't afford the Jonwax (or more likely, can't locate
a source), it's always handy to have the 'old fashioned' formulas as a
back-up.

If you have trouble finding real canvas ( for a water-proof cover you
want 100% cotton or flax [ie, linen] ) try the heaviest grade of 100%
cotton 'muslin' from your local fabric shop. And if that doesn't
serve, order the largest 'tool cover' you can find in the Harbor
Freight catalog. Most such covers are made from #8 canvas (ie light-
weight stuff; lighter than the fabric in a pair of Levis).

-R.S.Hoover

PS - Covers of various kinds are a fact of aviation-life. If each
flight returns to its point of origin then you would of course have
some provision for the temporary storage of such covers. But on a
cross-country flight that includes any RON's ( ie remain-over-night )
you should make some provision for carrying such covers with you,
unless you are willing to bet the flight will NOT encounter any
problems that would require you to RON for SEVERAL nights, especially
during foul weather.
Indeed, your cross-country flight-planning usually carries such
preparations a step further; to the inclusion of adequate survival
gear for each of the plane's occupants. It should go without saying
that the WEIGHT of such gear, plus the previously mentioned covers,
must be taken into account, along with suitable STOWAGE. - rsh