Awhile back my wife's uncle came over with his kids and they were amazed when they saw my rocket collection and were thinking about giving it a try. Well the other day we went to their house and they showed me some Estes rockets they bought and finished. They were not happy with the results and said they followed the directions but the rocket did not look like the package. I looked at the rockets and the construction was just fine and the paint job looked pretty darn good. Of course they also build plastic model cars. I think the biggest problem they had was the grainy look of the wood parts. They showed me the directions and the Estes directions say for a quality finish use Testors Model Masters Lacquer paint and that is what they used. Also the directions say to spray 2 light coats of white primer and sand in between coats. Then add the color coat and followed by decals and clear coat. Well they did all that and I told them it takes a lot more than 2 coats of primer to completely fill balsa wood grain. But I am telling you, their rockets looked pretty good from a few feet away and the only problem up close was the wood grain. I commended them on their build and advised them that finishing a rocket is almost like finishing their plastic model cars, you can go basic or spend many hours to obtain a quality finish. Any way I offered to show them how to fill balsa if they ever wanted to learn, but I think they are more interested in flying their models. I sent John at Estes a message about the directions and he makes a great point. Most people just shoot paint directly on bare balsa and body tubes and that 2 coats of primer looks much better than no primer. I agree with this, still it would be neat for Estes to put out a video on how to achieve a catalog finish model.

My daughter does makeup how-to videos on YouTube. Might be something worth thinking about putting together. I'd think about it, but I rarely have the patience to get the finish I see in my head, and the results come out a lot like those you just described.

__________________
Bill Eichelberger
NAR 79563

http://wallyum.blogspot.com/

I miss being SAM 0058

Build floor: Centuri Mini Dactyl Estes - Low Boom SST Semroc - Marauder, Shrike, SST Shuttle

In paint: Canaroc Starfighter Scorpion Estes F-22 Air Superiority Fighter, Multi-Roc, Solar Sailer II Semroc Cyber III

Ready to fly: Estes - Solar Sailer II Semroc - Earmark, Groonie Der V 1/2

Tim Van Milligan has put out a series of "Apogee Rocketry Workshop" videos on YouTube on a variety of topics, including getting a nice finish, papering fins, finishing tips, and the like... Those are a good place to start.

For "effortless" fin finishing that adds a TON of strength to balsa fins and totally eliminates grain filling, paper the fins with printer paper and white glue... the results are well worth it.

A quick search here should produce the relevant threads with complete descriptions and pictures of how to do it...

later! OL JR

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Balsa can be a PITA to get to look very nice and papering the fins I agree adds strength and cuts down on the time to finish the rocket.

What's her YouTube name? My daughter is ALWAYS watching those darn things. I'm wondering if she ever watched any of your daughters videos.

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Scott D. Hansen
Ye Olde Rocket Shoppe - Your One Stop BAR Shoppe!
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WOOSH NAR Section #558

http://www.youtube.com/user/sarahbelle93x?blend=1&ob=5

__________________
Bill Eichelberger
NAR 79563

http://wallyum.blogspot.com/

I miss being SAM 0058

Build floor: Centuri Mini Dactyl Estes - Low Boom SST Semroc - Marauder, Shrike, SST Shuttle

In paint: Canaroc Starfighter Scorpion Estes F-22 Air Superiority Fighter, Multi-Roc, Solar Sailer II Semroc Cyber III

Ready to fly: Estes - Solar Sailer II Semroc - Earmark, Groonie Der V 1/2

Recently I built Quest's new Full Betty and for the first time I thought I would try to paper the fins. I self-adhesive mailing labels and I tacked down the edges with CA. It came out decent and I saved a lot of time by not sealing the fins.

I only do what the instructions recommend too.

I don't just build mine to display, so I figure it is going to get a beating anyway...

I see the rockets you folks build and the finishes you achieve and have been steadily working towards that pro-finish look. When I look at my new "fleet," The finishing has gotten better as I've gone along. It's all due to the tips, tricks and methods I've picked up since visiting this forum. They're not in your folks league yet, but I've come a ways since I built the first rocket.

I've got four that I'm trying to get paint on at the moment and am having a devil of a time. If it's not a bug in the paint, it's a run, if it's not a run, it's orange peel. I'll get it right one of these days.

That and I've settled on an initial application of F'n'F followed by lacquer sanding sealer—about three to four coats. Filling spirals irritates me and some turn out better than others. I just want to get consistent. I've yet to try papering the fins, but that's the next technique that I'll have a go at.

I think you'll be pleased with the results... I know the STRENGTH IS PHENOMENAL at VERY LITTLE weight gain...

I had a prototype two stager go unstable after staging and cruise missile into the ground under thrust-- it hit "flat" (rocket body was horizontal) on the ground at HIGH speed and sheared the 3/32 balsa fin right off the body tube-- the fin had been sanded to profile and papered with printer paper and white glue, folded over the leading edge, as I've described and posted pics of before... the fin hit bare HARD PACKED BONE DRY CLAY and while it DID smash up about a 1/4 by 1/4 inch area at the leading tip edge of the fin, the fin was intact-- it simply sheared off the tube. I had used a double-glue joint using Titebond II, filleted with Titebond Moulding and Trim Glue, and the bond was SO GOOD that it took the sanded down glassine layer and the top paper layer of the spiral wound tube with it-- When your glue joint is stronger than the underlying materials, that's the best you can hope for!

I made a new fin, papered it, and glued it on, did a little finish work and you can't tell it was dinged...

Later! OL JR

__________________
The X-87B Cruise Basselope-- THE Ultimate Weapon in the arsenal of Homeland Security and only $52 million per round!