I just cant catch a break with the rattle cans...

I bought a can of Rustoleum Ultra Cover Gloss White for my U.S.S. Atlantis project and was very pleased with the results I got with it. I used that same can to paint my Original Little Joe II body, my Centuri Micron, and my Estes Alpha before it finally ran out.

No problem, I go to the hardware store and buy 2 more cans. When I go to use one of the new cans on my Lil' Hercules, I get this gritty gunk coming out the can. I figure I got a defective can and exchange it for a new can.

The new can works better but still doesn't spray on completely glass smooth like the first can did, so while painting the rebuild of the Little Joe II body I tried yet another can with the following results:


This is the original Little Joe body tube painted with the first can


This is the rebuilt body tube painted with the 4th can

I'm going back to Krylon...

Huh. I bought a can of Rustoleum gloss white as well, but have only painted one small rocket (Javelin–came out fine) and was spraying the nose cone on another rocket when I noticed the can starting to spit. I have a big 'ol Centurion to paint next and I guess I'll not risk it with that can. I had been concerned about it before I read your post. Does any manufacturer market a pearlized (metallic) white?

That second photo kills me. I'd be very irritated to say the least. It looks like textured ceiling paint.

I've had a similar problem with Rustoleum Ultra Cover Gloss White. I used it twice without issue. Then with a new can I noticed it was spitting out small chunks of paint so I stopped, re-sanded and re-primed and used yet another new can which also spit out small chunks ofpaint.

It wasn't anything near as bad as what's shown in the picture above. But it was bad enough to make the paint job unacceptable.

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I plan ahead that way I don't have to do anything right now.

Oh by the way, I'm not here just for the "olde" rocket discussions.

I think the bottom-line on rattle cans is ..It truely is a HIT or Miss. I have used all kinds of paint (krylon,Rusto,testors,Dupli-coat,ect) over the years. Painting all kinds of stuff.One can is great and the next can (that you took off the same shelf) be junk. I have a can of Rustolem Copper that has been laying around for years ,been frozen every winter and it still puts out a great paint job. I used it on parts of my CRDR and an NC not so long ago. Figure that?????

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Scotty Dog
NAR 90998

That's pretty funny because I have an old can of Rustoleum Silver that's been laying around for years in the basement too, and just like your old can of Copper, it's always up to the task. I've mostly used it for little things, but it's always worked just fine, of course it's almost empty now.

And as for rattle cans being hit or miss, I'm finding more and more that's the case, at least for me. However I have my worst luck with high gloss paints in general... Flat and semi-gloss seem to work better overall.

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I plan ahead that way I don't have to do anything right now.

Oh by the way, I'm not here just for the "olde" rocket discussions.

I can excuse the odd can being bad... but I had 3 bad cans out of 4 which is unacceptable. Maybe it was a bad lot or something I don't know. It's really too bad because I did like the coverage I got with the Ultra-Coat.

Yes. Since EVERY rocket I build gets either a gloss or dull clear coat, I've been starting to shoot most white rockets with semi-gloss, which is far more forgiving than gloss white. Of course, then I have to be careful with decals to prevent "silvering".

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Never trust an atom. They make up everything.

4 out of 3 people struggle with math.

Chemically, alcohol IS a solution.

NAR# 94042
SAM# 0078