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Old 12-06-2011, 04:46 PM
electromag.11 electromag.11 is offline
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Join Date: Dec 2011
Posts: 16
Default Painting the Interceptor nose cone with Rustoleum gloss white automotive enamel

Quote:
Originally Posted by DavidQ
I think the primer coat is the most important for the nose cones. Since paints and primers don't grab to shiny plastic as well as they do to paper and wood, you could find some stretch marks in your primer if you put it on too heavy. I've had buildup/automotive primer shink from a heavy application, and since it has no give, it pulls apart leaving stretch marks. Always apply a few dusting coats of primer on the plastic so that each coat isn't very wet. Then, it can be sanded as you say, and made to look just like the rest of the beautiful rocket.

Oh yeah, wipe the nose down with alcohol first and let it thoroughly dry, to get off any finger prints, mold release, or other contaminants that can make even primer leave fish eyes. Some like to lightly sand the cone, but that depends upon whether it has details on it or not.


I hit the nose cone with a light coat of primer, but the line details on the Interceptor nose cone are so fine that even after a light coat, they were already starting to fill in. I wiped the entire nose cone down with alcohol, which removed most, if not all of the primer, then used a scribe to remove the primer from the line detail.

Interestingly, wiping the nose cone down with alcohol seemed to take the shine off the nose cone, and created a finish that looked like it would grab paint a little better. Since I didn't have much luck with primer, and the nose cone looks a little more paint-ready after cleaning it with alcohol, I think I'll just keep my fingers crossed and try two light coats of the final white paint.

I'm using Rustoleum Automotive Enamel (white gloss), since I couldn't find Rustoleum Painters Touch 2X in gloss white. I haven't started spraying yet, so I could return the automotive enamel and get a different paint (presumably Rustoleum Painters Touch 2X in gloss white).

Any thoughts?
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