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Painting with Rust-Oleum Enamels
I want to share with everyone a new technique I have for finishing model rockets. I am now only using Rust-Oleum enamel paints and primers now which seem readily available from hardware and big box stores and even Walmart. After letting the glue fillets on the rocket dry thoroughly overnight I do a rough sanding of the entire rocket (fins, nosecone etc.) with 320 grit paper. The first coat applied is Rust-Oleum Automotive Gray Filler Primer product number 249279 (I found it in the Automotive body repair aisle at Walmart). This product is high build formula and I literally watch it fill the balsa grain lines, tube spirals and 3D printer ridges as I apply it over the rocket. See picture of Cherokee E fins. Unlike clear the sanding sealers I have used, you can actually see the grain lines and voids fill with this gray colored material as you apply it. I spray this primer until I get a nice relatively even surface coat on the rocket. Two days later I rough sand the surface back with 150 then 220 grit sand paper. Next I apply a good coating of Rust-Oleum Light Gray Automotive Primer product number 2081 see fins next to Cherokee E's in pictuire. I let this coat cure and dry for two days land sand it back with 220 followed by 320 grit paper. I find these two coats of primer will smooth out all the tubing spirals, plastic seams and balsa grain lines. For dark colors like black, navy blue, dark red or brown I sand over the rocket again with a 400 grit paper and apply a final coat of Rust-Oleum enamel directly over these 2 primers. For colors like orange and green I find a second top coat may be necessary to hide any primer show through. For light colors like white, yellow and red I use a white primer coat of Rust-Oleum American Accents 2X Ultra Cover Flat White Primer product number 249058. Again I allow 2 days for drying and curing then sand with 320 followed by 400 grit paper. Note; if you don't wait long enough for any of these enamel coatings to cure you will not get a good surface for dry sanding and the sand paper will immediately clog. For final enamel top coats I am prefer the Rust-Oleum Stops Rust Protective Enamel Spray Paint available in the white cans with the red squares banner on them. The enamels go on thick and it is difficult to avoid runs and over-sprays, especially if you are used to spraying lacquer paints like me. Unlike the quick drying lacquers, these enamels don't seen to be prone to hazing and fish-eye due to humidity and I usually get the nice glossy finish I desire. Use of a tack cloth after sanding to remove dust and debris is a must and wiping down plastic parts with denatured alcohol helps get rid of static charges that attract dust to their surfaces even after applying primers. If you mess up just wait another 2 days, sand down the sags, runs and imperfections, then reapply another layer of top-coat enamel again.
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Bruce S. Levison, NAR #69055 |
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I have been doing two coats of Pactra Balsa Fillercoat, one coat of the Rustoleum Filler Primer 249279, one coat of grey or white Rustoleum 2X Primer.
I agree Rustoleum Filler Primer 249279 is great. Sands great too. I still have a thing for the Vintage stuff though. Edit: It doesn't say Automotive on the can but it is in the Automotive section Last edited by Scott6060842 : 03-21-2020 at 04:37 PM. |
#3
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I am a fan of Rustoleum primers and enamels. I have mostly used the gray Filler-Primer, and Painter’s Touch/2X colors, but recently bought a can of the Stops Rust yellow and it looks great ... but I’ve learned to paint on a handheld dowel and rotate continually after painting, for a few minutes, to prevent any sags. The Rustoleum Metallics — blue, black, and charcoal, are amazing. Perhaps the easiest to apply and get a uniform finish. My absolute best finish is a rocket painted with Duplicolor Metallic Red, but its pretty expensive paint. Finally, I am still a fan of dope sanding sealer for balsa. Its a nostalgia thing for me also. I often just use primer to fill seams and fin grain, but balsa nose cones ALWAYS get sanding sealer. I’m using Brodak now.
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Lee Reep NAR 55948 Projects: Semroc Saturn 1B, Ken Foss Designs Mini Satellite Interceptor In the Paint Shop: Nothing! Too cold! Launch-Ready: Farside-X, Maxi Honest John, Super Scamp |
#4
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I also use the sanding sealer on balsa nose cones. I have the large 16 oz. can and just dip the nose cone straight into the can. After it dries a quick light sand and another dip. That seems to make all the grain holes disappear.
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Bernard J. Herman Ohio RLS Starport Sagitta Rockets email bherman@sagittarockets.com NAR # 97971 SR What's your idea on the best way to change Washington D.C.? Let us know at the Cantina Sagitta Cantina We're looking for a few good Catos, please tell us about any you may have had. Survey of Anecdotal Malfunctioning Engines or S.A.M.E. |
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I find ORIGINAL Rust-Oleum paints almost as good as the little Testors and Tamiya rattle-cans.
NOT SO with that 2X crap that claims to contain primer in the paint. That is an OXYMORON. NONE are as good as Dope/Lacquer shot from a detail spray gun, however.
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When in doubt, WHACK the GAS and DITCH the brake !!! Yes, there is such a thing as NORMAL, if you have to ask what is "NORMAL" , you probably aren't ! Failure may not be an OPTION, but it is ALWAYS a POSSIBILITY. ALL systems are GO for MAYHEM, CHAOS, and HAVOC ! |
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Testor's is owned by The Rust-Oleum Group. I don't know for how long. As for the 2X "crap", I think it is a marketing gimmick for the fast paced younger generation.
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Bernard J. Herman Ohio RLS Starport Sagitta Rockets email bherman@sagittarockets.com NAR # 97971 SR What's your idea on the best way to change Washington D.C.? Let us know at the Cantina Sagitta Cantina We're looking for a few good Catos, please tell us about any you may have had. Survey of Anecdotal Malfunctioning Engines or S.A.M.E. |
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