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  #21  
Old 12-04-2011, 10:58 AM
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tbzep tbzep is online now
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Quote:
Originally Posted by toejrb
Good tip, thanks. Hair dryer?

I used a heat gun made for shrinking R/C plane covering and held it back a little, but a hair dryer should work.
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  #22  
Old 12-05-2011, 07:45 PM
Bravo52 Bravo52 is offline
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Originally Posted by electromag.11
I've never painted a plastic nose cone before, so I'm wondering if it is a good idea to paint the nose cone in similar fashion to the body tube, with 4 coats of primer, gloss white and clear coat. Will the molded details of the nose cone make it difficult to get a high quality finish?

Alternately, I could apply the decals directly to the nose cone, and cover with Rustoleum gloss clear. Applying the decals directly to the unpainted nose cone would be less of a risk, but I'm wondering if the finish would appear different then the rest of the rocket.


I don't think you will get a consistent "white" on the rocket without painting the nosecone. Unlike the Red Max mentioned earlier, the Interceptor is supposed to be the same white across the entire rocket. The RM has a natural break in the color scheme (ie black NC and red BT). Bottom line is that if you don't paint the NC, it may look funny.
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  #23  
Old 12-06-2011, 03:36 PM
DavidQ DavidQ is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by electromag.11
I've never painted a plastic nose cone before, so I'm wondering if it is a good idea to paint the nose cone in similar fashion to the body tube, with 4 coats of primer, gloss white and clear coat.

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.
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  #24  
Old 12-06-2011, 04:46 PM
electromag.11 electromag.11 is offline
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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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  #25  
Old 12-06-2011, 07:16 PM
DavidQ DavidQ is offline
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My thought is to shoot the nose lightly, so as to just give it the color, but not wet enough to get the sheen, since without primer, I tend to get pooling and fish eyes from plastic. I think I'd try to get the sheen from my clearcoat instead of the paint surface, just to keep the detail.

One thing I have tried with some success when I want a thin coat is to shoot a bunch of paint from the rattle can into my airbrush bottle, and then apply it lightly with the air brush. I have much more control over the paint flow that way.

But then, I've not started my Interceptor E, and I'm kinda waiting for your results. Isn't being a guinea pig great!
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  #26  
Old 12-06-2011, 08:40 PM
electromag.11 electromag.11 is offline
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Default Painting the Interceptor nose cone with Rustoleum gloss white automotive enamel

Quote:
Originally Posted by DavidQ
My thought is to shoot the nose lightly, so as to just give it the color, but not wet enough to get the sheen, since without primer, I tend to get pooling and fish eyes from plastic. I think I'd try to get the sheen from my clearcoat instead of the paint surface, just to keep the detail.

One thing I have tried with some success when I want a thin coat is to shoot a bunch of paint from the rattle can into my airbrush bottle, and then apply it lightly with the air brush. I have much more control over the paint flow that way.

But then, I've not started my Interceptor E, and I'm kinda waiting for your results. Isn't being a guinea pig great!


Sounds like a good plan, however, I don't have an airbrush, so I'm going to give it a shot with the Rustoleum Automotive Enamel. Going to give it as light of a coat as I possibly can... wish me luck!

I just might build the Interceptor E in 2012... maybe we should start a thread...
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  #27  
Old 12-07-2011, 11:47 AM
toejrb toejrb is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by electromag.11
I just might build the Interceptor E in 2012... maybe we should start a thread...


A while back there was a looong thread on building the E. Great reference.
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  #28  
Old 12-07-2011, 04:17 PM
electromag.11 electromag.11 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by toejrb
A while back there was a looong thread on building the E. Great reference.


Thanks for the tip - I'll check it out!

Maybe I could start a thread about Building the Interceptor E for complete novices who have never even owned an E engine and aren't entirely sure they have a field big enough to launch an Interceptor E even if they built the rocket and bought the engines.
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  #29  
Old 12-07-2011, 04:51 PM
dyaugo dyaugo is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by electromag.11
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?


WARNING!!!!! PLEASE READ!!!

I wouldn't use the Rustoleum gloss white (Try Duplicolor Gloss White). It comes out like cottage cheese. If you do decide on doing so spray on something other than your rocket first. Trust me I had this happen to me before and posted it on another forum and found out I wasn't the only one that experienced the same problem. As far as primer I can see how the high build primer can fill in the details. I would probably go with a different primer that wasn't high build, but check the compatibility first before spraying on the rocket. Maybe something from TESTORS??? I have two of these kits and have been kicking around the idea of actually building one. I have mix ideas on how to improve it so I might sit on them awhile if I can't sell them first?
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