I'm having a weird paint texture issue

Over the last few months, I've built three rockets in which I've had some weird paint texture issues.

Now, I do all my rockets the same way - prime with either Rusto Filler Primer or Sandable Primer. Remove all dust with a microfiber cloth and a touch of rubbing alcohol. Then paint with Rusto 2X gloss paint, multiple light coats (I have used the flat paint for one or two things, and haven't had the following issue). All of my rockets have turned out pretty well, with the exception of these three.

Here's what happens. I get this bumpy (not orange peel), rough, sharp, coarse sandpaper texture - but only on one side of the rocket. In other words, one side is perfectly smooth, the other has this horrible grit to it.

Here's a picture with some side lighting, so you can see what I'm talking about:



Now, what the heck is going on here? Why did this just recently start happening, and if it is happening, why does it happen on only one side of the rocket?

lcorinth said:

Over the last few months, I've built three rockets in which I've had some weird paint texture issues.

Now, I do all my rockets the same way - prime with either Rusto Filler Primer or Sandable Primer. Remove all dust with a microfiber cloth and a touch of rubbing alcohol. Then paint with Rusto 2X gloss paint, multiple light coats (I have used the flat paint for one or two things, and haven't had the following issue). All of my rockets have turned out pretty well, with the exception of these three.

Here's what happens. I get this bumpy (not orange peel), rough, sharp, coarse sandpaper texture - but only on one side of the rocket. In other words, one side is perfectly smooth, the other has this horrible grit to it.

Here's a picture with some side lighting, so you can see what I'm talking about:

View attachment 258312

Now, what the heck is going on here? Why did this just recently start happening, and if it is happening, why does it happen on only one side of the rocket?

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That looks like overspray to me. I've had great results from the Rustoleum 2X line of products but I always try to keep a "wet edge" on the spray by turning the body fast enough so that the paint lays down wet but just short of causing runs and drips. High humidity, gusts of wind, cold temperatures and a zillion other factors can screw up a paint job. And then, there's the ever present gnats who like to bathe in wet paint. :rant: I say fly 'em, scratch 'em up real good and then paint 'em again.

WOW, That is a mess. Honestly I can only think of a couple things that can cause this and It's happened to me. First--the paint is old and the pigments tend to coagulate and spit out solids( you'll see this a lot with cold paint )---second the nozzle has a partial clog--( the paint will load and spit--load and spit and then clear ) this might answer the problem of only part of the rocket looking this way. I gotta tell ya, the first option is the most likely. If you wet sand the bumps down , the color should be brighter where they are---although white might be more difficult to see.- It doesn't look at all like over spray to me --way-way to rough --H

hornet driver said:

WOW, That is a mess. Honestly I can only think of a couple things that can cause this and It's happened to me. First--the paint is old and the pigments tend to coagulate and spit out solids( you'll see this a lot with cold paint )---second the nozzle has a partial clog--( the paint will load and spit--load and spit and then clear ) this might answer the problem of only part of the rocket looking this way. I gotta tell ya, the first option is the most likely. If you wet sand the bumps down , the color should be brighter where they are---although white might be more difficult to see.- It doesn't look at all like over spray to me --way-way to rough --H

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The first two, it was pretty cold out. It's in the 50's today. Temperature was my first guess, but I figured once the freeze was gone, I'd be OK.

The paint is new, with a new nozzle. Actually, it was new each time I had this happen. And this wasn't the worst time - the first time was even worse, but I didn't get a picture of it.

A friend of mine gave me his rockets recently when he moved away, and when I felt the texture, I thought how on earth did he do this?? Then it happened to me.

The current rocket is a little less rough, but still sandpapery. I'll just have to wet sand the bumps off. Not a tragedy for this little scratch build, which will go so high I'll probably lose it. But for future builds, I'd like to avoid this.

tmacklin said:

That looks like overspray to me. I've had great results from the Rustoleum 2X line of products but I always try to keep a "wet edge" on the spray by turning the body fast enough so that the paint lays down wet but just short of causing runs and drips. High humidity, gusts of wind, cold temperatures and a zillion other factors can screw up a paint job. And then, there's the ever present gnats who like to bathe in wet paint. :rant: I say fly 'em, scratch 'em up real good and then paint 'em again.

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Gnats drive me crazy!

I did keep a pretty wet edge. I'm not sure what went wrong, except perhaps for temperature.

I've gotten good results with Rusto, but I think I want to try some other stuff now. I keep hearing that Duplicolor is good, and I may try that for my larger builds coming up. And might look into getting a spray gun, but I have no idea how to use that. I checked out a few car painting videos on Youtube, figuring those guys know how to get a smooth paint job, but some of the stuff they were talking about was a little beyond my knowledge base.

But I have a lot in the build pile. Lots of opportunity to screw things up and improve on the next one.

Wow.

My first thought was overspray, with the bumpy part being on the part of the rocket not coated in the final pass. But it really looks too rough for that.

It doesn't look like "one side dried faster because the sun was shining on it" type problems.

If it was dust settling on the piece after spraying, the bumps wouldn't be white (unless you've got white dust handy...)

It doesn't look like any sort of surface prep problem I've ever seen.

As a test, I would take a smooth piece of cardboard or something (something largish) and paint it using your standard technique (including time of day, temp etc.) using one of the cans that has given you problems. Start at one side and go to the other. See when dry if there's any variability in surface texture.

Sometimes when I pain with acrylics I get isolated bumps that look like that due to paint that has congealed and has gritty bits, but even that is like maybe one or two grit bumps per square centimeter. Not uniform bumpiness like you've got there. Ugh.

My vote is bad paint cans or spraying outside of optimal conditions. Sorry. I don't have a better explanation.

How quickly is the problem apparent? Does it show up while spraying, or only after drying, or somewhere in between?

Marc

The fifties is a bit cold for painting in my opinion and every time I've ever tried to spray paint when it's below 60 the paint just doesn't want to cooperate. It was 81 or 82 here in north Texas yesterday, but the humidity was also high so all I could do was spray Rustoleum sandable primer on my Skonk Wulf. It took a full twenty four hours for it to be sandable. I also get impatient when I paint but have slowly come to realize that rushing things usually results in a mess. Then I rush anyway!

I think the key to a good paint job is a climate controlled work environment and real equipment. Besides, my rockets fly so straight, fast and high it's impossible to gauge the quality of the paint jobs! oint:

Marc_G said:

Wow.

My first thought was overspray, with the bumpy part being on the part of the rocket not coated in the final pass. But it really looks too rough for that.

It doesn't look like "one side dried faster because the sun was shining on it" type problems.

If it was dust settling on the piece after spraying, the bumps wouldn't be white (unless you've got white dust handy...)

It doesn't look like any sort of surface prep problem I've ever seen.

As a test, I would take a smooth piece of cardboard or something (something largish) and paint it using your standard technique (including time of day, temp etc.) using one of the cans that has given you problems. Start at one side and go to the other. See when dry if there's any variability in surface texture.

Sometimes when I pain with acrylics I get isolated bumps that look like that due to paint that has congealed and has gritty bits, but even that is like maybe one or two grit bumps per square centimeter. Not uniform bumpiness like you've got there. Ugh.

My vote is bad paint cans or spraying outside of optimal conditions. Sorry. I don't have a better explanation.

How quickly is the problem apparent? Does it show up while spraying, or only after drying, or somewhere in between?

Marc

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It's usually apparent as I'm spraying it on. Seems to go well, then the grit appears.

Mind, this has only happened three times, and the first time, I figured it was a bad paint can. But these are all new cans of the same paint I always use, and Rusto has a good reputation. It's just so strange that it happens in certain spots and not others - and always seems to be on one side of the rocket. I spray from top to bottom, not side to side, so it's really strange. And I'm pretty careful about dust.

I'm gonna try holding off painting again until it's warmer outside.

From your orange peel thread: After I sand primer, I wipe the dust off with rubbing alcohol - a tip given to me by an experienced rocketeer. However, this time I did it just before painting. I think the evaporation of the alcohol may have cooled the surface of the rocket down enough that the temperature change between the paint and the airframe may have caused the orange peel.
Just a hypothesis, but it's the only thing I can think of I did differently this time. In any case, it's something I'll avoid next time, to be on the safe side.

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I don't know what percentage alcohol you are using, but 91% dissolves paint, leaving a tacky surface no matter how old the paint is. The paint in my picture is 17 years old (retired G-Force) I use the alcohol to clean BP residue out of cardboard tubes. Discovered it eats paint just by touching finish with my hands after laying the rag down, left some finger prints. First thing I would do is ditch the alcohol in your prep work. I use a 100% cotton rag (old T shirt) dry and wipe the surface get most of the dust, then go over it with a water dampened rag, let dry and then a clean dry rag.

If you hold your rocket up to a bright light and look down the length of the tube you can see if there is any dust, lint on the tube. To the picture I took you will notice lots of paint on the lower portion of the paper towel, and very faint on the upper portion. The lower portion I used right after applying the alcohol, and then flipped the towel around, it was still damp and wiped in under a minutes time. The alcohol evaporates very fast leaving mostly water behind on the reverse side of the rag.

I don't know if you just wet your rag once and wipe the whole rocket down, if so that could explain why some of your rocket is bad other part good. The alcohol is eating into some of the paint when concentrated, and not other parts after some evaporation has taken place.

In your picture it sure looks like surface contamination, and then with one part ok and one not seems like over spray. If over spray that is sure as heck one bad case of it, never seen that bad.

The best thing to do is think over what you have done differently if anything from previous good results. Good luck you will find the solution

I think it's the paint.

If this "weird texture" is happening with Rusto 2x Gloss white... try switching to any other brand of gloss white.

I had the same experience with the 2x gloss white. (multiple cans)

I switched to Krylon gloss white that I picked up at Walmart, and that worked fine.

Same experience as the poster above. Rusto 2X and the can was getting low on paint. I suspect it may be thicker and has a problem getting out of the spray nozzle.

How full was your can?

Alchohol doesn't make paint do what was shown in the OP's photo. As far as cleaning lint and dust and what-not—use a tack rag, available wherever they sell paint.

Just an FYI I was using Rusto Automotive Gloss White formula. After shaking the can thoroughly and painting in warm weather the paint came out like cottage cheese. I return the can and got another new can and the same thing. This happened 3 times and I just ended throwing the paint out. I'll never use that Rusto paint again.

I never had any issues with the 2x Painters Touch. I think maybe its old paint?

Ever since I switched to using Rusto 2X, I never went back to other brands unless I was in need of a certain color. That being said, there have been times when a bad nozzle caused spits and such, but mostly success. I learned from trial and error, (and of course, many of the experts here) a combination of things that almost never fail me. Before I use any paint, I'll soak it in hot water 5-7 minuted or so, then shake the hell out of it. More importantly, I never paint if it's below 60*, and the humidity must be lower than 45%.

I really don't know what caused this, but one day my Rusto white went crazy. I think at the time I was still using my el-cheapo temp/humidity meter and probably caused this. I have since gone digital. Funny thing, 3 days later, I used that same can of white and got a perfect finish.

foamy said:

Same experience as the poster above. Rusto 2X and the can was getting low on paint. I suspect it may be thicker and has a problem getting out of the spray nozzle.

How full was your can?

Alchohol doesn't make paint do what was shown in the OP's photo. As far as cleaning lint and dust and what-not—use a tack rag, available wherever they sell paint.

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It was totally full, brand new can.

I keep getting confused as to which rocket I'm referring to, because this picture came from a build I did a few months ago (it was much colder), but I decided to post after another rocket I was painting a week ago (again, new paint can) came out the same way, though not as bad as seen here. I didn't bother to photograph that one, as I had this picture already, and you can see it more clearly.

So, with this new rocket, I wet sanded all the grit off, wiped it down, let it rest, and repainted (same can, still pretty full). This time, I did not get the sandpaper texture. It was probably a good 12 degrees warmer on the second try.

So I think it was either temperature, humidity (it was kind of a damp day), not waiting for the surface to rewarm after applying the alcohol, or some combination of these.

I'll take a picture of the new paint job and post it here. It's not finished - it's all yellow (Rusto gloss marigold) I need to add some black. But it's a beautiful color, and I'm tempted to leave it.

It's the same color marigold I used on my (now lost) Hi Flier, when I was going for a Blue Angels color scheme.

Here's the rocket I was having the issue with, the one that prompted me to post this thread.

The thing I hadn't noticed, which I saw afterwards, was that in addition to the sandpaper, there was some crackling and discoloration on parts of the rocket.

After wet sanding the ugly off it, I repainted and it looks much better. I'm going to add a black roll pattern, but I just love this color!

lcorinth said:

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View attachment 258711

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What blue did you use on this rocket? That's really nice.

Daniel- Very nice!

I have a new theory regarding your sandpaper effect.

On Saturday morning I sprayed Rustoleum Automotive High Build Filler onto a new bird I've been building (an "Arapahoe C"). I had two cans of the filler spray... one that was almost empty, and one that was used once before but almost full (I used it accidentally a month ago, forgetting I had another can to use up first).

Anyway, it was in the 40s F outside, So I brought the cans in and plunked the almost empty one in some hot water for a bit, eventually took it out of the water and put the nearly full can into the water in it's place. Shake shake shake the almost empty can, and get a few good sprays on the rocket with no surface oddities. I tossed the empty can out, went in and grabbed the almost full can that had now warmed up to room temp or so. Shake shake shake. Ready to spray.

On the very first spray pass, on a virgin part of the rocket (not overcoating the area from the other can), I instantly saw gray sandpaper effect. And, oddly, it seemed thickest right where I started spraying. It brought to mind this thread. Now, I've used this very can before with no problem. I shook the can some more (like crazy!), and sprayed the rest of the rocket with no more sandpaper effect.

Seriously, the sandpaper effect from that first pass looked exactly like what you posted, just in primer gray instead of white.

Here is my new theory: These cans have a dip tube that goes down to the bottom of the can, so that they pull up paint instead of propellant. What if, inside that tube, the paint is clotted up? Shaking it probably won't unclot that stuff, since the tube itself protects the clots from the shaking marble. So, that first pass of paint sucked the clotted paint up and out, making a mess of that pass of spray on the rocket. If I had just kept spraying, I probably would have seen everything return to normal as the shaken paint was sucked up and aerosolized properly... I'm guessing my extra shaking didn't really do anything.

This would explain why the effect was worst right where the very first part of the spray pass was, and gradually got better for the rest of the pass.

I usually do a few test sprays before applying paint to the rocket but I didn't do it this time. From now on, there will be test passes!

My theory fits the facts, but it's far from conclusive.

I wish you all the best in your finishing!

Marc

Check the bottoms of your cans, if they are new and the bottom is dimpled outward ( like what a slingshot would do to thin sheetmetal ) the containers may have been stored in freezing temps. This is just an observance of mine that may or may not be fact. Now I always check the bottoms of my spray cans first.

lcorinth said:

snip... but I just love this color!

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Darn near my favorite yellow, and I like yellow.

scsager said:

If this "weird texture" is happening with Rusto 2x Gloss white... try switching to any other brand of gloss white. I had the same experience with the 2x gloss white. (multiple cans)

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Same here! Multiple times and bad!

I'd bet it's paint chemistry and/or propellant changes to make them more "environmentally friendly" or production variations related to same at the expense of making them "totally useless."

EDIT: Be sure to go to their web site and complain in detail, otherwise they'll never know there's a problem or, at least, will not know until the microscopic percentage of non-hobby users who have problems and actually bother to officially complain build up enough complaints in their system. Plus, they send you stuff for free, in my case 24 nozzles shipped first class when I complained about nozzle clogs (I didn't even ask for them) and coupons when I complained about this problem.

Gary Byrum said:

What blue did you use on this rocket? That's really nice.

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It's Rusto 2X Gloss Deep Blue. Very pretty color.

After painting, I coated the rocket with a matte clear coat. I just wanted this rocket to have a nice flat color.

lcorinth said:

It's Rusto 2X Gloss Deep Blue. Very pretty color.

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I have a can. I haven't used it yet, but the cap looks much darker than your rocket does. Maybe the pic is deceiving. Guess I'll find out once I use it.

Gary Byrum said:

I have a can. I haven't used it yet, but the cap looks much darker than your rocket does. Maybe the pic is deceiving. Guess I'll find out once I use it.

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I think so. It was a bright day.

Here's an indoor pic.

lcorinth said:

I think so. It was a bright day.

Here's an indoor pic.

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That looks much more like the cap on my can. But honestly, I like that medium blue that it looked like. Too bad I didn't see that today when I was looking at 2X paints. I would have snatched that up in a skinny minute!