Paint Wrinkling on Rocket

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nickrulercreator

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Finally finished building my rocket and I am now painting it. I am using white spray paint by Rust Oleum (I'm also using red but am not having problems with it currently).
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Rust-Ol...-General-Purpose-Spray-Paint-249090/202071352

I am spraying on Public Missiles LTD's Quantum Tubing: https://publicmissiles.com/product/airframes

I got most of my rocket painted, but when I got to the last little section, it seemed to wrinkle up in a small circle. I waited 4 hours, sanded it, and then re-painted. As soon as it went on, an even bigger patch of wrinkles formed. I am waiting for it to dry and then I am going to sand most of the area around the wrinkle patch.

I thought it was because I didn't shake the can enough, so for the second time I painted I shook the can for around 5 minutes, obviously, it didn't work. Though what I noticed, it didn't wrinkle much when applied directly onto the tube, it really wrinkled when on the previous paint layer. I figured that I'd have to sand the entire rocket again, but there has to be an easier way.

Any help is appreciated. Thanks!
 
Did you prime the rocket first? The wrinkling is a sign the the paint does not like the underlying material. There is probably some sort of spoob on the portion of the rocket that is rejecting the paint, such as leftover tube production products, overspray from something else, or even just fingertip oil.

Sand it all off, prime with Rustoleum primer, and try again.

EDIT: is the red paint the same brand as the underlying white? If not, redo it with the same brand of paint.
 
Did you prime the rocket first? The wrinkling is a sign the the paint does not like the underlying material. There is probably some sort of spoob on the portion of the rocket that is rejecting the paint, such as leftover tube production products, overspray from something else, or even just fingertip oil.

Sand it all off, prime with Rustoleum primer, and try again.

I sanded the surface really well and used a primer+paint combo, but did not initially prime. But I'll have to use primer separately.

And yes, red paint is the same.
 
either repaint second coats within minutes or wait days. I find that when I apply a second coat after waiting several hours I get crackling or wrinkling of the top layer
 
I waited 4 hours, sanded it, and then re-painted.

As solid_fuel says, you need to recoat either within 1 hour or after (at least) 24 hours with that paint, like it says on the can. You might have originally suffered a from lack of primer, but it's not surprising that your recoating after 4 hours made it worse. I usually apply my coats (2 or 3) about 15 minutes apart and then wait at least a few days (conservative but effective).

In general the Painter's Touch 2x works fine if you treat it properly.
 
Yep, gotta read the instructions for recoat times on the can, otherwise you get what you got. It's happened to me as well, even recently when I got overzealous in my work and sprayed clearcoat before realizing I was doing so before the paint was out of the "don't recoat" window.
 
+1 on the "all within an hour or wait 24-48hrs" with rustoleum.

Oh: and it's 72hrs plus for recoat if spraying on plastic (like nose cones...)
 
In the past I have found that quantum tubing can be finicky. I think you will find that using all of the above tips will yield satisfactory results. yes prime and sand before painting, use same brand of paint as primer plus it would not hurt to check the compatibility in a hidden spot if possible. start with a light tack coat and then repaint withing repaint window as product and others on the forum have stated. go easy and keep an eye open for any runs or bubbles. it is very easy to get rushed and skip steps. looking forward to seeing how it turns out.
 
I don't know about the "72 hours for recoating on plastic" since I've successfully added a second masked color after ~49-50 hours.

That being said, I somehow managed to craze my most recent paint job by using a fresh can of 2x black 10 minutes after running out of the last can.
So I definitely don't have all the wisdoms
 
I don't know about the "72 hours for recoating on plastic" since I've successfully added a second masked color after ~49-50 hours.

That being said, I somehow managed to craze my most recent paint job by using a fresh can of 2x black 10 minutes after running out of the last can.
So I definitely don't have all the wisdoms

I've had mixed results on plastic - so I give recoats a wide berth. Sometimes I'll prep and base coat the nosecone before I start building - gives it max curing time...
 
Two thing possibly here. If you are applying a flat based paint to a gloss surface you are going to get what is called "Crazing". Apparently flat paint hates any gloss surface. Funny though, gloss can be applied to a flat paint surface with no ill effects. So look at what kind of "finish" your paint is that you are applying and the type of surface. Just remember if the surface is glossy you can't apply a flat based paint to it. If you are ever faced with this dilemma a solution is to apply some dullcoat then shoot your flat based paint then seal it with clear gloss. On a side note "Future" floor finish by Johnson's Wax makes a great clear coat finish for not just static scale models or model trains but also for model rockets too! Just remember to clean out your airbrush with ammonia or windex ASAP or it will destroy your machine completely. Consequently some paints are just not compatible. Example would be back in the old days (these paints are no longer available because they're toxic organic solvents) you could not apply Floquil brand paint over Scalecoat brand. The same is true with some acrylic and enamel based paints these days. If you're not sure test shoot on a scrap piece of cardboard or plastic to see if they react then record your findings in a log book so you can reference it later. Second; I learned early on to wipe down the surface with a damp towel to remove any dirt, dust, or foreign materials left behind after sanding then allow to dry. Before applying primer-paint I would wipe down the surface one more time with a simple alcohol swab to remove any body oils or contaminants left behind from my hands. Oh, while you are cleaning with the alcohol swab wear a pair of surgical gloves to prevent recontamination of the surface; plus it keeps your hands clean when you spray on the paint! Finally allow your project time to cure (dry). I use the sniff test to determine if the paint - primer has completely stood up. If I can still smell the chemicals, it's not dried or cured. Have a great day and always reach for the stars and beyond.
 
I use the sniff test to determine if the paint - primer has completely stood up. If I can still smell the chemicals, it's not dried or cured.

I tried this at first, but abandoned it when I found that the paint still smelled for days... weeks... I don't even know when it stops smelling. After (say) a week, I know I can safely recoat, but it will absolutely still smell.

The smell will certainly get *fainter* over time, but takes a very long time to completely go away.

This is just my experience with the Rusto 2x, your mileage may vary.
 
I tried this at first, but abandoned it when I found that the paint still smelled for days... weeks... I don't even know when it stops smelling. After (say) a week, I know I can safely recoat, but it will absolutely still smell.

The smell will certainly get *fainter* over time, but takes a very long time to completely go away.

This is just my experience with the Rusto 2x, your mileage may vary.
This!

I've never understood people who advocate the sniff test. I have rockets painted years ago and if I stick them under my nose I can still smell them. Enamel particularly. Lacquer goes essentially smell less after about two years to my nose; enamels smell forever. No organic base paint would pass a sniff test for me in weeks or months. Guess I have a sensitive sniffer.
 
Yup, turns out different people sniff differently. Was -very- confusing when I was just getting started.

X degrees, Y humidity, Z time.
 
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