Gaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[AlfaBrewer]

I was thisclose to being done painting my Cougar XXXL (3" upscale of Estes Cougar #1923), but ran out of paint. No problem. Run up to Lowe's (20 minute round trip), get a new can of Autumn-Whatever Orange Valspar and finish.

Lowe's/Valspar doesn't carry that particular orange anymore. GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Looks like I'll get to live with an almost finished fin. It has one (very) light coat over the primer on one(!) leading edge.



Maybe there's a brush on Testors orange that's close.

Here's the almost finished rocket, with its little brother. And an extremely messy work bench. I just need to add the parachute, shock cord and clear coat so I can fly it Saturday, assuming the weather holds up.



I was planning on displaying the pair at my local hobby store to interest dads and their kids. I guess I will anyways. Once I fly it, it won't look quite this nice anymore.

[GDJ]

That is a serious piss-off.

But the rocket looks great!

[JPVegh]

If you have a Tractor Supply near by stop by and check them out. Mine has a great selection of Valspar paints.

[bradycros]

That's a good looking build you have there. I haven't seen the Couger before, after seeing yours I want to build one for myself.

I looked it up in YORP and printed out the fin template. The root edge measures 43mm on the print out. Does your fin root have the same measurement on the BT-50 model?

Why did you move the colored bands to the top of the BT? It looks fine, just wonderd about it.

[AlfaBrewer]

Bradycros - When I built my original one back in 1995 (from a kit bought in 1981) I did my own thing as far as paint scheme and decal locations; I even had the fins on "upside down". I used flourescent orange for the fins and black on the nose cone (brushed on!), simply because that's what I had at the time.

After several -launch-pop fin off-glue back on- cycles, none of the fins on the original were mounted straight. Plus the rocket was pretty beat up, in general. I decided I wanted another one, so the BT-50 one in the picture is actually new. Except for the nose cone. I reused that part from the original. I was going to paint the new one per the instructions/face card, but I got overruled by my wife. I did mount the fins the "right" way this time...

I'll have to measure the original fins when I get home to double check for you.

Jeff - thanks for the heads up on TSC. I do have 2 stores 20-30 minutes from me.

edit - I did clean my work bench this morning. Just thought I'd let everyone know. Also, the original Cougar is visible in the top left corner of the second picture.

[kjohnson]

When I built my original one back in 1995 (from a kit bought in 1981) I did my own thing as far as paint scheme and decal locations; I even had the fins on "upside down". I used flourescent orange for the fins and black on the nose cone (brushed on!), simply because that's what I had at the time.

Interesting.
http://www.ninfinger.org/rockets/cat...4/84est12.html
I kinda like your scheme better.

kj

[Fishhead]

I thought I had a partial can of Harvest Orange downstairs that I could send you, but I think it went toward finishing the fins on a Galaxy Guppy. The new Valspar orange, called "orange" rather cleverly, should work over the old orange. No sense leaving the job partially finished.

[AlfaBrewer]

I thought I had a partial can of Harvest Orange downstairs that I could send you, but I think it went toward finishing the fins on a Galaxy Guppy. The new Valspar orange, called "orange" rather cleverly, should work over the old orange. No sense leaving the job partially finished.

Thanks anyways. I ended up using Testors orange and brushing/tapping over the light area. Not perfect, but plenty close enough. Unless I point it out, I doubt anyone will ever notice.

Shock cord is installed, thanks to my lovely wife sewing loops in the nylon strap. I'll post a glamor shot after I get the clear on.

[bradycros]

Bradycros - I'll have to measure the original fins when I get home to double check for you.

Bump. Nudge!

[AlfaBrewer]

Dang. I even told my wife I needed to go measure that for you. I will do it first thing when I get home.

[jeffgeraci]

I have 1/3 can of the autum orange you're talking about. I used it for an upscald Vector Force for my son. Wonder if I could mail it toyou?? Let me know

[AlfaBrewer]

Jeff - Thanks for the offer. The Testors orange worked out well enough that I'm going to leave it alone and shoot it with clear. Plus, I don't know how the post office (or UPS/Fedex) feels about shipping aerosol containers.

Bradycros - I measured the root edge on my original Cougar and got 47mm.

[bradycros]

Bradycros - I measured the root edge on my original Cougar and got 47mm.

Cool! Thank you for taking the time to measure the fin root for me. I'll need to adjust the percentage on the print out to get that same measurement.

[AlfaBrewer]

Sigh.

So I got home, measured the fin for Bradycros and then set up to put the clearcoat on the Cougar.

I started with a coat on the body tube and nose cone. While doing this, the channel holding up the fincan decided to fall over. It left a tiny chip in the tip of one fin, and a decent dent in the outside edge of another.



After giving the damage a VERY quick survey, I finished up the first coat of clear on the BT/NC. While waiting the obligatory 10 minutes between coats, I checked the fins further. Nothing too severe. A little sanding and FnF and the dents will disappear under a coat of paint. (Jeff - I may need that can yet. I'm going to check at Tractor Supply first.)

That decided, and the 10 minutes up, I put another coat of clear on the NC/BT and got my first case of crazing.



So, now the NC will get sanded and repainted.

Oh well. I'm still gonna fly this thing this weekend. We have a modroc launch Saturday and high power launch on Sunday, so I'll get it in the air at least once (each day, hopefully). I'll do the fixing afterwards.

More on the crazing issue. I normally use Duplicolor Acrylic Enamel Clear for the top coat. I've never had an issue no matter what brand of paint it went over - Krylon, WalMart or Rustoleum. This time I used Rustoleum Acrylic Enamel Clear (against my better judgement), because that's what Autozone had. The WMT black on the nose crazed, but the Krylon on the BT is fine.

I'll save the Rusto clear for rockets I only paint with Rustoleum...

[AlfaBrewer]

Here's the rocket as it flew on Saturday.



I did sand and re-shoot the nose Thursday. I also repaired the ding and touched it up with the Testor's. I used Duplicolor clear on the bottom. Now I know that the Duplicolor adds an amber/yellow tinge to things where the Rusto clear doesn't.