First attempt with a spray gun

The Rocketry Forum

Help Support The Rocketry Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Nathan

Joined
Apr 19, 2012
Messages
2,230
Reaction score
755
I have finally tried using the compressor and HPLV gun that I bought back in January. Works great! I don't think I'll be using any more rattle cans from now on. This is my scratch level 2 cert rocket. This is 4" bluetube with the spirals filled with Bondo and then four coats of filler primer. Yesterday I used the spray gun to put on two coats of Duplicolor Paint Shop metallic blue lacquer and this evening I sprayed two coats of Duplicolor Paint Shop clear lacquer. I'll post some more pics as I wet sand and polish it.

IMAG1060.jpg
 
Nice looking paint! What paint gun and compressor combo did you use? Was it overall really easier than rattle cans?
 
Beautiful paint job Nathan....
Now the polish work begins.....

Teddy
 
Compressor is a 27 gallon Craftsman. HPLV gun is an inexpensive one that I got from TPCGlobal and is their own brand. I wouldn't say that it's easier than a rattle can but it definitely works better. You can adjust the air flow, paint flow, and spray pattern. I had it set to 30 PSI at the gun and it was blowing a LOT more air than a rattle can. It worked very well, the only hassle is the cleanup. You have to disassemble the gun and clean the parts in lacquer thinner every time you use it.

compressor.jpg


spraygun.jpg
 
Thanks Teddy, I plan to use this for my level 2 cert attempt at Red Glare this fall.

You know I'll be there for sure Nathan...
I'm looking forward to it already....

Nathan,,
I believe if you try auto body products like Akso Nobel / Sikkens or the Dupont auto body paints
you'll find them much easier to work after the spray...
Do not let them intimidate you with set up..
It looks complicated when you read it for the first time and have never done it...
After a time or two you'll be an old hand at it...

Anything that is activated cures as opposed to drying..
They are a pleasure to work with,,,
particularly the primers and the clear coats....

Teddy

Teddy
 
I'm interested in why you went with lacquers vs enamels. I don't clear cost, I found some (wet look) catalyst that really lives up to its name! I use Nason products that I have NAPA mix for me.

1390681559189.jpg
 
I industrial painted for years, thousands of gallons. Vast majority was enamels followed by epoxies(a real PITA) then lacquers. Definitely prefer the enamels. I have a pint can as well as quart. Old school, not HVLP. It's what I learned on :p Cleaning up is a pain but it has to be done because repair is a real pain. I've sprayed lot of my larger rockets using the spray gun. You can get Rustoleum colors at ACE for instance, uses xylol for a thinner. ACE has that, too. I have some larger things to do coming up, already got the can of primer. Paint next month :)
 
I'm interested in why you went with lacquers vs enamels. I don't clear cost, I found some (wet look) catalyst that really lives up to its name! I use Nason products that I have NAPA mix for me.


The main reason that I chose DupliColor Paint Shop lacquer for my first attempt with a paint gun was from seeing the excellent results that user VonMises got with it on some of his rockets. I plan to try spraying enamel with the gun too.

I'm fairly new to lacquer but I've had quite a bit of experience painting with enamel from rattle cans. The rockets below were all finished with Duplicolor enamel that has been wet sanded and polished. Enamel finishes are very hard and durable and polish up nicely. You're right, polished enamel is so glossy that you don't need clear coat. The coats also go on thick and do a good job of covering minor imperfections. The only problems that I have had with enamel is that it takes a very long time to dry (actually weeks to completely harden), and if you don't spray it properly and under the right conditions, you can get orange peel texture that is difficult to polish out. From my experience lacquer coats go on very smooth and dry very quickly. But lacquer definitely needs clear coat to get a glossy finish. This will be my first time wet sanding and polishing clear lacquer so well see how it turns out.

mmpp43.jpg

md29b6.jpg

s29e.jpg

IMAG0126.jpg

pdx3i.jpg
 
Nathan, I paint outside, usually in direct sunlight. I use Nason paints and thinners. I spray 2 coats, wet sand between coats. I can spray second coat usually just a few hours after first. I have never had ANY issues with peeling or cracking or blushing. Maybe I have just been lucky.
 
I've also started using a spray gun using the Duplicolor Paint Shop paint. I've only primed so far, but it turned out awesome. I'm waiting for a day with humidity lower than 110%! :D

I had to buy some parts for my car yesterday and saved money buy ordering them online and picking them up at the store (30%). This was through Advance Auto Parts. They have a online deal that if you order it online at lest $50, you get 15% off and a coupon for $25 off a future purchase. Going to order a can of white and a can of clear and it makes them $22 each and I will be able to get a can free when they email the coupon out.
 
Using the right thinners, humidity isnt an issue. A lot of the pros paint when its raining!!!
 
Using the right thinners, humidity isnt an issue. A lot of the pros paint when its raining!!!

Absolutely Jim!
Another issue with lacquers is they are subject to chipping from minor landings or simple hard knocks. Look at all those Miles deep Candy color Lacquer coated show cars after they've been driven a year or two. Oh Man it's just not worth the extra time.
I use quite a bit of PPG and Mathews PMS enamels with wonderful results from either a detail gun or full size spray gun.

Nathan Great looking 1st spray gun job. Hope you learn to enjoy ALL the different paint types that can be used;)
 
I've also used the Duplicolor Paint Shop Pro - but not the lacquer, just the primer and the enamel. Same basic setup - compressor and the HVLP head (cheapo from HF, but no complaints so far). Painted my Partizon with this technique, very happy with the results.

https://www.rocketryforum.com/showthread.php?48649-What-did-you-do-rocket-wise-today&p=720545#post720545

What I'd like to know is how those razor sharp paint lines were created in some of the pics? I need a lot of technique improvement in this area.
 
Nathan - I didn't think you could do any better than your Mini Magg, but man this one looks like you're topping it again! Any reason why you used bondo as well as high build primer?? I figured the primer would suffice if it's good formula.
 
I bought a spray gun a few months ago but have been reluctant to use it. After seeing these results, I will have to give it a whirl. Your paint jobs look great!!
 
Nathan - I didn't think you could do any better than your Mini Magg, but man this one looks like you're topping it again! Any reason why you used bondo as well as high build primer?? I figured the primer would suffice if it's good formula.

If the spirals aren't too deep then high-build filler primer does a good job. But the spirals on my Bluetube were pretty bad so I filled them with Bondo. Works well but stinks and requires lots of sanding

...What I'd like to know is how those razor sharp paint lines were created in some of the pics? I need a lot of technique improvement in this area.

I use lots of masking tape and plastic bags. Last year I posted this thread with lots of pictures showing in detail how I did the four-color paint job my the Minie-Magg.

https://www.rocketryforum.com/showthread.php?57942-Painting-The-Magg-(or-How-I-Spent-My-Summer-Vacation)&highlight=painting+magg

Lately I've been getting lazy and have been doing single color paint jobs. I just bought another Minie-Magg to replace that one which I recently lost and I intend to give this Magg an even better paint job. I'll post another paint thread again when I paint this one.

Did you spray the rocket in a booth or make shift cover? You did a nice job on it.

Thanks. I paint in a room in my basement that has a doggie door. I cover the floor and shelves with dropcloths and have a powerful exhaust fan blowing air out the doggie door. I also wear a respirator. It works great but I'm in the process of buying another house in Fredericksburg VA and haven't figured out yet where I'm going to do spray painting there. That house doesn't have a good place to do painting. But it does have 5 acres of waterfront on the Rappahannock River. :)
 
Last edited:
I have finally tried using the compressor and HPLV gun that I bought back in January. Works great! I don't think I'll be using any more rattle cans from now on. This is my scratch level 2 cert rocket. This is 4" bluetube with the spirals filled with Bondo and then four coats of filler primer. Yesterday I used the spray gun to put on two coats of Duplicolor Paint Shop metallic blue lacquer and this evening I sprayed two coats of Duplicolor Paint Shop clear lacquer. I'll post some more pics as I wet sand and polish it.

Beautiful job. Two comments. Blue on a blue sky can be hard to get a visual fix on but that might not be an issue with a relatively low apogee with a colorful
chute or metallic streamer. Metallic paint eats Rf like you wouldn't believe. If you shoot metallics and go on to Rf trackers, you'll have to mount the tracker on the
apogee shockcord in order to get a signal. Another way around that is to mount the tracker in the nosecone and use a different non-metallic color there. Kurt
 
....Metallic paint eats Rf like you wouldn't believe. If you shoot metallics and go on to Rf trackers, you'll have to mount the tracker on the
apogee shockcord in order to get a signal. Another way around that is to mount the tracker in the nosecone and use a different non-metallic color there. Kurt

With which paints? I've used Rusto metallics on some rockets, and haven't noticed a problem with my 70cm(433MHz) BRB RDF.
 
With which paints? I've used Rusto metallics on some rockets, and haven't noticed a problem with my 70cm(433MHz) BRB RDF.

That is exactly what I used with the low powered BLGPS. One was a modified Talon 2 the other a Wildman 3".
Cursory test was fine but no packets at altitude from the Talon 2 and one from 8k' with the Wildman. Both were launched one right after the other.

Others have reported this problem with metallics. Yes it can be overcome with a higher powered tracker but then one risks Rf interference of the deployment electronics. On pad deployment, deployment on ascent and no deployment is the risk here. Dog trackers can be notorious with a 2 watt signal. Carbon fiber rockets are even worse. No Rf will get out.

I stripped the metallic red off the upper bay of a Wildman Jr and shot a plain bright yellow. Antenna projects into the upper bay with a stent.
Extended ground test was fine and flight to 7000'AGL was perfectly recorded. I just wouldn't risk shooting a rocket entirely with metallic paint and expect perfect Rf transmission from a buried antenna. In that case, a compromise is
a tracker on the apogee shockcord or an aft mounted bulkhead antenna that's exposed when the conventional dual deploy rocket deploys at apogee. The low powered BLGPS rides well in close proximity to deployment electronics.
I and others have been bit by Rf. At MWP10 a 12" diameter, 16' tall, O powered project came in ballistic when the two altimeters were shut down by a Garmin Dog tracker.
I don't know why you find the paint worked in your situation if you use the low powered tracker. Part of the scenario could include the type of "metal" in the metallic paint and the size and shape of the flakes. Different frequencies may be attenuated and others transparent. These rockets were shot 5 years ago, the paint mix might have been changed over the years but I certainly don't want to spend a lot of time on a paint job and find the rocket can't be tracked.
Nosecone mount the tracker if possible and use a non-metallic pigment on it, is the only sure-fire way to go.
Kurt
 
I use lots of masking tape and plastic bags. Last year I posted this thread with lots of pictures showing in detail how I did the four-color paint job my the Minie-Magg.

https://www.rocketryforum.com/showthread.php?57942-Painting-The-Magg-(or-How-I-Spent-My-Summer-Vacation)&highlight=painting+magg
Reviewed your prior thread - thanks for reposting Nathan. I do everything you do - except sealing the edge of the tape with clear coat. Hence my bleed through issues. I have a few variants of clear coat on hand - any recommendations? I am typically using either enamel or acrylic color coat (latter on smaller rockets, sprayed from the air brush) so some clear that either of these would adhere to would be best.

- Matt
 
That is exactly what I used with the low powered BLGPS. One was a modified Talon 2 the other a Wildman 3".
Cursory test was fine but no packets at altitude from the Talon 2 and one from 8k' with the Wildman. Both were launched one right after the other.

Others have reported this problem with metallics. Yes it can be overcome with a higher powered tracker but then one risks Rf interference of the deployment electronics. On pad deployment, deployment on ascent and no deployment is the risk here. Dog trackers can be notorious with a 2 watt signal. Carbon fiber rockets are even worse. No Rf will get out.

I stripped the metallic red off the upper bay of a Wildman Jr and shot a plain bright yellow. Antenna projects into the upper bay with a stent.
Extended ground test was fine and flight to 7000'AGL was perfectly recorded. I just wouldn't risk shooting a rocket entirely with metallic paint and expect perfect Rf transmission from a buried antenna. In that case, a compromise is
a tracker on the apogee shockcord or an aft mounted bulkhead antenna that's exposed when the conventional dual deploy rocket deploys at apogee. The low powered BLGPS rides well in close proximity to deployment electronics.
I and others have been bit by Rf. At MWP10 a 12" diameter, 16' tall, O powered project came in ballistic when the two altimeters were shut down by a Garmin Dog tracker.
I don't know why you find the paint worked in your situation if you use the low powered tracker. Part of the scenario could include the type of "metal" in the metallic paint and the size and shape of the flakes. Different frequencies may be attenuated and others transparent. These rockets were shot 5 years ago, the paint mix might have been changed over the years but I certainly don't want to spend a lot of time on a paint job and find the rocket can't be tracked.
Nosecone mount the tracker if possible and use a non-metallic pigment on it, is the only sure-fire way to go.
Kurt

Interesting. In my case, Rusto blue, and black metallic on two different 4" rockets, and Duplicolor green metallic on a 54mm rocket (probably 2 or so coats on all of them); painting was done a various times in the last 5 years or so as well. BRB RDF in the nose cone (I only put trackers in the nose away from other electronics for many years - no point in risking it), with antenna pointing up into the NC. This is only an RDF tracker, and is low power, 16mW @ 433MHz, using a home-made YAGI. Flights to ~10k' at most, and recovery at a max distance of a bit under a mile. Its hard to judge however - at 1 mile distance the simple highs and lows of the field can easily block signal; and I don't bother checking during flight, so have no idea whether I get signal at 10k' AGL. What I can say is that while I may not always get signal at the pad after the rocket is down if the distance is > 0.5 miles, when I get closer it has not been a problem; and as one expects, signal gets to be too strong as when you get near.

As you say, it will depend on the size of metal particles in the paint(assuming they are not in electrical contact with each other) and transmitter frequency. I also wonder if decoding packet radio requires a stronger signal than an RDF. You've got me interested enough I might try a test this weekend comparing signal strength with the tracker inside and outside of the NC.....
 
Interesting. In my case, Rusto blue, and black metallic on two different 4" rockets, and Duplicolor green metallic on a 54mm rocket (probably 2 or so coats on all of them); painting was done a various times in the last 5 years or so as well. BRB RDF in the nose cone (I only put trackers in the nose away from other electronics for many years - no point in risking it), with antenna pointing up into the NC. This is only an RDF tracker, and is low power, 16mW @ 433MHz, using a home-made YAGI. Flights to ~10k' at most, and recovery at a max distance of a bit under a mile. Its hard to judge however - at 1 mile distance the simple highs and lows of the field can easily block signal; and I don't bother checking during flight, so have no idea whether I get signal at 10k' AGL. What I can say is that while I may not always get signal at the pad after the rocket is down if the distance is > 0.5 miles, when I get closer it has not been a problem; and as one expects, signal gets to be too strong as when you get near.

As you say, it will depend on the size of metal particles in the paint(assuming they are not in electrical contact with each other) and transmitter frequency. I also wonder if decoding packet radio requires a stronger signal than an RDF. You've got me interested enough I might try a test this weekend comparing signal strength with the tracker inside and outside of the NC.....

You've both got me interested.....
Let me know what you find Andy......

Come over to my place and I'll help you do it.....
I'll drive the tracker around......lol

Teddy
 
Ahhhhh. That might be it. RDF vs GPS tracking. If one has a sense where the rocket has landed, might lose the signal until one gets closer. With the GPS tracker, one can usually receive a last position packet while a rocket is 10 to 50 feet in the air and then lose the signal after touchdown. My experience was outside of the single packet at altitude with the 3 inch Wildman, there was nothing. Fortunately it came down within sight.
When I stripped the paint off the WildmanJr on the upper bay, the Rf was monitored perfectly until close to touchdown. It's that last packet that one wants to get.
In an RDF situation, if one has a rocket where it's, "Now you see it. Now you don't." If one doesn't have any idea where to point the yagi antenna while the flight is still in progress and there is attenuation of the signal at altitude, might be a tough recovery. If you see approximately where the rocket is landing, even if the signal is attenuated, get within 100 feet or so and you could pick up a new fix. Kurt
 
I spray outside, no booth.

You get bug marks Jim? In the Midwest dang bugs like to commit suicide on my fresh finishes.:surprised:
Means I can't paint in the wintertime. I'll shoot primer in the cold as it will get sanded but color is out.
I shot color in the garage in the past and felt grit on my wife's car later. Used a papertowel with acetone and
saw red, green and blue on it from the "overspray". Creeeeipes, I thought I was facing the "right" direction.:rant:
Boy did I get it from her.:gavel: Shoulda kept my mouth shut and "silently" wiped the stupid car off. Soooooo, no
more indoor spraying. Kurt :eyeroll:
 
Hi Nathan,

I have always been a fan of your finishes, they are what I try to live up to, but I just can't get the same results. I have no issues on the prime, paint and clear, it's the polishing that I struggle with. What are you using for polishing compound wise and do you do it by hand or with a polishing wheel?
 
Hi Nathan,

I have always been a fan of your finishes, they are what I try to live up to, but I just can't get the same results. I have no issues on the prime, paint and clear, it's the polishing that I struggle with. What are you using for polishing compound wise and do you do it by hand or with a polishing wheel?

First I wet sand with 2000 grit sandpaper then I polish in two steps using car polish. First step is medium cut polish (aka swirl remover) and final step is finishing polish. I use Sonus SFX-2 and SFX-3 but other car polishes will work. I have a Porter Cable 7424 polisher and I use it for the first pass of medium cut polish on body tubes when finishing large rockets. It's still necessary to finish the job by hand. After polishing I apply car wax, usually a synthetic paint sealant wax like Blackfire Wet Diamond.
 
Back
Top