lcorinth
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Aug 5, 2014
- Messages
- 1,022
- Reaction score
- 46
Wow, so many responses. I'll try to sum up my responses.
When sanding, I move in little circles. I don't wrap the paper around the rocket - that was a mistake I made on my first. - well, second (the first where I was aware of any filling techniques). For sanding the primer, I didn't use my sanding block, my reasoning being that I was sanding a round surface. I also wanted to feel what I was doing, as much as possible. I used a small bit of paper and the pads - not the tips - of my fingers.
I think I'm definitely bearing down too much. But even if I'm not doing what I do here, even if I don't wet sand the primer, I've had this problem before. I've filled the tube first, before gluing anything on or priming or any of that, and when I try to remove the excess, I end up scuffing the tube. Perhaps this just needs a lighter touch.
I really don't know where the scratches came from, because I wasn't moving back and forth. I don't think. I feel pretty sure I kept moving in little circles. Perhaps I got lazy or distracted on certain parts of the tube and moved it back and forth.
I thank you all for the advice here. Some of you, I've seen your rocket pictures, and I really respect your expertise.
When I was here earlier, I read all the replies that had been posted up to that point, and thought "oh, of course! I shouldn't have wet sanded the primer!"
And then I sat down to relax and watch the free DVD that came with my first Apogee Components purchase (guillotine fin jig - I'm so excited!). Tim Van Milligan went through the basics of rocket building, painting, etc... And DARN IT, if he didn't wet sand his primer! I literally shouted at the screen, "but I just learned I'm not supposed to do that!" But then his rocket turned out really smooth and shiny - even the primer was shiny, and I thought how in the heck do you make primer shiny?? He lightly dry sanded first with a coarser paper, then wet sanded with 320 (I think) and then 600. But he started with a nice, thick multi-coat of primer. Whereas I had already sanded most of mine off and could see some of the BT underneath.
So I'm still confused, because I've seen so many different approaches, and I'm not sure what will work best for me. But I'm taking all your advice into... advisement? (That sounds redundant). I think I just need practice. I have a body tube that was partially squashed by the USPS, and I think I'm going to cut off the squashed part and practice with it (I could use it, but I'm not ready to build my own designs as yet).
In any case, whether it's a bad idea or a fine idea, based on the pictures some of you have posted, I'm sure the wet sanding is clearly not necessary to get a good finish. DizWolf's rocket looks really nice, Luke Strawwalker has given me some really good advice on several of my threads (I particularly liked the fin papering pictures you linked me to), and JohnCoker's website helped me when I first started painting my rockets. You guys all seem like really competent rocketeers, and I thank you for your help.
When sanding, I move in little circles. I don't wrap the paper around the rocket - that was a mistake I made on my first. - well, second (the first where I was aware of any filling techniques). For sanding the primer, I didn't use my sanding block, my reasoning being that I was sanding a round surface. I also wanted to feel what I was doing, as much as possible. I used a small bit of paper and the pads - not the tips - of my fingers.
I think I'm definitely bearing down too much. But even if I'm not doing what I do here, even if I don't wet sand the primer, I've had this problem before. I've filled the tube first, before gluing anything on or priming or any of that, and when I try to remove the excess, I end up scuffing the tube. Perhaps this just needs a lighter touch.
I really don't know where the scratches came from, because I wasn't moving back and forth. I don't think. I feel pretty sure I kept moving in little circles. Perhaps I got lazy or distracted on certain parts of the tube and moved it back and forth.
I thank you all for the advice here. Some of you, I've seen your rocket pictures, and I really respect your expertise.
When I was here earlier, I read all the replies that had been posted up to that point, and thought "oh, of course! I shouldn't have wet sanded the primer!"
And then I sat down to relax and watch the free DVD that came with my first Apogee Components purchase (guillotine fin jig - I'm so excited!). Tim Van Milligan went through the basics of rocket building, painting, etc... And DARN IT, if he didn't wet sand his primer! I literally shouted at the screen, "but I just learned I'm not supposed to do that!" But then his rocket turned out really smooth and shiny - even the primer was shiny, and I thought how in the heck do you make primer shiny?? He lightly dry sanded first with a coarser paper, then wet sanded with 320 (I think) and then 600. But he started with a nice, thick multi-coat of primer. Whereas I had already sanded most of mine off and could see some of the BT underneath.
So I'm still confused, because I've seen so many different approaches, and I'm not sure what will work best for me. But I'm taking all your advice into... advisement? (That sounds redundant). I think I just need practice. I have a body tube that was partially squashed by the USPS, and I think I'm going to cut off the squashed part and practice with it (I could use it, but I'm not ready to build my own designs as yet).
In any case, whether it's a bad idea or a fine idea, based on the pictures some of you have posted, I'm sure the wet sanding is clearly not necessary to get a good finish. DizWolf's rocket looks really nice, Luke Strawwalker has given me some really good advice on several of my threads (I particularly liked the fin papering pictures you linked me to), and JohnCoker's website helped me when I first started painting my rockets. You guys all seem like really competent rocketeers, and I thank you for your help.