How to paint my Batray?

CzTeacherMan said:

Thanks, everyone for the help! I definitely have the scheme in mind... I'm not sure I want to outline the fins so heavily, since masking that will be difficult... I may just mask the edges of the fins and circles, but the idea is definitely this... Now, to get in touch with StickerShock and see what a custom sticker will cost...
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It looks good!

I think having just the squared-off edge of the fins red would be fine, and might even look better anyway. How thick are the fins? The logo looks good oriented that direction, but if you want it a bit bigger you could try turning it 90 degrees and see how that looks.

ThirstyBarbarian said:

It looks good!

I think having just the squared-off edge of the fins red would be fine, and might even look better anyway. How thick are the fins? The logo looks good oriented that direction, but if you want it a bit bigger you could try turning it 90 degrees and see how that looks.

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I'm definitely considering just the edges... Roughly 3/16" or 1/4". I've got masking tape just the right size. I can make all the stripes the exact size. Tried turning the logo 90°, but it looked pretty poor.
Just ordered the vinyl from StickerShock...

CzTeacherMan said:

Thanks, everyone for the help! I definitely have the scheme in mind... I'm not sure I want to outline the fins so heavily, since masking that will be difficult... I may just mask the edges of the fins and circles, but the idea is definitely this... Now, to get in touch with StickerShock and see what a custom sticker will cost...
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Yup. This.

You might be able to to the red pinstriping with vinyl or trim-monocoat too.

CzTeacherMan said:

I'm definitely considering just the edges... Roughly 3/16" or 1/4". I've got masking tape just the right size. I can make all the stripes the exact size. Tried turning the logo 90°, but it looked pretty poor.
Just ordered the vinyl from StickerShock...

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Perfect. I think it's going to look great!

I like the red fins one the best.


TA

CzTeacherMan said:

Just ordered the vinyl from StickerShock...

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Which means you should go check your mailbox, you probably got them in the mail yesterday. :grin:

Seriously - Mark's got a quick turn around time. I just feel guilty that I have vinyl I've ordered that STILL hasn't gone on their rockets yet.

Mark had to slow down since he took a full time job a month ago, FYI.

rbelknap said:

Which means you should go check your mailbox, you probably got them in the mail yesterday. :grin:

Seriously - Mark's got a quick turn around time. I just feel guilty that I have vinyl I've ordered that STILL hasn't gone on their rockets yet.

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You're not kidding... We emailed back and forth a few times and I got tracking info this afternoon.

One more coat of primer, then the painting begins!

Bat-mite said:

Mark had to slow down since he took a full time job a month ago, FYI.

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Yeah, and his slower service is probably still faster than many other hobby vendors I've dealt with over the years.

CzTeacherMan said:

Thanks, everyone for the help! I definitely have the scheme in mind... I'm not sure I want to outline the fins so heavily, since masking that will be difficult... I may just mask the edges of the fins and circles, but the idea is definitely this... Now, to get in touch with StickerShock and see what a custom sticker will cost...
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Using a gloss black background, what about painting the lines/edges/rings with color-changing paint. The red look sgood, why not kick it up a notch?

sooner.boomer said:

Using a gloss black background, what about painting the lines/edges/rings with color-changing paint. The red look sgood, why not kick it up a notch?

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Too fancy for me... No idea how I'd get color changing paint

CzTeacherMan said:

Too fancy for me... No idea how I'd get color changing paint

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It's very easy! They make a 3-part rattle can system now; a flat black base coat, a color coat, and a clear coat. It looks interesting with the color coat, but the clear makes it magic!

I've used DupliColor's Mirage green-purple, the red-blue would look good on the Bat (reg-gold would be even better if you can find it!).

https://www.duplicolor.com/products/mirage/

sooner.boomer said:

It's very easy! They make a 3-part rattle can system now; a flat black base coat, a color coat, and a clear coat. It looks interesting with the color coat, but the clear makes it magic!

I've used DupliColor's Mirage green-purple, the red-blue would look good on the Bat (reg-gold would be even better if you can find it!).

https://www.duplicolor.com/products/mirage/

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Cool paint... I'm thinking I'll stick with the red for the Batray, really going for a mimic of the old Batmobile... But, that's a sweet idea for future builds! (I just ordered a Loc Aura from CountyLineHobbies...)

CzTeacherMan said:

'm thinking I'll stick with the red for the Batray, really going for a mimic of the old Batmobile

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Good choice. Please post pics!

CzTeacherMan said:

Cool paint... I'm thinking I'll stick with the red for the Batray, really going for a mimic of the old Batmobile... But, that's a sweet idea for future builds! (I just ordered a Loc Aura from CountyLineHobbies...)

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I used the duplicolor Purple-Green on my King Kraken. And my boys did Red-blue on their krakens. (There's photos and video of the color-shifting effect in my level 1 project build thread post 128 and post 129.) It is neat stuff.

Ok, now I'm torn... I figured I could curve the nosecone pinstripes to make it look more like the Batmobile. Pictures are below... What do you think, Curved or Straight?
Batmobile

Curved

Straight

a bit late perhaps, but 3M does make 1/4" pinstripe tape in various colors (red & black that I'm sure of). stuff curves nicely.
Rex

I like the curved.

Just curious, have you thought about also curving that lower pinstripe ring? (I'm guessing the upper ring is at the NC / BT joint.)

Also - the silver discs, are really rings, right? (They'd be cool either way.)

rbelknap said:

I like the curved.

Just curious, have you thought about also curving that lower pinstripe ring? (I'm guessing the upper ring is at the NC / BT joint.)

Also - the silver discs, are really rings, right? (They'd be cool either way.)

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Yeah, the silver circles on the fins are my best representation of the holes...
I haven't thought about curving the lower ring, but that's an idea... Now I'll be playing around for hours tonight...
As far as the pinstripe tape... My plan is to paint red base coat, mask the stripes with quality hobby masking tape then paint black over. Logos are decals from StickerShock.

The curves are cool but probably pretty difficult to execute well. I'm not sure they are so much better as to justify the chance they won't come out well --- but if you know how to tape a good consistent curve on a nosecone like that, then that would be nice. I'm not skilled enough to pull it off, so I'd stick to the simpler straight lines, myself. I think it looks really good both ways.

I like the straight lines better myself, but that's because I tend to like stuff that's more geometric looking anyway.

Got three light coats of red paint on tonight. Not sure I'll have the patience to wait a full week to mask and shoot the black...
Damn, that's a fine looking red. Almost a shame to cover up so much of it...

Details on the paint?

sooner.boomer said:

Details on the paint?

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2 coats of high-build primer (don't remember what brand) with Elmer's CWF in between, 1 coat of Flat Gray primer, 1 coat of Flat White primer, 3 light coats of "Apple Red" (gloss) applied about 20 minutes apart. Last two coats of primer and red are all Rustoleum Painter's Touch 2X. Gloss Black will be the same.
First time in a long time that I've gone the full-nine yards on my surface prep. Usually, I end up going with "good enough" since I know it'll get banging up anyway. This one, I want to be a showpiece... Launch for Level 1 cert and then only on special occasions.
On that note, I'll take a ton of pictures before launching, just because I've also come to understand Murphy's law of rocketry...

CzTeacherMan said:

I'll take a ton of pictures before launching, just because I've also come to understand Murphy's law of rocketry...

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Everything that can go up, will come down... in a watery ditch, across some power lines, in a tree, in that one patch of rocky ground on the whole sod farm...

Sprayed black.

Too soon... Now I know why they say on the can to wait 48 hours before the next coat... I'll have to wait, sand down the nasty wrinkles and spray black again.

Until then, the pictures look nice! Yay for cameras without high-res!

This is one of the coolest things I've seen in a while. When it's done, you should send a picture to Mr. West.

Bat-mite said:

This is one of the coolest things I've seen in a while. When it's done, you should send a picture to Mr. West.

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Thanks! Wish I knew how to get in touch with him. That would be awesome... Adam West at a launch would make my day.

Too bad about the paint, but the design looks great in the low res photo! It'll look fantastic when you repaint it!

They really are serious about those reprint times, aren't they? I've had problems too when I rushed the next coat. give it 48 hours or even more. It's worth it.

CzTeacherMan said:

Thanks! Wish I knew how to get in touch with him. That would be awesome... Adam West at a launch would make my day.

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Try this:

Adam West
c/o Adam West Enterprises
400 East Avenue
P.O. Box 3477
Ketchum, ID 83340