Dealing with a massive painting backlog

[TheRadiator]

Well, I think my fleet of unpainted rockets has now exceeded the number of finished rockets that I own. In order to increase output, I wanted to ask a few forum members if anyone uses paint stands.

My current paint stand is a printer paper box with a 3/8" square dowel Gorilla glued into the slot and tapped a nail in the front in order to paint 13mm MMT rockets. Unfortunately, the square dowel allows me to paint one side at a time, so it takes a while to spray a coat as I will have to spray,turn,spray,turn,spray,turn,spray, for a single coat.

As you can see, this causes painting to go purdy slow!

 

[m85476585]

I glue balsa scraps onto used engines. You might want to add some more weight for larger rockets. If a rocket can stand on its fins, I do that.

 

[wwattles]

I use a dowel glued into a spent casing, glued to a trash CD. I put some newspaper on top of a cheap lazy susan from the local kitchen store, and put the rocket w/ CD stand on top of it. For most of my smaller rockets, it lets me turn the thing pretty easily (have to trim the newspaper down so it's not more than about 3" past the edges of the turntable or else it catches on stuff - tearing it works adequately). It meets the satisfaction of my old favorite Russian friend, Mr. Gudenov.

WW

 

[rokitflite]

There is always the M80 in a bucket of paint method for the quick multi rocket paintjob

 

[Steward]

Having retired from the TV production business, I ended up with a few old and worn light stands...
They make great painting stands. Telescopic in nature, it will adjust to different heights... It will hold just about any size rocket, and instead of a lazy susan situation, I can simply move around the rocket as I paint... works great...!!!

 

[Planet Andy]

I've been using a 70s JVC direct drive turntable whose motor is shot yet I couldn't bear to toss it. I knew it would come in handy. Fit a used engine casing or something size appropriate for your body tube on the spindle and you get the idea. Works great!

Andy

 

[richalex2010]

I either stand a rocket on it's fins, or hot-glue a spent motor casing to a paper plate, and place it (either way) on top of an old tree stump in the back yard. I also have a stand from Quest that came with my Nike-K for 18mm rockets.

 

[agrippo]

For small rockets I stick an appropriately sized wooden dowel up it's MMT and wedge the other end of the dowel into the legs of a step ladder at a comfortable height and go to town.

For larger rockets I use a car jack stand with a piece of PVC pipe taped to it and stand the rocket up on that and walk around it while I'm painting.

For long rockets I paint them in sections.

For the 7.5" x 12 1/2' long rocket I'm building I think I may just take it to the local autobody shop and let them do it if they give me a good price.

Andrew

 

[astronboy]

I stick a spent casing on the end of a dowel (no need to glue it) and then I march outside and spray in the backyard.

No worries!!

Phred

 

[Stymye]

I do my painting in the garage so I just hang everything upside down with a piece of string tied to the engine hook or retainer.. I screwed a hook into the ceiling and tie to a cord thats permanently attached. I leave enough room to walk around the rocket. I rotate the rocket by the cone untill I get to the cone and walk around it.

If I'm spraying alot of paint I set up a makeshift cardboard wall to catch the overspray.

 

[TheRadiator]

Originally posted by richalex2010
I either stand a rocket on it's fins, or hot-glue a spent motor casing to a paper plate, and place it (either way) on top of an old tree stump in the back yard. I also have a stand from Quest that came with my Nike-K for 18mm rockets.

Well I suppose there IS something useful for that pad!

 

[TheRadiator]

Originally posted by astronboy
I stick a spent casing on the end of a dowel (no need to glue it) and then I march outside and spray in the backyard.

No worries!!

Phred

I like it! Oooh! I can buy MULTIPLE dowels and keep all my engine casings and have a makeshift stand for drying, so I can do a bunch at one time.

Lots of great ideas, but this one sounds cost effective AND most conveyor belt like! Let's just hope my paint jobs don't start mimicking Maaco.

Problem solved! Watch for painting threads from me in the future! Thanks again to everyone's suggestions. I may try an automated stand in the future though. It's sounds like a just plain fun thing to do!

 

[blackjack2564]

Used to do all my model rocket painting cave man style.....roll up a section of newspaper insert into end of rocket....when done spraying...place open end of paper on top of soda bottle half full of water...never had rocket tip over during drying....nor did I ever run out of "painting stands"....same thing for nosecones.....covered shoulder with tape and taped to the top of soda bottles....plastic or glass....my form of recylcing....

 

[blackjack2564]

Ps .....beer bottles work equally as well...however don't know if that's politically correct or infringes on some ATF regulation if you don't have a suitable permit!!!!

 

[Fishhead]

Originally posted by Steward


Having retired from the TV production business, I ended up with a few old and worn light stands...
They make great painting stands. Telescopic in nature, it will adjust to different heights... It will hold just about any size rocket, and instead of a lazy susan situation, I can simply move around the rocket as I paint... works great...!!!

Bet it would also make a pretty good launch platform.

 

[Rocket Al]

Also, I've found that it's worthwhile spending the $2 or so on the trigger attachment do-hickey that attaches onto the rattle cans that allows you to use it more like an automotive sprayer. At least, I like it better.... keeps my meaty Twinkie fingers out of the spray stream....

Al

 

[lalligood]

Originally posted by stymye
I do my painting in the garage so I just hang everything upside down with a piece of string tied to the engine hook or retainer..

Looks like I'm in the minority with stymye as far as "working upside down".

I take old wire clothes hangers & bend them to a shape that will hold the rocket while hanging it from a hook (or the garage door when it's open). I like this method because it makes it easier (for me anyway) to hold the rocket near eye level while painting. I simply walk around the rocket to paint it. Finally, I move whatever I painted to hang in another part of the garage to dry.

"I told you 'NO MORE WIRE HANGERS'!" hehehe

 

[Micromeister]

Here how I do lots of models at one time.

 

[Micromeister]

This photo is of a bunch of models in my small paint chamber, and yea these are all micros. but I have the same type 3" styrofoam block set up on the 36" lazysusan in my large booth that can handle 4 to 8 BT-20 to BT-101 models depending on the fin spans. Sorry I've never though to take a photo of the Large chamber with more than one model in it

As several have said, those plastic pistol grip spary can attachments are a life...well finger saver, makes the job much easier. I like them so much I bought a dozen. and keep on of most of the open can colors. they will fit the little hobby type spray cans also for that Testers Dull coat between color coats

 

[Lugnut]

Sorry for the thread resurrection, just saw it in a search....

Heres my solution for painting in an enclosed space 365 days a year.

Take one portable closet, add one electric range hood, some dryer tubing to vent it outdoors, a scratch built table to go inside, cut a hand flap, and you have a paint booth for less than $70.

 

[Adam Selene]

that's pretty cool, lugnut!