I still can't paint.

[m85476585]

I tried to figure out my problems in <a href="https://www.rocketryforum.com/showthread.php?t=40094">this</a> thread, and I was using too much paint. I have tried using less paint (light mist coats, etc), but I end up with a finish that looks dull in spots and like sandpaper in spots. Am I doing something wrong? What can I do when I end up with a sandpaper-like finish? I&#8217;ve tried wet sanding, and paining over it, but I end up with the same problems (either too much or too little paint). I've also tried polishing the paint after wet sanding, but I end up with tiny scratches on the surface (I'm using Turtle Wax polishing compound).

I paint indoors, so humidity and temperature are not a problem. I&#8217;m using Rustoleum Painter&#8217;s Touch paints.

 

[dixontj93060]

Really hard to say. Unlike with a clear acrylic like Future Finish that is self-leveling, you can't really mist paint unless you want to get a pebbled finish. I personally do not use Rustoleum paints unless it is either a metallic or florescent which both are relatively forgiving on their coat and recoating times. You might try a plain Krylon paint (which I prefer). Just paint in a smooth motion extending over the end of the rocket. Turn the airframe on a dowel (or other moveable holding device) and keep the proverbial "wet edge" along the length of the rocket. If it is a big rocket you will end up painting relatively fast to cover a large area.

 

[Hogan3276]

Where do you live? I had some issues like you describe when I tried to paint with florescent paints when I lived in AZ...

It is so dry that the paint would actually start dry before it hit the rocket...

 

[m85476585]

I live in Georgia, a little north or Atlanta. The humidity today is about 40%, although I have no idea what it is in the basement. I know it's not very wet or very dry.

I actually have a can of Krylon (I forgot I had it), so I just tested it on a piece of cardboard. It wasn't a very good test since it wasn't a smooth primed surface, but the Krylon did seem to give me better results. It stayed wet longer, so I was able to get it to be glossy after a light coat. I did make it run in spots, but not by accident. I had to hold the can in place for 1-2 seconds. I will have to do more testing, but I like the results so far. It's also nice not to have to recoat within 1 hour or after 24 hours.

 

[Hogan3276]

I am not far from you and in the southeast - drying to fast is generally not the issue - due to the humidity.

I am a Krylon person - but I have just had good luck with them. I also use Duplicolor a lot as well.

Good luck!!!

 

[Micromeister]

I think I'm beginning to realize that we are all not speaking the same lauguage when we are talking about painting. Prehaps this might help.

When speaking about using light misting coatings I'm referring to keeping the can or gun moving over the object being sprayed fairly rapidly. laying down a fan of paint that isn't completely covering the surface. The next pass is over a different area of the object but overlapping a bit. Coutinuing along or around the surface until this first passing coat is about equal all over, then immediately applying as second, third and so on passes until an even semi-wet "coat" is achieved. The idea is not to load any one area heavily enough to cause runs and/or sags.
This is a touch thing; you simply have to practice....but it's important to keep the can or gun moving at as close to constant speed as you can starting the paint flow well before the sprayed fan contacts the object being sprayed and continuing well beyond the object, overlapping pattern by about 1/4 to 1/3rd, as well as crisscrossing North/south and east/west as you apply passes building the "coat".
Then let the coat dry. Your next Coat or color is a repeat of the same process. Man it's tougher to explain then to do
hope this helps a little.

 

[poke44]

You just have to take your time... Use cheap paint, Wally World special, till you get used to using rattle cans. I still am in the practice phase, and rockets that i really really like i still just have them painted primer gray. Also i live in the southwest and the humidity changing so quick from day to day will mess up a paint job as well. As my father says rattle can painting is more about light coats and time to get good results and if you get in a hurry it will look like a turd... he is so poetic

 

[Stymye]

The sandpaper finish is likely from spraying from too far away ..the paint starts drying before it hits the rocket and looks rough.

 

[dixontj93060]

I think I'm beginning to realize that we are all not speaking the same lauguage when we are talking about painting. Prehaps this might help.

When speaking about using light misting coatings I'm referring to keeping the can or gun moving over the object being sprayed fairly rapidly. laying down a fan of paint that isn't completely covering the surface. The next pass is over a different area of the object but overlapping a bit. Coutinuing along or around the surface until this first passing coat is about equal all over, then immediately applying as second, third and so on passes until an even semi-wet "coat" is achieved. The idea is not to load any one area heavily enough to cause runs and/or sags.
This is a touch thing; you simply have to practice....but it's important to keep the can or gun moving at as close to constant speed as you can starting the paint flow well before the sprayed fan contacts the object being sprayed and continuing well beyond the object, overlapping pattern by about 1/4 to 1/3rd, as well as crisscrossing North/south and east/west as you apply passes building the "coat".
Then let the coat dry. Your next Coat or color is a repeat of the same process. Man it's tougher to explain then to do
hope this helps a little.

Yeah, what he said!

That first mist coat is really important, especially when doing a large rocket to develop some surface tackiness before applying marginally more paint.

 

[Pat Butler]

When you are moving the can across the rocket be sure to go past the end of the rocket before you stop spraying. Some people go back and forth with the can but find out that they are changing the direction of the spray while it is still hitting the end of the rocket. That builds up extra paint at both ends of the rocket rather than laying down a consistently smooth finish.

 

[RimfireJim]

Give this a read: How to Lay Down a Perfect Paint Job Some of the waiting times he gives may not be applicable for the particular paint you are using, but the overall process is relevant.

 

[Stuck Fingers]

Sorry to Hi Jack the thread.

RimFire Jim Check your PM box.

Now back to our regularly scheduled class.

 

[m85476585]

I finally got one good enough. There are two spots with pinholes and a bit of orange peel, and one ridge where I sanded down an old drip (I guess I didn't sand it enough), but the rest of it is nice and glossy. I moved my spray booth outside, and the bright light helped me spot any mistakes, but other than that I didn't do anything really different.

I still haven't figured it out completely because the tube I painted before the good one has four big runs.

 

[Micromeister]

Matt:
If your still experencing runs, your still applying to much paint too fast, Speed up your strokes and allow a bit more time between passes.

You bring up a good point about having GOOD lighting in the area your spraying, getting decent lighting in our ourside our Booths is alway a challange. I've used Clear materals to allow external lighting to flow into the booth as well as adding lamps all around the booth to get as much light as possible in the booth while spraying. this also means cleanding these windows or walls often to keep the overspray from building up to much If you can find them and don't mind paying the extra bucks for them, color corrected art lamps really help if your using lots of close colors. If not a few 100 to 150watt lamps all aound the booth really help.
Hope this helps.

Almost forgot:
You can easily bring up the gloss, remove the orangepeel and even correct the sag mark with perfect-it-II and finessit-II after you've let the paint stand a couple days. We all get a little orange peel now then then...particularly in colder weather. If you can use those same lighting lamps to help heat your booth (about 70&#176;f ) you'll all but eliminate that problem

 

[poke44]

whats the stuff do that gets rid of sag marks or runs???

i still get em as well but am getting better....Right now i just sand em down and repaint.... and generally have to sand down again as iget another run... but its less runs that before

 

[Micromeister]

Well: if they're bad runs you'll end up sanding them out, but in this case as he's already done most of the sanding just missed a little of the ridges perfect-it should be able to smooth them out without additional sanding.

Sometimes if I'm lookng for a quick fix to a sag, I'll wet sand with #7448 Ultrafine Scotchbrite pads, really slopping the water on. This can reduce a run or sag to little more then an impression. After it's had a few days to cure the area can be brought back to a Hi gloss with Finessit-II.

 

[m85476585]

I got the bad-looking tube sanded smooth, and I'll paint it as soon as the weather is back to normal. We had 60 degree weather this weekend, then we had a storm with hurricane force winds yesterday morning (There were gusts over 100mph), and this morning it snowed.

 

[m85476585]

I got the second tube painted successfully! There is some orange peel, but it is not very noticeable, and it is nothing compared to how it looked before. I painted outside again, which seems to be helping a lot.

The rocket is a Fliskits Richter Recker, and I built it in 3 sections instead of two to make it easier to transport. I have one section left to paint, and I'm going to try Dupli-color black lacquer instead of Rustoleum.

I have used over $20 worth of primer on this rocket so far!

 

[fastfreddie]

I got the second tube painted successfully! There is some orange peel, but it is not very noticeable, and it is nothing compared to how it looked before. I painted outside again, which seems to be helping a lot.

The rocket is a Fliskits Richter Recker, and I built it in 3 sections instead of two to make it easier to transport. I have one section left to paint, and I'm going to try Dupli-color black lacquer instead of Rustoleum.

I have used over $20 worth of primer on this rocket so far!

Do NOT put lacquer over anything but lacquer primer! It will lift normal acrylics or enamels like paint remover. If anything, use the regular acrylic Duplicolor or try the Rustoleum appliance epoxy, it smooths out real nice. But test it on whatever primer you used before you put it on the rocket.

 

[m85476585]

I coated the Rustoleum primer with Dupli-Color primer, so it should be OK.