Spraying Clear Coat

[AfterBurners]

Currently I'm finishing up my G-Force and need some advice on spraying a clear coat.

• Is wet sanding an option before spraying or do most of you just spray over the finish?

I know that wet sanding removes any imperfections and makes the finish like a mirror, but is it necessary? Also it blends the tape lines between different colors so you can't feel it

• If I wet sand before I spray the clear is it best do do so in a "Circular" motion?
• When applying the clear coat finish how far should you be away from the surface?
• Do you mist it on or apply like a regular top coat?
• The paint I used for my project is Duplicolor Enamel Automotive spray paint. I'll probably use the same clear coat.

In past when applying clear coats my finish would always craze and check and it's probably because I put it on too heavy, but when I spray further away it goes on kind of "speckled" I know every one suggest light coats, but how do you get it to blend even;y?

Thanks in advance!!!

 

[o1d_dude]

I think it depends on what type/brand of clear coat you use.

I'm strictly a Rustoleum guy. I use Rusto Crystal Clear Enamel as my top coat. It goes on wet, fills irregularities, and self-levels extremely well. I spray it over my signature Rusto fluoro pink without any sanding whatsoever and it comes out like glass.

As to the speckled finish, the instructions usually lie about the correct distance from the surface. When I spray, I sweep the entire length of the body tube without stopping and at an even rate. Start the spray before you reach the tube and stop after you have passed the tube. Try to keep your wrist straight so that the spray angle doesn't change. It's more of an art than a science and will take practice to get it right.

Light coats are best reserved for the Rusto Metallics. If you spray them to heavy, the flakes will pool and the final appearance will be blotchy. The Metallics paint cans recommend using the Crystal Clear Enamel as a final overcoat.

Be aware that the Rusto Crystal Clear Enamel adds WEIGHT to the rocket.

 

[ncgardenfreaks]

You can wet or dry san, unless its a metalic, then sanding just messes up the flake. if you dry sand you need to use a finer grit paper though. Spray a light tack coat first and then go with medium wet coats. You can get a glass finish by spraying the last coat heavy, but its a fine line between good and alot of runs.
If you are having crazzing or cracks it could be the finish underneath isnt cured enough and the solvent is still trying to escape. Sometimes a heavy first coat will wet the undercoat up and cause ptoblems. Different brands of product will mess up occasionally also.

 

[AfterBurners]

Can I use the rustoleum crystal clear over duplicolor paints? Maybe I can practice on some scrap tubes. Also how long should the top coat dry? A few days maybe?

I think it depends on what type/brand of clear coat you use.

I'm strictly a Rustoleum guy. I use Rusto Crystal Clear Enamel as my top coat. It goes on wet, fills irregularities, and self-levels extremely well. I spray it over my signature Rusto fluoro pink without any sanding whatsoever and it comes out like glass.

As to the speckled finish, the instructions usually lie about the correct distance from the surface. When I spray, I sweep the entire length of the body tube without stopping and at an even rate. Start the spray before you reach the tube and stop after you have passed the tube. Try to keep your wrist straight so that the spray angle doesn't change. It's more of an art than a science and will take practice to get it right.

Light coats are best reserved for the Rusto Metallics. If you spray them to heavy, the flakes will pool and the final appearance will be blotchy. The Metallics paint cans recommend using the Crystal Clear Enamel as a final overcoat.

Be aware that the Rusto Crystal Clear Enamel adds WEIGHT to the rocket.

 

[AfterBurners]

I have more confidence now in my abilities to spray clear coats. I went to the auto parts store where I shop on a regular basis and picked up a can of Duplicolor Clear Coat Enamel.

First up my just recently painted Apogee Aspire. I applied about 2-3 light coats slowly building the finish rotating the rocket just once each time. The last coat was a medium coat and I rotated the rocket twice...I'm pretty happy with how it turned out and happier that I didn't get any weird results like crazing or a foggy finish. I probably could have applied another medium coat, but I didn't want to press my luck.



Next up is a BT-60 scratch build that flys on 3x18mm. The rocket itself was sprayed flat black and Rustoleum Neon Yellow. The same procedure as above. The neon yellow really pops on this rocket when out in the sun!!



Between light coats I waited about 10 minutes and about the same or a little longer on the medium coats. Each rocket took under an hour to apply the clear coat. I guess you just have to be patient and build the finish gradually to avoid any mishaps.I have a few more low power and mid power rockets to build and I'm going to practice this technique on those rockets as well. I suppose you could take it one step further and wet sand the clear coat and reapply another coat. I just might try that on one of the builds. I'm building another Aspire so maybe I'll try of that rocket.

Thanks again guys for all your insight and advice.

 

[kenstarr]

I did a clear coat last Thursday. I had the body tubes sanded to 350 or 400 grit before I started. I only wet sanded on account of the fiberglass/carbon fiber health hazards. Also, I sanded in the kitchen over the sink cause it was very cold outside during the winter. I used the Duplicolor ready to spray lacquer stuff in the quart (?) can. I did a mist coat, waited about 5 minutes then gave a wet coat, waited 10 minutes and gave another wet coat. Once all was done, the next day I looked at and handled the rocket and decided to use a gray 3M scuff pad at the sink. I'll give another wet coat or two this Thursday, then buff the beast. It was really probably fine as it was and looked dead sexy!
Overkill? HECK YES! But it sure looks nice and I feel like I made it completely to the finish line on a project. Then I can fly it and beat it up and it's OK.
-Ken

 

[AfterBurners]

I did a clear coat last Thursday. I had the body tubes sanded to 350 or 400 grit before I started. I only wet sanded on account of the fiberglass/carbon fiber health hazards. Also, I sanded in the kitchen over the sink cause it was very cold outside during the winter. I used the Duplicolor ready to spray lacquer stuff in the quart (?) can. I did a mist coat, waited about 5 minutes then gave a wet coat, waited 10 minutes and gave another wet coat. Once all was done, the next day I looked at and handled the rocket and decided to use a gray 3M scuff pad at the sink. I'll give another wet coat or two this Thursday, then buff the beast. It was really probably fine as it was and looked dead sexy!
Overkill? HECK YES! But it sure looks nice and I feel like I made it completely to the finish line on a project. Then I can fly it and beat it up and it's OK.
-Ken

Ken

I don't think its overkill if you are getting the desire results you want, plus it's another procedure you can add to your knowledge base. It seems almost every rocket I work on or paint I change it up a little. I'll be building probably (5) more LPR just so I can practice my clear coat before laying it down on my G-FORCE L1 project...I don't have a deadline and I have a enough rockets built already to go out launching so my thing is learning the best way to do something if it means trial and error...

When you get done post some pictures. I'd love to see them as well others...

 

[kenstarr]

Ken

I don't think its overkill if you are getting the desire results you want, plus it's another procedure you can add to your knowledge base. It seems almost every rocket I work on or paint I change it up a little. I'll be building probably (5) more LPR just so I can practice my clear coat before laying it down on my G-FORCE L1 project...I don't have a deadline and I have a enough rockets built already to go out launching so my thing is learning the best way to do something if it means trial and error...

When you get done post some pictures. I'd love to see them as well others...

Here is the thread. Post number 3 has several pictures. The pink is createx "porn star pink" in the auto air collection
https://www.rocketryforum.com/showthread.php?51044-Blackhawk-66-High-Power-Scratch-Build
Ken