phenolic body tube

I recently purchased an old PML Bull Puppy kit. G 10 FINS and phenolic body tube. I am not familiar with phenolic. It looks and feels like a grey plastic. What are the painting concerns....

Thanks in advance for any advice.

Are you sure it’s phenolic? Grey plastic sounds like Quantum tubing. Phenolic looks like tough/stiff cardboard.

I agree with Charles, it sound like Quantum Tubing. PML has a FAQ on air frames that is helpful if you've never worked with it before. https://publicmissiles.com/PMLAirframesFAQ.pdf

I have no idea. I was questioning because the paperwork said phenolic and it appears to be a plastic. Thanks for the info. It seems that the descriptions I have read do not agree with this being phenolic, rather, they agree with your description.

Keisling said:

I agree with Charles, it sound like Quantum Tubing. PML has a FAQ on air frames that is helpful if you've never worked with it before. https://publicmissiles.com/PMLAirframesFAQ.pdf

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Thank you

Rattle can paint works well with quantum tubing.

Pml offers base kits with Quantum (plastic w/out spiral seam) or the option to upgrade to phenolic. Assume only one set of directions were made that fail to mention said. I've always wanted to try Quantum tube, seems like an interestig option. Only potential issues I've read are cold weather related.

Wallace said:

Only potential issues I've read are cold weather related.

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That & it doesn’t do Mach well. That’s stated on their website.

Phenolic on the left, Quantum Tube on the right. If you have a standard kit, your motor tube will be Phenolic with PML logos printed inside.

My elder boy built his L2 rocket by modding a PML Miranda kit. The quantum tubing does paint nicely.

His mentors in the rocketry world -strongly- dissuaded him from flying it it cold weather. I forget the minimum they suggested, but it was 50F-ish IIRC. They have two concerns: 1) embrittlement and 2) couplers/pistons sticking/wedging because the phenolic has a different thermal expansion coefficient than the quantum.

May not be an issue for some - but it's a problem when you're try to fly in the Keweenaw.