Dupli-Color Painting Problem

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JimH

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I'm using Dupli-Color for the first time as that's what everyone on here seems to recommend. I put 3-4 lights coats of red and it shined up GREAT. But I also read you should spray it with a clear gloss finish to help keep the finish. Well, yesterday I put one light coat on and noticed some of the areas turned to a dull finish. When I got home from work today I applied a 2nd light coat and now have the same results. Outside temp 72 humidity 60%. What am I doing wrong?
 

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When I get lacquer blush like that I wait until it's less humid out. Since it's lacquer you don't have to strip it or anything, the next coat should gloss up assuming it doesn't blush again.
 
Was it Dupli-color clear? And was it a compatible formula with the color coat? I usually wait at least a week before clear and the conditions are critical, low humidity is a must. I have found the dew point is a better indicator of conditions, and for clear, low to mid 50's is good. You were at about 57 degrees, which is a bit high in my experience. Hopefully that's all it was and not a bad mix of formulations.


Tony
 
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When I get lacquer blush like that I wait until it's less humid out. Since it's lacquer you don't have to strip it or anything, the next coat should gloss up assuming it doesn't blush again.
Thank you! That's why I tried again today but depending on weather, I hope to try again tomorrow. Thanks.
 
What chain stores carry Duplicolor paint? I've only found it at auto parts stores, and the selection, if any, is small. I also like the high build primer when I can find it.
 
What chain stores carry Duplicolor paint? I've only found it at auto parts stores, and the selection, if any, is small. I also like the high build primer when I can find it.

It's an auto parts brand that follows automotive color codes.
 
Thank you! That's why I tried again today but depending on weather, I hope to try again tomorrow. Thanks.

I've seen similar results on humid days.
Good news - you can respray, and as long as the top layer is good, the final result comes out clear and shiny.

Sometimes, if I get hazy appearance to clearcoat, I take the airframe and place it right next to the boiler/heater in the house (the driest place I have). More often then not, the haziness clears by the time the clearcoat fully dries.

HTH,
a
 
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What chain stores carry Duplicolor paint? I've only found it at auto parts stores, and the selection, if any, is small. I also like the high build primer when I can find it.
Most places such as Oreillys, can Order a color in the morning and have it by afternoon or next day :D
 
You can also go to a true paint store like PPG paints and get a much wider selection of lacquer spray cans or if you have a HVLP, they can make custom colors and match colors. I doubt PPG carries DupliColor but they'll have similar products.
 
I have been using Duplicolor for several years now. Started using the high build primer and finally changed to them completely. The colors can be hard to pick because its listed by car color codes. Just recently I picked up an HVLP spray gun and have gotten the paint in quart cans. Only done 1 rocket with it but it came out even better then the duplicolor spray cans. Seems to dry harder.
 
I have been using Duplicolor for several years now. Started using the high build primer and finally changed to them completely. The colors can be hard to pick because its listed by car color codes. Just recently I picked up an HVLP spray gun and have gotten the paint in quart cans. Only done 1 rocket with it but it came out even better then the duplicolor spray cans. Seems to dry harder.


If you like the Duplicolor quarts (which are pre-thinned for spraying), you're gonna LOVE this: Click here for TCP Global Acrylic Lacquer Amazing paint, and you do your own thinning. I use the cheap Harbor Freight large and small gun and get superb results.

They offer urethane (use proper PPE) and enamels as well, but the lacquers are A.M.A.Z.I.N.G.!!! Thin based on conditions of the day, and buff to your heart's content, will do a mirror shine.
 
What chain stores carry Duplicolor paint? I've only found it at auto parts stores, and the selection, if any, is small. I also like the high build primer when I can find it.
I have found it at Meijer, way cheaper than the Auto Stores. However, I was not impressed with the results and have since switched back to Krylon.
 
I'm using Dupli-Color for the first time as that's what everyone on here seems to recommend. I put 3-4 lights coats of red and it shined up GREAT. But I also read you should spray it with a clear gloss finish to help keep the finish. Well, yesterday I put one light coat on and noticed some of the areas turned to a dull finish. When I got home from work today I applied a 2nd light coat and now have the same results. Outside temp 72 humidity 60%. What am I doing wrong?


Humidity is a bit high at 60% but I've painted in the in those condition with good results.

Couple of suggestions. Make sure the paint and the item you are painting are both warm. If the item you are painting is cold, it will cause issues. People don't think about this in the summertime. They keep their paint inside and the rocket is inside with the AC going then you take it outside and everything is cold.

Typically I take the paint and the rocket out in the sun for an hour and let it get warm. If you painting when it's cold outside, be prepared to use a heat gun or hair dryer to warm things up before and after you paint.
 
NAPA carries Duplicolor. Matter of fact, I just inventoried a bunch of Duplicolor at the Lilburn, GA NAPA today.

I've got an Iwata Airgunsa for my HVLP setup. Still shopping for a decent compressor to go with.
 
You can also go to a true paint store like PPG paints and get a much wider selection of lacquer spray cans or if you have a HVLP, they can make custom colors and match colors. I doubt PPG carries DupliColor but they'll have similar products.
Thank you. I never think of a real paint store: It's always Lowe's or an auto parts store. There's a Sherwin Williams nearby.
 
When I bought my rocket kits at the Hobby Shop they recommended a can of Tamiya Spray Paint is this okay to use or should I be getting something else. Also where do you guys get your 400gr. Sand paper, auto parts store? I don't think they carry that fine a grit in the Paint Department at Home Depot.
 
When I bought my rocket kits at the Hobby Shop they recommended a can of Tamiya Spray Paint is this okay to use or should I be getting something else. Also where do you guys get your 400gr. Sand paper, auto parts store? I don't think they carry that fine a grit in the Paint Department at Home Depot.
Tamiya is good but expensive. Folks use a whole variety of different paints, including Rustoleum, Krylon, Duplicolor, Testor's.

Personally I use Rustoleum 2x for most things and have good enough luck with it. You have to be very careful with recoat times. I also use the Rustoleum Filler/Primer; some folks seem to prefer the Duplicolor but I didn't see much of a difference in my own usage.

Painting is a bit of a black art; sometimes no matter how carefully you follow the instructions things still go wrong.

400 grit sandpaper is readily available Home Depot. Just bought some there this week.
 
Ok thanks Neil, do you recommend priming and after painting clear coating? When painting how many coats does it usually require of each of the primer, paint, & clear coat if necessary. I read somewhere about peeling the shiny layer of paper off the body tube is this standard practice, or does knocking the shine off with a quick sanding work? Also I read about the lines of the tube soaking up the paint & becoming really defined. Do I need to use filler on those too, and at what point do you do this? I might be thinking about the last time I went to Home Depot for those foam sanding blocks & kind of don't remember seeing that fine a grit in those but I could be wrong. Also I see a lot of stuff about guys treating the balsa with wood filler. Can the Elmer's filler be found at Home Depot? Is this a necessary step to help the wings. Sorry for all the questions this is a project for the grandson and I. I'd like to have a successful 1st go or best as possible. He's really into S.T.E.M. projects.
 
Ok thanks Neil, do you recommend priming and after painting clear coating? When painting how many coats does it usually require of each of the primer, paint, & clear coat if necessary. I read somewhere about peeling the shiny layer of paper off the body tube is this standard practice, or does knocking the shine off with a quick sanding work? Also I read about the lines of the tube soaking up the paint & becoming really defined. Do I need to use filler on those too, and at what point do you do this? I might be thinking about the last time I went to Home Depot for those foam sanding blocks & kind of don't remember seeing that fine a grit in those but I could be wrong. Also I see a lot of stuff about guys treating the balsa with wood filler. Can the Elmer's filler be found at Home Depot? Is this a necessary step to help the wings. Sorry for all the questions this is a project for the grandson and I. I'd like to have a successful 1st go or best as possible. He's really into S.T.E.M. projects.
You may find this useful https://www.nar.org/educational-resources/model-rocket-building-techniques/
 
Ok thanks Neil, do you recommend priming and after painting clear coating? When painting how many coats does it usually require of each of the primer, paint, & clear coat if necessary. I read somewhere about peeling the shiny layer of paper off the body tube is this standard practice, or does knocking the shine off with a quick sanding work? Also I read about the lines of the tube soaking up the paint & becoming really defined. Do I need to use filler on those too, and at what point do you do this? I might be thinking about the last time I went to Home Depot for those foam sanding blocks & kind of don't remember seeing that fine a grit in those but I could be wrong. Also I see a lot of stuff about guys treating the balsa with wood filler. Can the Elmer's filler be found at Home Depot? Is this a necessary step to help the wings. Sorry for all the questions this is a project for the grandson and I. I'd like to have a successful 1st go or best as possible. He's really into S.T.E.M. projects.
Sounds like you have NOT built a model yet. Most rocketeers are also "expert" modelers and "require" perfection in terms of look. STEM project- not sure perfection for looks is required. My 1st few kits I did not used primer. After I read most modelers do, I prime but I may or may not sand it off. I filled my Balsa with plan Delta Cream Coat all purpose filler which no matter how many times you apply, you still have grains. I will try DAP plastic wood, filler since Home Depot seems to no longer carry Elmer's here in NJ, I used Elmer's once and it gave me trouble, keep falling off. And you are right until this year, I never saw sandpaper in "grit specifications" at Home Depot, just coarse, medium, fine and extra fine and that is what I used.

So do not become obsessives with trying to get an expert appearance on tis project....it is the science behind it, a STEM Project. Use the best skills that you have obtain during your lifetime. If it was perfect, then any aduilt would say, Yeah his father built it.
 
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