Gloss Or Satan Clearcoat?

The Rocketry Forum

Help Support The Rocketry Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Dale

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 26, 2014
Messages
50
Reaction score
0
hey. I just finished the Estes Der Red Max and was wondering what would look better,gloss or flat/satin clearcoat?.the nosecone is molded black plastic,but I painted with flat black and gloss clearcoat.looks great.but I'm not sure on the rest. thanks, Dale:blush:
 
This is one of those "it depends" answers. Areas which will be decaled need to be gloss because decals be they waterslide or adhesive applying them over flat paint is like sticking Scotch Tape to sandpaper. Also, gloss finishes are sturdier against scrapes and scuffs, and sweaty oily fingerprints too.
 
Last edited:
hmm,I applied the decals after the paint dried.didn't spray CC before the decals,does that matter?
 
On a DRM it is a matter of opinion. I would go Satin. What GERMAN rocket is going to be Shiny Happy People? A DRM is a weapon with Skulls and Victory charts. No glare helps to read the still acceptable and PC Mitt Stompen and Grabben! Dumkopf and a Balkankruz should be a bit on the flat side.
 
The Satan clearcoat is only needed for rockets that reach speeds above Mach 2 and are subject to atmospeheric friction. :eyeroll:
 
I went with gloss over coat,but I think it would have been better to have applied it before the decals. next time.:facepalm:
 
Gloss before and after decals, but after that take your pick, just a personal preference. Glossy looks great on sport type rockets, but I tend to lean towards semi-gloss or matte for scale or scale-like rockets. DRM is in a category all it's own, or kind of in between both of those categories, like a sport-fantasy-scale, you know? Really could go either way, you can't go wrong. (good point about the fine print on the DRM decals - a non-glare matte would make it easier to read.) Build one of each! Semi-gloss is a good in-between compromise if you can't decide, I like to use clear semi-gloss as a top-coat on cardstock rockets printed on an ink-jet printer that don't use decals.
 
Here is an Interceptor-E, painted with a flat military gray. Then gloss clearcoated, decalled, and a final flat clearcoat. The gloss under the decals makes the decal's edges almost disappear.

I use Krylon UV-Resistant Acrylic Clears, availed in Gloss and Matte.
2016-02-24 17.15.19.jpg
 
one thing with satin(not satan) and flat clears is that they hide scratches good. gloss seems to amplify them.
 
I personally think all liquid coatings are "The Devil"...

I use a lot of satin finishes because of the type of rockets I tend to build (scale). But I will diverge from that for the MDRM...I have seen some really nice ones with a high-gloss finish. It seems to really make that rocket pop!

Cheers,
Michael
 
If you decide to go with Satan, then I suggest you fly it on hellfire and brimstone propellant. It requires a Lucifer igniter, and it's a devil to light, but once it gets going, that stuff burns like a bat out of hell! Wicked fun!
 
Ya gotta love model rocketeers, they know how to take an accidentally odd meme and make it fly!
 
Back
Top