Gluing onto adhesive paper - Newbie adhesive paper questions

[cbwho]

I see printable by vinyl sticker paper and waterproof printer paper. If I paper a tube with this before construction, could I glue fins on with CA? For a paint free construction. I recently built a fully papered paint free rocket and was happy with the look but sealing with brush sealer leaves a lot to be desired. Winter temperature doesn't allow spray painting.

I see several options, any recommendations?

ZYP Printable Vinyl Sticker Paper Clear for Inkjet Printers - 8.5 x 11 inches 16 Sheets of Glossy Transparent Waterproof Adhesive Decal Paper Label Sheets - Fast Drying and Strong Adhesion

Adhesive Waterproof Photo Craft Paper - Works with Inkjet/Laser Printers - for Stickers, Labels, Scrapbooks, Bottle Labels, Arts and Crafts

Milcoast Bright Neon Full Sheet 8.5 x 11 inch Matte Waterproof Tear Resistant Adhesive Sticker Paper for Inkjet/Laser Printers - 5 Color Pack (25 Sheets)

 

[neil_w]

You'd have to experiment, but I sure wouldn't trust that type of construction. Maybe for the lowest of low power stuff.

Better to cut slots in the wraps for the fin attachments and then glue using white glue directly to the body tube underneath. That's how the Accur8 skin sets work. If you're printing the wraps yourself, you can put the fin slot locations into the design. Apply the wraps, and then carefully cut out the slots with a sharp knife. Should work well.

 

[BABAR]

Couple of things.

I use Mylar tape for a lot of tube and fin finishes. Nose cones are harder especially those with compound curves (which to me look the coolest.)

Couple of tricks. You can precolor attachment points with felt markers, black is the easiest color to match, obviously, but you can get basic reds and blues and greens and oranges and purples, yellow. Ignite be a stretch. You can glue right through felt marker coloring.

Figure out where you want the fins to go.

Pre-color those areas with the markers.

Put strips of masking tape the exact position, length, and width of the fin, including a bit for the Fillet.

Now put your covering of choice OVER the tape on the body tube. Burnish it down tight, you should see the edges of your tape outlined well.

Go ahead and prime and paint as desired. Also precolor the bases of your fins with felt tip, cover the base and about 1/8th inch around the base with tape, and paper or fill your balsa and prime and paint as needed. Once dry, pull the tape so you have raw (ink colored) wood attachment point

Use a sharp knife to cut exactly around the tape marker, just enough to cut the paper or Mylar or vinyl, not enough to deeply score the body tube (a little bit of cut into the body tube is okay.)

Peel off the tape with the paper to expose the precolored body tube.

Now REVERSE the procedure, put blue tape or frog tape AROUND the edges of the attachment point of the tube. Make sure you leave room for the fillets

Glue fins in place with white glue (dries clear).

Apply fillets.

Use a sharp knife to cut through the fillet along the edge of the tape (if your fillet has covered the tape, otherwise when you pull the tape you will lift the fillet.)

Pull the tape. Touch up as needed with felt tip marker.

 

[BABAR]

Two other things.

CA/superglue is not a great primary glue for fins, although many have reported it works great for an initial tack/adhesion at the front and rear ends of the root while the primary glue (for wood to body tube, wood glue is strongest, 5 minute epoxy is faster but heavier and not as strong for wood to paper, plus you need gloves and SWMBO may object to the fumes.). You do NOT want to get any CA over the middle part of the joint because it seals the surfaces and wood glue (or white glue) will NOT provide a good bond across surfaces that still have a coat of CA (or primer or paint, for that matter.)

PLASTIC nose cones are easy to finish. Wash off any casting coatings with soap and warm water, sand down any seams, clean with tack cloth and prime and paint.

BALSA nose cones are great if you have the gift for filling balsa (I don’t), but if you have that gift it works fine for balsa fins and body tube seams. So my preference is for plastic nose cones.

 

[JPalmer621]

For a lot of my rockets I use white or clear Avery labels. Available at most office supply stores. I have used them for wraps and for just parts too. As far as glueing fins are I agree with others cut out and glue to the body tubel

 

[cbwho]

Question: is there clear inkjet sticker "paper" that is thin and actually clear? I have some "clear" vinyl and it looks good on white but not on colored paper.

Background Update: my construction techniques have evolved a bit... use Astrobright paper which is available in a lot of colors. I apply white glue to the paper and then roll that on the tube or pre sanded balsa. Delamination or warping is rare. I do not do fin cut outs on the tube papering since fins glues very strong. Once I had to reposition a fin and the white glue penetration is deep.

After I get the rocket initially built, the paper colors look great but I would like to apply stickers not decals. I found these issues, if I print on clear vinyl and apply to the colored paper, the clear vinyl is actually cloudy vinyl.

Also for these vinyl stickers, acrylic water based sealer made them turn white and the colors bled. Any suggestions?