Good choices for spray primer and paint?

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TWRackers

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Now that Krylon is no longer the product we all grew used to, what other brands of spray paint are people getting good results with? I need to prime, two-part Bondo, and paint my L3 rocket (hopefully before this weekend). The nose is gel-coated, the airframe is Giant Leap Dyna-Wind tubing, and the fins have been glassed. All surfaces have been lightly sanded to a fairly uniform non-shiny appearance. I just came from the local hardware store, and they had Rustoleum Professional (tall silver cans) for a reasonable price. Fortunately I only need primer and one color (gloss black).

Has anyone used this particular paint, or is there something readily available off-the-shelf that will give good results on these materials?

First responders get extra brownie points. ;)
 
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If you ask 10 rocket builders about what primer/paint combination would work best for a particular project, you will get at least 20 different and mutually incompatible answers... :rolleyes: Some chucklehead might even try to tell you that new formula Krylon works just fine for him! :eek:

MarkII
 
My Dyna-Wind tube was full of pin holes, use something with high solids. Kilz or similar

Also, Dyna-Wind tubing has a thin plastic film on it to make it smooth, and the film is very difficult to sand. I scraped all of it off with an X-acto knife to prevent any problems with paint adhering to it.
 
I recently bought an air sprayer at WalMart for $25 and used Kilz primer from a quart can and some oil based 'tough as nails' paint from the local Diamond Vogel store for a rocket re-paint. The finish is very nice and the paint really is tough. It's now my preferred method of painting rockets.

The paint is less expensive than an equivalent amount in rattle cans and they'll mix 'most any color. You will buy more paint - but you can use it on other projects!
 
Mark II is right,
Everybody has their favorites. Depending on where you live, humidity and temperature will have an effect on different brands.
I used the cheap WalMart spray for quite a while. But, I felt I was having to use too many coats for a good coverage.
I needed a Green for my "Franken Goblin" model. I didn't like the WalMart (cheap) green paint color. At Home Depot I found my new favorite - Rustoleum Painter's Touch for $2.97.
I got great, smooth coverage with far fewer coats.
I was being cheap but probably paying just as much in the end. I bet I would go through 3 cans of the WalMart stuff (.97) in the same time I would use one can of the Rustoleum at $2.97.

Good luck finding your favorite!
 
I just use Rustoleum. It's not that bad. I really don't mind what type of primer I use, as long as it isn't heavy build, as it's a pain to sand. The reason why I like thin primers is because I only use primer so the flaws stand out. I fix the flaws with filler or sandpaper, and then keep priming until I see no flaws. Then I paint with normal paint. Then I wet sand everything lightly, so again, it doesn't really matter what type of paint it is. Then I clear the paint job with Future. As long as the colors are good and the durability is ok, I'm satisfied with it.
 
My Dyna-Wind tube was full of pin holes, use something with high solids. Kilz or similar
Yeah, that's the truth.

Also, Dyna-Wind tubing has a thin plastic film on it to make it smooth, and the film is very difficult to sand. I scraped all of it off with an X-acto knife to prevent any problems with paint adhering to it.
Really? I've been drilling and sanding on my tubes for months and I've never seen any evidence of a plastic film on there. I don't think mine had any sort of film on them when I received them, but then I got the tubes last spring, if I remember correctly. Maybe how the tubes are shipped has changed since early on.
 
I use Duplicolor auto paints exclusively. Unlike other enamel spray paints, i.e. Rustoleum, you can put additional coats on any time without worrying about the paint crazing or lifting. I start with filler primer to fill in small imperfections, and wet sand with 400 grit paper. With the filler primers, wet sanding is almost mandatory to keep the paper from clogging. After sanding the primer, put on your color coats. For a smoother finish, wet sand with 600 grit after two or three color coats and put on a couple more. If you want to add additional colors, mask the areas after the paint dries overnight and shoot your next color. Repeat for each color. The paint will not react with the additional colors like most cheap enamels will. When you're satisfied with the result, shoot the clear, two to three coats. Duplicolor paints cost more than bargain enamels, but you will get a far nicer paint job with them, and the colors and metallics available make for some pretty neat finishes, and besides, your spending hundreds of dollars on a L3 rocket, why skimp on the paint?

FWIW, I use the Rustoleum professional on my launch pads and it works just fine and looks nice. BUT, you must follow the directions carefully when applying it. I've added additional coats after a day and the paint lifted like I put stripper on it. You have to apply the coats fairly close together, like after the previous coats "tacks up" and leave it at that. Trying to add more paint after an hour will ruin your paint job, and the stuff is damn near impossible to get off cleanly unless you wait weeks for it to completely cure.

Here's a couple of rockets I've done with the Duplicolor paints:

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I use dupli-color primer and paint. I use Krylon clear coat. Both of these are painted with dupli-color

Picture%20004.jpg
 
I love lacquer. Goes on great, dries super fast.

The only lacquer primers I have access to locally in rattle cans are Plasti-Kote and Duplicolor. The Plasti-Kote is ready to sand in 15 minutes most days, a few minutes more on cooler or more humid days. Duplicolor takes a bit longer because it's a high build formula. Plasti-Kote has been about a buck cheaper, but has recently gone up at TSC, so I may have to look at Duplicolor again soon.

I use lacquer colors when I can, but there's not much to choose from in large cans. Rustoleum has white, black, red, and clear lacquers. Valspar has white, black, aluminum, and clear lacquers, IIRC.

For other colors, I use whatever I can find. WalMart Colorplace gloss black works really well for me, but I'm not impressed with the other colors. I use Rustoleum, Valspar, etc. for other colors. For small projects with special colors, I use Testors/Model Masters, Boyd's, or whatever I can find that's the right color. Some are lacquers, others are enamels. I've been hooked on Model Masters Italian Red lacquer for a long time, but it's awfully expensive for a tiny can. Its combination of rich yet bright red color has been the one to beat for me. I recently discovered that the Rustoleum Chinese Red lacquer and Valspar Cherry enamel are both in the same league when viewed indoors. The real test will come when I paint something of significant size with them and compare them out in the sunlight where the Italian Red really comes to life.
 
For color I did use Krylon, buuuut, the good stuff is gone and I don't want to find out what the bad stuff is like. I have a few Rustoleum cans and they work well, but I can't find much Rustoleum around me so that's out. I also have a few cans of cheap crap too, and I've messed up two rockets with that paint. Testors is the only paint that I've had good luck with, the colors are awesome and I can find it around me! I also have some bottles of Creatix pearl paints sitting around waiting for my Talon to be ready to paint, they look awesome in the bottles and I can't wait to use them!
 
I just recently tried the testors auto lacquer paint. Nice stuff, lots of colors, but expensive. I'm having a hard time giving up the benefits of lacquer. The time I have to build & finish birds is pretty limited, and lacquer gives me the flexibility to paint & recoat whenever I have a few minutes.
 
Rustoleum paint and primer. Menards carries the best selection in my town.

I think this year we're going to try out the cheap KMart primer that Micromeister has been using.
 
Guys, keep in mind that the original Krylon is still available if you don't mind buying it in bulk. It's now sold as an industrial paint through the appropriate channels. All the old colors aren't available but many of the basics are still there. Here's a link to Krylon's industrial page for the 5-ball aerosols. You can see which colors aren't available anymore:

https://www.kpg-industrial.com/products/5ball_interiorexterior_paint/

You can get them from industrial supplers such as MSC, etc. Some places only sell by the case.

Randy

Edit: Looks like it is available in single cans from MSC, Grainger and Global. Not cheap, but available.
 
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I am by no means nearly as good as some of the painters I have seen on this forum but this is what I do.

For Primer I stick with the Rustoleum "sandable" and have been satisfied.

For Paint I gave up on the rattle cans. Too much smell, I got a $10 detail spray gun from Harbor Freight (Lowes has a similar one but I thik it was $30) and spray Createx Acrylic. No smell, I can spray mutilple coats in a short amount of time, can mix what ever color I want and the finish has been great. I really like the "pearl" colors. I have yet to try the Future (Found it @ Home Depot) looking forward to trying it.

Your mileage may vary of course but I really like the spray gun route.
 
For color I did use Krylon, buuuut, the good stuff is gone and I don't want to find out what the bad stuff is like....
How do you know if it is "bad stuff" if you won't even try it? How do you know that it won't work for you?

Like everyone else, I read all kinds of horror stories on the forums about the new formula Krylon. But despite my misgivings, I tried it anyway. And it worked fine! One thing that I did do was to actually read the instructions on the label about the spray distance and the recoat time. So send all of your unused new formula Krylon to me. I like painting with it, and it works great for me.

MarkII
 
I like to finish my rockets (mid power) similar to finishing a car. I buy spray can primers and paints from Checkers Auto Parts. I use red lacquer putty to fill imperfections and spirals after putting on a coat of primer. Sand and prime again. (use lacquer sanding primer) When I am satisfied with the prep work I finish with the color coats.

I have had good luck with Dupli-Color from Checkers.

Just make sure everything is compatible.
 
I also just tried the Rust-oleum "painters Touch" from Home Depot. Coverage is excellent, far better than some of the other cheapo's, and it smoothes out very well. I will definately buy this one again. As far as primer goes - whatevers cheap. Usually the gray or white.
 
To jef955,
I agree with you on the Rustoleum Painter's Touch.
I used the cheap WalMart brand for quite a while. Sure the Painter'sTouch is 3 1/2 times the cost of the WalMart paint, but the Painter's Touch covers so much better it'll probably last 3 1/2 times as long!
I don't use the regular old style Rustoleum, be sure it says Rustoleum Painter's Touch on the can.
 
How do you know if it is "bad stuff" if you won't even try it? How do you know that it won't work for you?

Like everyone else, I read all kinds of horror stories on the forums about the new formula Krylon. But despite my misgivings, I tried it anyway. And it worked fine! One thing that I did do was to actually read the instructions on the label about the spray distance and the recoat time. So send all of your unused new formula Krylon to me. I like painting with it, and it works great for me.

MarkII

I actually tried the krylon Fusion Hammered Metal stuff, absolutely perfect finish so far, exept for a few runs that I did myself. It had been drying for a day and I picked it up to move it and left a few fingerprints in it, but those disappeared after the next coat. I will let it dry for a week before I touch it again.

Krylon Fusion = good

I'm still not trying the other stuff, I've heard too many stories about bad finishes to try it, and I'm not very good at painting. I prefer an airbrush to a spray can.
 
RCBrust mentioned being able to get the "5-Ball" Krylon we've known & loved for years from industrial suppliers, in bulk. I went to the Krylon page below & checked The Man Store, because I was amused by the name:
https://www.themanstoreonline.com/Krylon-Industrial-Paint-s/204.htm

I was relieved to discover a "case" is only 6 cans, a six-pack, not 12 or 24 like I'd assumed. And you're paying just over $4.00 a can, not too shabby for the real Krylon, though they have $150.00 minimum order, they mention Dupli-Color too. I don't know about extra charges, if any for shipping these aerosols.

If you combine an order with another guy or two, you still get the real thing, for 4 bucks a can (plus whatever shipping). You could even a sign up at a launch, asking if they're interested in getting the real Krylon, to get a group order together, & just distribute them at the next launch. Print out a couple pages from the man store (or where-ever) to show 'em prices & slection.

--Richard Hickok


>>>>Guys, keep in mind that the original Krylon is still available if you don't mind buying it in bulk. It's now sold as an industrial paint through the appropriate channels. All the old colors aren't available but many of the basics are still there. Here's a link to Krylon's industrial page for the 5-ball aerosols. You can see which colors aren't available anymore:

https://www.kpg-industrial.com/produc...xterior_paint/
 
+1 for the Dupli-color, sandable primer in 30min recoat anytime, good spray nozzles and good coverage. I'ts a bit more spendy than the compitition, but I use less paint because it covers in one coat.
 
... I prefer an airbrush to a spray can.
I have heard that airbrushing is not just better than rattle can painting, it is ridiculously, slap-yourself-silly better. I very much want to get into this when finances permit.

MarkII
 
I have heard that airbrushing is not just better than rattle can painting, it is ridiculously, slap-yourself-silly better. I very much want to get into this when finances permit.

MarkII

I haven't gotten good with an airbrush yet, but OHMYGOSH, yes it is better! You get better control, and as long as you thin the paint properly, it won't run as easily. Just make sure you clean the brush properly after you use it. You can do detail work with less over spray too, as the old Badger my dad gave me has a variable spray width of 1/16" to 1-1/2".

The only problem is, the paints are slightly more expensive, unless someone knows where to get them other than a hobby store. Also, the colors are plentiful from Testors and the other hobby paint manufacturers.
 
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