Hiding body tube joints

[Blast it Tom!]

Did a little search but couldn't find anything. I'm building an Odd'l Breakaway. Per my usual flavor of insanity, the idea is to surprise the grandkids with the break-apart recovery. "Oh, no, it busted into pieces!" (What a jerk, eh?!)

So one thinks of the usual - roll patterns or dark areas that cover the body tube joint areas, perhaps a flat or satin vs. gloss finish. But I was wondering if anyone has any other techniques for making tube joints inconspicuous. I can hide spirals easily enough; but CWF doesn't seem like a workable solution here.

Thanks all!

 

[Antares JS]

I colored each section a different color. When it's all together it just looks like a rainbow rocket.

 

[Blast it Tom!]

Yeah, Chris has it in alternating red and white on the kit sheet. But a bunch of colors... Thanks! I continue to muse....

 

[Dotini]

Did a little search but couldn't find anything. I'm building an Odd'l Breakaway. Per my usual flavor of insanity, the idea is to surprise the grandkids with the break-apart recovery. "Oh, no, it busted into pieces!" (What a jerk, eh?!)

So one thinks of the usual - roll patterns or dark areas that cover the body tube joint areas, perhaps a flat or satin vs. gloss finish. But I was wondering if anyone has any other techniques for making tube joints inconspicuous. I can hide spirals easily enough; but CWF doesn't seem like a workable solution here.

Thanks all!

Squadron White Putty will work a treat for problems like this. Use with ventilation.

 

[Blast it Tom!]

Squadron White Putty will work a treat for problems like this. Use with ventilation.

Thanks! I take it that you apply it to the tubes butted together? How then can you get them parted? Perhaps I was unclear - the sections do have to come apart, the rocket comes down in 5 or six segments tied together with shock cord.

 

[Dotini]

Thanks! I take it that you apply it to the tubes butted together? How then can you get them parted? Perhaps I was unclear - the sections do have to come apart, the rocket comes down in 5 or six segments tied together with shock cord.

Sorry.

 

[Blast it Tom!]

Oh, no problem! I'll be getting some Squadron White for joints that DON'T have to come apart! I'm still ahead of the game!

 

[neil_w]

Any scheme to hide the joints must begin with having a color transition at each joint.

However, a slight dark line is likely to show at the joint. Therefore, you can do another level of disguise by either (a) having every other segment be black, or very dark, or (b) put a wraparound black stripe on one side of each joint. In either case, the dark line created by the body seam will blend into the dark side of the joint. This may be a little (!) more effort than is really called for here, though.

 

[Antares JS]

One thing to note - do whatever sanding and smoothing of the couplers you have to to make sure it comes apart very easily, otherwise all the parts won't separate. When I flew mine for the first time, it only separated in one spot. After sanding and smoothing the couplers more with sanding sealer, it worked well the second time.

 

[Blast it Tom!]

Any scheme to hide the joints must begin with having a color transition at each joint.

However, a slight dark line is likely to show at the joint. Therefore, you can do another level of disguise by either (a) having every other segment be black, or very dark, or (b) put a wraparound black stripe on one side of each joint. In either case, the dark line created by the body seam will blend into the dark side of the joint. This may be a little (!) more effort than is really called for here, though.

Yes, I figured to perhaps have, say, a black band on one side ot the joint, and some black verical stripes on the other side, joining into a roll pattern. As I continue to think, one thought was to use filler primer on the assembled sections and sand it as though it were one piece. If that experiment ends poorly, at least I haven't put down my final colors yet...

And yes, this is an "over the top" effort. I like a good finish; a good finish that also conceals an unconventional recovery from unsuspecting grandkids is even better!

 

[neil_w]

Yes, I figured to perhaps have, say, a black band on one side ot the joint, and some black verical stripes on the other side, joining into a roll pattern.

Strictly for concealment purposes, I don't think you need or even want the stripes on the other side. Just the black band on one side should provide ideal concealment. Suggest doing that and evaluating before applying the stripes.

As I continue to think, one thought was to use filler primer on the assembled sections and sand it as though it were one piece. If that experiment ends poorly, at least I haven't put down my final colors yet...

Seems like it can't hurt, and easier to sand all at once than one segment at a time.

 

[OzHybrid]

To make something dissapear, you can either blend it in or make a feature of it. Steampunk has lots of bits on it and would make the feature route easy. Paint a copper band at every break. Make the break a feature and it's gone.....
Norm

 

[David_Stack]

On the Sirius rocketry site they show a photo/rendering of that model done up with the colors of the spectrum (albeit with defined breaks in the colors, as opposed to a fade): https://www.siriusrocketry.biz/ishop/oddl-rockets-break-away-1043.html

As others have said, I think a clear 'break' between colors is the way to go. If you don't mind the masking/painting and application of pin striping tape, you could always channel Piet Mondrian as I did for my 1.8x upscale Gyroc.



The only other thought; what about wrapping the body tube in Monokote, shrinking it, then cutting it at the tube intersections? It is awfully thin, and those cut edges may blend together in a less noticeable fashion than would paint.

 

[GlenP]

On the Sirius rocketry site they show a photo/rendering of that model done up with the colors of the spectrum (albeit with defined breaks in the colors, as opposed to a fade): https://www.siriusrocketry.biz/ishop/oddl-rockets-break-away-1043.html

As others have said, I think a clear 'break' between colors is the way to go. If you don't mind the masking/painting and application of pin striping tape, you could always channel Piet Mondrian as I did for my 1.8x upscale Gyroc.

View attachment 502987

The only other thought; what about wrapping the body tube in Monokote, shrinking it, then cutting it at the tube intersections? It is awfully thin, and those cut edges may blend together in a less noticeable fashion than would paint.

unrelated tangent. I was going to paint a GyROC with a bird on one side and a cage on the other.

 

[Blast it Tom!]

On the Sirius rocketry site they show a photo/rendering of that model done up with the colors of the spectrum (albeit with defined breaks in the colors, as opposed to a fade): https://www.siriusrocketry.biz/ishop/oddl-rockets-break-away-1043.html

As others have said, I think a clear 'break' between colors is the way to go. If you don't mind the masking/painting and application of pin striping tape, you could always channel Piet Mondrian as I did for my 1.8x upscale Gyroc.

View attachment 502987

The only other thought; what about wrapping the body tube in Monokote, shrinking it, then cutting it at the tube intersections? It is awfully thin, and those cut edges may blend together in a less noticeable fashion than would paint.

That's a pretty Gyroc! I've never worked with monokote, though I did just inherit some kind of sealing iron for it... gotta figure out how it works sometime!

 

[K'Tesh]

As for me, stateside, I use Rusto's Filler Primer... I'll mask the area around the joint with tape, then paint in several heavy coats of the filler primer (until the gap is filled), then unmask the area, spray the rest of the rocket with filler primer, sand (repeat if necessary) and then paint. That is, of course, if I'm worried about a visible joint (I usually hide it with decals or with color changes).

 

[Blast it Tom!]

I think you guys are right. Making a roll pattern span the joint is not the way to go. A sharp color contrast by way of a band is the way to go. Then I will use the spaces in between to add eye-catching details like ports, hatches and other markings. Hopefully with the filler-primer trick (as long as the joints come back apart ok) it will look as much like one piece as possible.

I built the motor mount and sanded the fins today - I had already shaped the nose cone and filled both it and the fins with CWF, then re-sanded, a couple of months ago. So now it's showtime! Thanks to you all!

 

[teepot]

When I first say the topic I thought it said hiding body parts.

 

[Cape Byron]

Make them into something else...

 

[OverTheTop]

In photography I say if you can't hide it make a feature of it. Got some comp wins using that theory.

 

[jqavins]

I colored each section a different color. When it's all together it just looks like a rainbow rocket.

I have one in my build pile that will be like that.

One thing to note - do whatever sanding and smoothing of the couplers you have to to make sure it comes apart very easily, otherwise all the parts won't separate. When I flew mine for the first time, it only separated in one spot. After sanding and smoothing the couplers more with sanding sealer, it worked well the second time.

Mine will also be prepped with a little graphite powder to help with that.

To make something dissapear, you can either blend it in or make a feature of it. Steampunk has lots of bits on it and would make the feature route easy. Paint a copper band at every break. Make the break a feature and it's gone..

Or dividing lines between panels, with more such lines painted both vertically and horizontally.

If you don't mind the masking/painting and application of pin striping tape, you could always channel Piet Mondrian as I did for my 1.8x upscale Gyroc.

View attachment 502987

I don't know Piet Mondrian. I thought you were channeling the Partridge Family bus.

One thing no one has addressed is to physically minimize the lines. What one might do is to first harden the ends of the tubes with a soak of thin CA, then sand a little bevel on the inside of each end, then make sure that the cut has no wavyness to it. That way, the tubes will touch on the outside surface only, with nothing to hold them even a little apart, and then there is no gap to hide. Of course it won't be dead perfect, yet I bet one could go a long way like that.

 

[Lee]

Or as Mona Lisa Vito said "dead-on balls accurate".

 

[jqavins]

It's an industry term.

 

[Blast it Tom!]

You guys got it... the complication is the fact that as you use the thing, you keep blowing it apart and putting it back together for the next flight. Joe, that bevel is a good thought, I've used it with trim carpentry. But yeah, you gotta be accurate to mils, or tenths of a mm, take your pick! CA treatment of the ends is a given... the fact that Chris used BT-50H will help as well.

 

[neil_w]

In my experience, squaring off the edges of LPR body tubes perfectly so they mate perfectly is very difficult. I think disguising the seams is the most certain way to accomplish the goal here.

 

[boomtube-mk2]

[NM]

 

[Blast it Tom!]

In my experience, squaring off the edges of LPR body tubes perfectly so they mate perfectly is very difficult. I think disguising the seams is the most certain way to accomplish the goal here.

Belts and suspenders! Chris supplied well-cut tubes, so I'm off to a good start already.

 

[jqavins]

In my experience, squaring off the edges of LPR body tubes perfectly so they mate perfectly is very difficult.

That's why I suggested the bevel. The ends don't have to be square across the wall thickness, just flat and square to the axis. So it's only ⅔ of impossible.