Lakeroadster's F-79 Lone Wolf

[lakeroadster]

Congratulations on a successful validation of a well thought out design.
Now when are we going to see it fly?

Another burn ban is in effect...

 

[kuririn]

I just wash my car.

 

[lakeroadster]

1st coat of Rustoleum Sandable Filler Primer.

I sanded the primer today. I need to add some EWF, but decided to wait a few days just to make sure the primer is cured.

 

[lakeroadster]

Day one of applying and sanding wood filler.... my least favorite part of model rocketry. Nonetheless it's a necessary evil.

The combination of Rustoleum Filler / Sandable Primer and Elmer's Wood Filler however makes it somewhat easier though.

 

[lakeroadster]

Here's round 3 of the wood filler on the side pod intakes. Just one low spot. I used a fingernail emery board to sand these nice and flat.

The rest of the rocket appears ready for the Rusto 2X primer.

 

[KenECoyote]

The combination of Rustoleum Filler / Sandable Primer and Elmer's Wood Filler however makes it somewhat easier though.

HAHA! I often feel the same way and I use the exact same combo as you!

Looking GREAT! Keep up the fantastic builds!

 

[lakeroadster]

Made the ballast for the nose cone today. Used a 2-3/4" long piece of 3/4" thread rod. Drilled and tapped the nose cone and threaded it in. Easy Peasy.

Then did a swingin' on a string test to quazi-verify stability.

Then added a fresh coat of Rustoleum 2X Primer. I'm not sure I want to paint this thing white after all. It looks like it's ready to launch off a carrier just as it is.

Thoughts?

 

[lakeroadster]

I became entangled in this while searching the world wide web for paint schemes. A new slant on the dated F-16 Thunderbird paint scheme. I'm going to give this a shot.

What the heck, if I'm not happy with the end result I can always default back to the primered Combat Trim version.

 

[lakeroadster]

Base coat..

 

[lakeroadster]

Mask for the Thunderbird...

 

[neil_w]

Wow

 

[Greg Furtman]

Nice! You do build some amazing rockets.

 

[Daddyisabar]

Cool. All that work painting an unproven airplane oddroc! Crazy! Most importantly it will look marvelous!

 

[lakeroadster]

Thanks guys...

Cool. All that work painting an unproven airplane oddroc! Crazy! Most importantly it will look marvelous!

 

[Daddyisabar]

Thanks guys...



View attachment 419818

Like Veruca Salt in the new Willie Wonka: Confidence is KEY!

 

[lakeroadster]

Here's the T'Bird in the raw.

I used Rustoleum 2x Royal Blue. I had hopes to lightly fog the surface with paint, to seal edges, but since the can was new and full, I wasn't able to do that. To much paint and poor tape adhesion.

I should be able to use white paint and a brush to touch it up. I'll post up the touch up photo's once the blue is cured.

 

[neil_w]

I used Rustoleum 2x Royal Blue. I had hopes to lightly fog the surface with paint, to seal edges, but since the can was new and full, I wasn't able to do that.

The technique there is to apply a coat of the *base color* (e.g. white) or clear to seal the tape edges. That way any leakage under the tape will be invisible. There's no way to seal the tape with the top color.

To much paint and poor tape adhesion.

I don't really trust blue tape for fine work like that.

I should be able to use white paint and a brush to touch it up.

It'll look fantastic with some simple touch-ups. Good luck!

 

[lakeroadster]

The technique there is to apply a coat of the *base color* (e.g. white) or clear to seal the tape edges. That way any leakage under the tape will be invisible. There's no way to seal the tape with the top color.

Thanks Neal.

So you let the base coat dry... then apply the top color? I typically remove the tape when the paint is still a bit tacky, to get a good crisp edge @ the paint line.

I had no issues at all with the blue tape on the X-Wing?

 

[mbeels]

I'll wait the suggested time between coats, something like a few minutes. So spray the base coat, wait a few minutes until it is at least tacky and ready for a second coat, then do the top color.

 

[neil_w]

So you let the base coat dry... then apply the top color? I typically remove the tape when the paint is still a bit tacky, to get a good crisp edge @ the paint line.

I honestly can't tell you if it's necessary to let it dry before applying top color. As I have found (and confirmed by Rustoleum), it is *not* necessary to let primer dry before applying color coats, if applied within the recoat window. So I don't know if you would need to let a shot of white dry before applying blue on top.

[Marten confirms my suspicion you don't need to let it dry first]

I had no issues at all with the blue tape on the X-Wing?

Blue can work, it's just not intended for fine work like we're asking for here. I also prefer the fine masking tapes (I use Tamiya) because they are narrower and easier to maneuver in tight spaces. I generally do not like trying to cut tape to be narrower when I can avoid it, requires too much handling.

 

[mbeels]

I'm not sure what the difference is, perhaps the blue tape is capable of good masking lines when the circumstances are just right (clean surface, etc....). One thing I've heard is that masking tape should not be laid down on a surface, because the edges pick up dust and dirt that impacts the edge seal. I try to only ever hang my blue tape suspended from a hook. But I usually do the base coat method anyway.

 

[neil_w]

One thing I've heard is that masking tape should not be laid down on a surface, because the edges pick up dust and dirt that impacts the edge seal.

That is for sure. Ideally, store masking tape (at least, that which is used for fine masking as discussed here) in a clean, sealed environment of some sort. Frog Tape comes in a nice plastic package, and the Tamiya tape dispensers keep it sealed off from dust.

I use blue tape all the time for everything, though, so I keep at least a roll or two out and let it get dusty. I just don't use it for fine work.

 

[lakeroadster]

I spent some time today on CAD working on a paint scheme. Basically needed to pick a font style and develop insignias for water slide decals.

 

[lakeroadster]

Finished touching up the Thunderbird belly paint.

All in all it worked out pretty good.

 

[mbeels]

Finished touching up the Thunderbird belly paint.

All in all it worked out pretty good.

Heck of a masking job! That turned out awesome!

 

[BABAR]

First, looks GREAT! Heck of a combined masking and touch up.

Now, for priming and masking, I am getting the vibe that you can

hit it with first coat of primer, as long as you don’t sand it (for sanding I would think you would need to wait for full cure, likely at least 24 hours),

you can keep hitting within primer window (usually less than 15 minutes) for as many PRIMER coats as you need, and

THEN you can hit it with your base color within 15 minutes or whatever it is for the primer window, and

THEN you can hit it with your primary color (in this case white) and

THEN you can keep hitting it with primary coats within the primary coat window until you are satisfied

BUT THEN you need to wait for a full cure before you can put tape on it (????not sure here.... suspect at least 24 hours and possibly several days given the number of coats) and

THEN after masking and pushing all the edges of the mask down firmly you RECOAT once or twice with your primary color or clear to seal any gaps in the tape, and

THEN as long as you are within the window of the primary color you can spray your secondary color over the mask, putting as many coats as needed within the window of the secondary color.

Is any of the above right?

 

[lakeroadster]

First, looks GREAT! Heck of a combined masking and touch up.

Now, for priming and masking, I am getting the vibe that you can

hit it with first coat of primer, as long as you don’t sand it (for sanding I would think you would need to wait for full cure, likely at least 24 hours),

you can keep hitting within primer window (usually less than 15 minutes) for as many PRIMER coats as you need, and

THEN you can hit it with your base color within 15 minutes or whatever it is for the primer window, and

THEN you can hit it with your primary color (in this case white) and

THEN you can keep hitting it with primary coats within the primary coat window until you are satisfied

BUT THEN you need to wait for a full cure before you can put tape on it (????not sure here.... suspect at least 24 hours and possibly several days given the number of coats) and

THEN after masking and pushing all the edges of the mask down firmly you RECOAT once or twice with your primary color or clear to seal any gaps in the tape, and

THEN as long as you are within the window of the primary color you can spray your secondary color over the mask, putting as many coats as needed within the window of the secondary color.

Is any of the above right?

When priming, I always wait 24 hours before sanding

When applying a 2nd coat, be it primer or paint I always wait at least 48 hours.

I never paint a top coat over wet primer, and I never paint a different color on top of a wet color. I always wait at least 48 hours. But Neal and Mbeels spray multiple wet coats of paint over primer, and different color paint over paint, and they report good success with it.

I always let the paint dry at least 48 hours before masking, before touching up the paint, before applying decals, before applying a clearcoat.

I remove the mask when the paint is still tacky to ensure the paint doesn't get lifted by the tape.

But for me when it comes to model rocketry it's the journey... not the destination. I'm retired.. and I'd rather be hiking.

Here's some photo's from a couple hikes we did this week... 11.73 miles and 3,016 feet elevation gain.

 

[lakeroadster]

Spent some time today creating the decal set. Our printer does a marginal job of printing and tends to streak them. It's a Brother MFC- J4420DW. Any suggestions on how to prevent the streaking?

 

[neil_w]

Spent some time today creating the decal set. Our printer does a marginal job of printing and tends to streak them. It's a Brother MFC- J4420DW. Any suggestions on how to prevent the streaking?

1) I assume you're using Inkjet decal paper (not laser)?
2) When printing what are you setting the paper type to? I think the decal paper comes with an appropriate recommendation, maybe glossy photo paper or something like that

Other than that.... no idea.

 

[lakeroadster]

1) I assume you're using Inkjet decal paper (not laser)?
2) When printing what are you setting the paper type to? I think the decal paper comes with an appropriate recommendation, maybe glossy photo paper or something like that

Other than that.... no idea.

1) Yep.. Testors Decal Paper
2) No paper settings on this printer.... but I do use the manual rear feed slot so the paper doesn't have to curl.