Metallic Silver Question?

[AfterBurners]

I'm painting my PML Spitfire kit and had a question about painting Metallic Silver. I remember a build thread on here on Apogee's Peregine, where the builder used gloss black under chrome. At first when I started painting the rocket I was painting over the red primer and whatever areas that I sanded through during wet sanding, but in a moment I remember this article.

https://www.rocketryforum.com/threads/apogee-peregrine-build.164948/page-4
I stopped after a few passes and got out some Duplicolor flat black and painted the entire rocket. I like flat colors because they are pretty forgiving and I wasn't going for some kind of award finish, because it was just the undercoat. Posted are some pictures of the nose cone which has been painted silver over the flat black, but its weird that it looks dark on one side and I used 3 coats of silver on the nose cone. It seems to give that illusion. I never painted metallic on rockets before, but have used them on other miscellaneous items and project. I promise it's completely covered, but its just weird looking. Not sure if I like it or not. I have to look at it for awhile and decide where I want to go with this? I remember building models as a kid and painting metallic as an undercoat for colors such as, Candy Apple Red, Candy Safire Blue etc....

Looking closer at some of the PML kits it doesn't seem they have any "Metallic" in the silver paint schemes, but I guess I always assumed that? Maybe something my brain told me who knows? Only because I never used this paint I wasn't really sure what to expect, which by the way is the Rustoleum Painter's Touch 2x brand.

https://publicmissiles.com/kits/sportfliers

So what do you guys think should I try and pull off something unique? Get some candy colors maybe??

My main concern does it look like it covered?

 

[Marc_G]

Looks covered and uniform to me. Silver over flat will have roughness that makes it look different depending on the angle.

Nice bird. I would leave the silver as-is.

 

[Nytrunner]

Looks fine from here. Like Marc was saying, yhe texture of the flat paint will be noticeable when you put on the metallic. If you want to try on a different rocket, put gloss black on as the undercoat, let dry, then put the metallic on and see how it looks

 

[AfterBurners]

thanks guys. I'll go ahead and paint the rest of the rocket silver. I'd figure I would do the nose cone first. I'll paint another color something like red, orange or maybe blue just to break things up. I wish I could get some candy colors, but the only ones that I know of are 3oz modeler's spray paint. It's a thought?

 

[AfterBurners]

One other question? Is this metallic or just plan silver. I was kind of going for this look. Actually on the Spitfire I was just going to do a reverse paint job on the rocket. I would upload the picture here, but the picture is so small when trying to save from the website.

 

[neil_w]

Unfortunately, the images on their website are absurdly small (WHY DO COMPANIES DO THIS), so it's hard to tell. But I'd be willing to bet it's silver.

 

[AfterBurners]

Here's the Spit Fire

 

[neil_w]

263x373, pathetic. You'd think manufacturers would want big beautiful images of their products easily available on their website. Not like it costs anything extra.

Still silver.

 

[rdrown]

thanks guys. I'll go ahead and paint the rest of the rocket silver. I'd figure I would do the nose cone first. I'll paint another color something like red, orange or maybe blue just to break things up. I wish I could get some candy colors, but the only ones that I know of are 3oz modeler's spray paint. It's a thought?

Kustom Canz at usa.specialistpaints.com has candy colors in 12 ounce spray cans. Also some of the best metal flake paints available in spray cans.

 

[jqavins]

https://www.rocketryforum.com/attachments/mysticholding_0016-jpg.469058/

The best I can tell, which isn't really well, it looks like the same thing you've got: metallic over matt. On my "one day I'll try it" list is, to get a really good, mirrorlike metallic finish, use metal. Silver leaf. (Well, OK, aluminum.) And gold (brass) leaf; clear coat is required over the brass (but not over gold) to prevent tarnishing

 

[AfterBurners]

So I decided to go ahead and paint the rest of the rocket. It turned out okay, but I'm still on the fence about using silver metallic on any of my other rockets. Maybe I should wait until I'm completely done painting before I decide. I was thinking about some red and black accent colors? Where and how much I haven't decided. I'm definitely going to paint the inside of the fins and leave a sliver border. I also might use a diamond type pattern going from the aft end to the nose cone. The nose cone will have silver and more than likely a good portion of the tip.

The rocket looks nice in the direct sun, but in a shadow type / shade it's hard to tell the color. Some areas look patchy and black. We'll see what it looks like when I finish it. I noticed the silver has a rough texture to it. I'm hoping after I shot a few coats of clear that will smooth it to the touch.

Thanks for the feedback.

 

[neil_w]

There is no doubt that it is tough to get a really *even* coat of silver. I think the only real trick, if you can even call it that, is lots of light coats.

 

[AfterBurners]

So what can I do to smooth out the finish on this silver paint? It has a rough texture and not sure if spraying a clear and wet sanding the clear is the right procedure? I would like to add some color first. Then i thought maybe just lightly go over it with a lite grit scotch Brit pad before spraying the clear. I just want to try to get it smooth without ruining the paint in the process. Thanks in advance.

 

[Marc_G]

Can you spray some paint on a scrap to use as a test for how light sanding will impact the finish? The few times I tried to sand a silvery paint it didn't go well.

 

[AfterBurners]

Can you spray some paint on a scrap to use as a test for how light sanding will impact the finish? The few times I tried to sand a silvery paint it didn't go well.

I think I have some scrap tubing laying around. If not I'll live with it.

 

[jqavins]

If the finish is sufficiently important to you, any piece of tubing can be declared scrap for the purpose. Also, since structural integrity of the test tube (no pun intended) is not important, a toilet paper tube or the like, well primed, should be plenty good enough for testing.

What is it you're after? If you're trying to get a mirror finish like an actual piece of metal, I don't think you'll get it by any method.

 

[OKTurbo]

You can wet sand the silver to improve the surface finish, but I'm not sure what that would do to the color. Try some 600 to 800 grit wet sanding to see if it improves the roughness.

The best metallic finish I've ever used is a spray can called Spaz Stix Mirror Chrome. Surface prep is everything if you want it too look like metal. As smooth as you can get with primer then gloss black polished to a super shine. Then the mirror chrome in VERY light misting coats...buffing with microfiber or soft cloth after it dries. It dries very quickly.

Check out my IRIS nose cone and see if that's what you're after.

I should add; The metallic finish is not very durable.
https://www.rocketryforum.com/threads/winter-build-1-3rd-scale-iris.156469/post-2011373

 

[tjkopena]

The May/June 2021 issue of Sport Rocketry has a nice article on painting an aluminum finish. Coincidentally just read it yesterday. The end result looks really sharp. I don't think the article says much beyond comments already made here (sand very smooth, undercoat black, etc) but it is a very good detailed walkthrough on their process. It also recommends some specific paints and finishing coats.

 

[AfterBurners]

I thought I was spraying primer, but it was flat white Rusto 2x, then Duplicolor Gloss black, Rusto Silver Metallica and then Duplicolor Cherry Red, followed by Duplicolor Crystal Clear and it turned out okay actually. Using that many different types of paint actually didn't cause any issues. I haven't wet sanded the test tube yet and don't think I will. I got my answer. I think maybe I need to spray the metallic silver a little closer to the surface instead of just covering it. I just don't like the spray nozzle on Rust 2x. Duplicolor sprays in a fan, whereas Rusto sprays in a cone pattern so it's harder to "wet" the finish and flow it. I'm going to go out and work on it later today. I'll post some pictures when I'm done.

 

[blackjack2564]

Rusto indoor/outdoor metallic silver paint bar none the best look like real aluminum !

Very shiny high gloss, no need for clear coat .Shoot it over any good white primer.Fools folks every time they think its real.

Here is one of my glass NC tip painted with it..looks just like metal tip.. Have done complete rocket with it but no pics :[

 

[AfterBurners]

I went out today and wet sanded the rocket with 2000 grit and it turned out nice. At least its smooth. It was just the overspray I needed to remove, because I wasn't close enough to the surface when I was painting, well at least I'm assuming that?. When I finish with the accent colors and maybe the decals it will look nice. This is my first rocket I painted with silver metallic and still on the fence with it. I know Rusto 2x is a decent paint, but hate the spray pattern verse Duplicolor's "Fan" spray from the nozzle. Rusto is more like a "Cone" and it takes a lot more practice to get an even finish. Just my personal preference that's all.

Update:

I'm currently masking off the out edges of the fins with 10mm tape. Going to paint the inside gloss black. The decals are black so I think this rocket will look good them applied and then I'll shoot a few coats of clear over the rocket. I normally don't apply the decals to a kit unless its a scaled model, but I just might on this one. All around this is a first rocket in many ways as far as builds. It's my first piston eject system as well as the modification I made for a JL altimeter. Having to drill additional holes in hopes that the piston will eject the chute. Please no lawn dart.

 

[AfterBurners]

Rusto indoor/outdoor metallic silver paint bar none the best look like real aluminum !

Very shiny high gloss, no need for clear coat .Shoot it over any good white primer.Fools folks every time they think its real.

Here is one of my glass NC tip painted with it..looks just like metal tip.. Have done complete rocket with it but no pics :[
View attachment 471939

Jim - That looks really nice. I never tried using a white primer. I used flat black figuring that was the normal procedure? Maybe next time time I'll use white primer as a basecoat. Thanks for sharing it looks nice. Like I mentioned it seems difficult for me anyways to get an even coat when I used Rusto 2X because of the spray pattern and especially when spraying metallic it cast a different shade from wherever you are standing? It is just something I need to practice to get good at. Overall the rocket looks okay, but I'm picky and sometimes my OCD kicks in, but I know it doesn't matter because it will probably get dinged up. I just don't want a lawn dart.

 

[jqavins]

I learned a while ago that cone vs stream is only part of what differentiates spray pain nozzles, and one can buy nozzles to replace whatever a rattle can comes with. I just googled "types of spray paint nozzles" and got a lot of information. I know there's more information than that available. Good for those really advanced finishing folks, like anti-me.

 

[AfterBurners]

I learned a while ago that cone vs stream is only part of what differentiates spray pain nozzles, and one can buy nozzles to replace whatever a rattle can comes with. I just googled "types of spray paint nozzles" and got a lot of information. I know there's more information than that available. Good for those really advanced finishing folks, like anti-me.

So there's nozzle replacements? That's good to know. Wish I knew that before I started the painting.

 

[blackjack2564]

It's not 2x....it's indoor/outdoor metallic, they only have a few colors in this type. Don't hold me to this, but I think it is also re-coat anytime..it's oil base

 

[AfterBurners]

It's not 2x....it's indoor/outdoor metallic, they only have a few colors in this type. Don't hold me to this, but I think it is also re-coat anytime..it's oil base

View attachment 472110

Yep that's what I used. I think maybe the white primer might create less shading on the silver, not sure just guessing?

 

[AfterBurners]

So I finally finished this rocket, which I have been building off and on for the last year and a half. Yes that long! Life itself can get pretty busy and time is a commodity for me right now. Just a quick run down. It's a PML Spitfire 3" w/ a 38mm, but chances are I'll send it up on a 29/240 or 29/360 the first couple times.

The kit has been modified slightly.

• Sawed off the nose cone shoulder to accept a 1/4" bulk plate w/ a closed eyebolt from Wildman
• One Bad Hawk recovery harness
• 30" Recon chute from Wildman
• Aeropack retainer

Paint:

This kit was Chevy Orange and Gloss Black, but it didn't turn out the way I wanted so I wet sanded it down and repainted the color you see now.

Duplicolor Red and Gray HBP
Duplicolor Flat Black for the undercoat
Rust-Oleum Silver Metallic for the top coat
Duplicolor Gloss Black for accent color.
Stock PML peel and stick decals with a light coat of Duplicolor Crystal clear to protect the decals.

Only thing that needs to be done is properly test fit / sand the piston and JB Weld the retainer. I'm okay with the way the rocket turned out overall. When I hold the it in the direct sunlight the silver really pops. I guess it looks questionable when its in the shade.

As far as the piston if any of you have used this set up maybe you can share your expertise on what you would consider the proper fit? How much resistance should there be when sliding / pulling it out of the tube. Yes I know a lot of you don't like this set up, but I wanted to try it and then express on my own thoughts on it. That's why I built it. This is something new to me. Yes I'm also aware that the tube needs to be properly wiped out and clean after each flight, so aside from that what else should I be aware of?

Thanks again!