Painting During the Winter

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SSenesy

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Ok, I'll throw this out there hoping for some creative ideas...

How do you paint when the temps are too low? Heated garage? Basement? Rented paint booth? Other?

I tried using a space heater to raise the temp of my garage today, but that was an exercise in futility. The basement might work, but we have a small basement with the furnace in the middle and I'm worried about fumes.

What do you do? Or do you just build and wait till spring to paint?
 
Here in Minnesota winter is 6 months out of the year. I paint indoors using an airbrush, a quiet airbrush compressor and acrylic paint. The compressor is quiet enough so that I don't disturb the neighbors, the airbrush doesn't over-spray the paint and the acrylic paint has no noxious fumes and easy to clean up. So wether I am working on a model rocket or scale plastic model, I don't have to worry about the weather.
 
Living up here in Northern NY near the Canadian border, our winters are long also.
I've found that I can successfully prime and paint my rockets outside.
I make sure the rattle cans and rockets are room temperature. I then go outside and spray as quickly and efficiently as possible.
Then both cans and rockets return inside. If additional coats are needed, I repeat the process making sure everything is back up to room temperature and the paint has cured enough for another coat.
I did this last winter with much success.
 
I'll take Duplicolor or other brands of spray cans and set them in a pitchure of hot water and let it set for about 10 minutes and then go spray outside. It has worked great for me for years.
 
I'll take Duplicolor or other brands of spray cans and set them in a pitchure of hot water and let it set for about 10 minutes and then go spray outside. It has worked great for me for years.

Do you have a lot of problems with blushing? I've been using the Duplicolor cans lately and really like the lacquer but blushing has been a problem.
 
Warm the paint as others have said. The surface temp of the rocket should not be cold. If you can open the garage door and the sun shines in all the better you can work in the sun and out of the breeze--you'ld be surprised how warm that area can get---if none of that is good --use a space heater and put a small fan in one corner pointed up. this circulates the air --remember heat rises---the temp may be 80 or above at the ceiling and in the 40's at head level.It takes a while to warm up . I'd start warming several hours before you think your going to paint.
 
Do you have a lot of problems with blushing? I've been using the Duplicolor cans lately and really like the lacquer but blushing has been a problem.

I will take the rocket after spraying down to the basement where it is warm. I also spray the clear and its all been good. I spray light coats 2 or 3 times and then I'll spray a medium coat, wait about 20 minutes take the rocket back outside and spray the clear. I'll spray a light coat and then a medium coat. Hope this helps.
 
What's winter? :neener:

I second that..... what is Winter??? Hmmmm...... nothing but Palm trees and sunshine down here in Florida!!

Actually had a LOC Doorknob turn out pretty good a few days ago using Banner Red Krylon. I went light to avoid the paint running (Krylon seems to have gotten thinner lately), and two gnats look they are now a permanent fixture. But the humidity was just perfect for painting!
 
I will take the rocket after spraying down to the basement where it is warm. I also spray the clear and its all been good. I spray light coats 2 or 3 times and then I'll spray a medium coat, wait about 20 minutes take the rocket back outside and spray the clear. I'll spray a light coat and then a medium coat. Hope this helps.

Yes, it does. Thanks very much for the info.

I'm going to try this out over the weekend. It's 'supposed' to warm up a bit here in NJ after the Nor'easter comes through tomorrow.
 
I spray in my garage and its around 40 to 55 in the winter. When I'm done I move the rocket into the house to dry and I never seem to have a problem with it.

TA
 
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