Rust-Oleum 2X Paint & Primer excellent Finish Hands Down!

[Scott Chase]

A Thank you to timbucktoo for donating the rocket
The rocket is in perfect condition and ready to fly. The colors as you can see from the pictures are red and blue.

I decided since the rocket is in such good condition I would give it some new paint. I sanded the rocket using a medium grit paper. Then a final finish sanding using 1000 grit Paper.

I wiped the entire rocket down with paper towels until there was no paint residue on the paper towels. For the the final wipe down to remove any sanding dust I used a micro fiber cloth . Then I sprayed several coats of Rust-Oleum white primer.
Rust-Oleum primer must be put on in several thin coats. If it's applied in thick coats it will wrinkle because the top layer of a thick coat will dry fast and shrink over the wet paint below. Wrinkles are a common problem with Rust-Oleum primer and paint if applied thick.
After the primer several thin coats of gloss white.

After 24 hours dry time I was ready to paint the nose cone and fins I taped off the area around the fins using blue painters tape. Next I prepared the spray can I lined up the nozzle with the black spot on top of the can. I always shake spray cans over one minute and clear the nozzle by spraying a couple of shots into the air. if I don't the nozzle will spit little dots into my coat of paint. I then sprayed the fins and nose cone with Rust-Oleum Tuscan Sun being careful to make sure to maintain thin coats with a dry time of 24 (Factory website recommends 48 hours) between coats.


Next I merged the Aerotech Logo with a Cheetah
Double click the image
Now we have a nice looking Aerotech Cheetah.
As you can see Rust-Oleum primer and paint can produce a very nice finish. If you always follow a few simple rules.

 

[jqavins]

I've been using Rusto 2X for virtually a lot my rockets. I don't tend to put a lot of effort into perfect finishes, but this paint has always given results that meet my expectations, such as they are. In fact, I just bought two new cans this afternoon.

 

[Scott Chase]

I've been using Rusto 2X for virtually a lot my rockets. I don't tend to put a lot of effort into perfect finishes, but this paint has always given results that meet my expectations, such as they are. In fact, I just bought two new cans this afternoon.

jgavins
I agree completely!

 

[Rocketcas]

Very nice!

 

[neil_w]

Very nice.

Recommended recoat time for Rusto 2x is less than one hour or greater than *48* hours. I'm glad 24 hours worked for you, but you're playing with fire there.

 

[DMKiefer]

Yep you got real lucky. Here’s mine after a 24 hour recote. Won’t make that mistake again.

 

[Scott Chase]

Very nice!

Thanks

 

[Scott Chase]

Very nice!

Very nice.

Recommended recoat time for Rusto 2x is less than one hour or greater than *48* hours. I'm glad 24 hours worked for you, but you're playing with fire there.

Neil,
The writing on the can is so small I can't read it anyway. Maybe I have good results with 2x because my Carport is so hot and dry. I went thru the whole wrinkle thing myself and just kept trying new ways of painting until I found what works here in Florida.
Thanks,
Brian

 

[Scott Chase]

Very nice.

Recommended recoat time for Rusto 2x is less than one hour or greater than *48* hours. I'm glad 24 hours worked for you, but you're playing with fire there.

Neil,
Those fleet pics and your designs are really impressive you really have the skills for design.
Brian

 

[Scott Chase]

Yep you got real lucky. Here’s mine after a 24 hour recote. Won’t make that mistake again.

Oh yea I know that wrinkle and the extra sanding that goes with it.
Brian

 

[neil_w]

Maybe I have good results with 2x because my Carport is so hot and dry.

That definitely helps, I'm sure. Just keep it in mind.

Those fleet pics and your designs are really impressive you really have the skills for design.

Thanks.

 

[jqavins]

I'm pretty sure the can says 24 hours. But the can is wrong, and I say that from experience. It's rather humid today, so I'll let the coat I just applied cure for at least 72 hours. And then if I don't get back to painting for a coule of days more, so much the better. All that said, I still like the stuff.

 

[neil_w]

I'm pretty sure the can says 24 hours.

From their website:

FOR BEST RESULTS
Apply 2 or more light coats a few minutes apart. Spray in a steady back-and-forth motion. To prevent wrinkling, spray light coats within an hour, then let dry for 48 hours before applying a topcoat.

 

[Titan II]

I just checked 8 cans I had handy. Six said 48 and two said 24. The current info on their web is 48. I believe the ones that said 24 were older. I almost use it exclusively and have not had any problems.

 

[Funkworks]

Yeah paint! Woohoo! Color rocks!

 

[AfterBurners]

I think you did an excellent job on the finish on the rocket. It turned out exceptional, but I'll never touch Rusto ever again. I had the same issues as many have on this forum with the paint wrinkle and spitting out cottage cheese balls. No way. I'll stick with Duplicolor.

 

[Scott Chase]

I'm pretty sure the can says 24 hours. But the can is wrong, and I say that from experience. It's rather humid today, so I'll let the coat I just applied cure for at least 72 hours. And then if I don't get back to painting for a coule of days more, so much the better. All that said, I still like the stuff.

Joe,
I'm in Florida and my garage often gets in the 90s the thin coats are ready for another coat in 24 hours.

From their website:

Neil
I'm baffled?? I really can't explain way 24 hours works for me it's obvious from the website information that the 48 hours is the dry time. I'm going to give it 48 hours like the website says. I'll just work on other projects while it dries.
Thank you,
Brian

 

[neil_w]

I'm in Florida and my garage often gets in the 90s the thin coats are ready for another coat in 24 hours.

I do believe the paint cures somewhat more quickly in a hot environment, so that's probably working in your favor.

It's not clear to me though, what you're saying when you say "thin coats are ready for another coat". Do you mean, for example, the multiple coats of a single color to build up a single basecoat? Those coats are normally done a few minutes apart, within a total of one hour, and *then* you have the multi-day wait. If you're doing one thin coat per day, in a hot garage, that might explain why it worked, although I still wouldn't recommend it.

So normally, a white base coat is applied in less than an hour, and then you wait multiple days. Then mask and apply the next coat in the same way.

If I've misunderstood what you are saying, let me know.

Finally: when painting plastic, you need to wait even longer to ensure proper adhesion (many have found this out the hard way!) A week is good.

 

[Scott Chase]

I do believe the paint cures somewhat more quickly in a hot environment, so that's probably working in your favor.

It's not clear to me though, what you're saying when you say "thin coats are ready for another coat". Do you mean, for example, the multiple coats of a single color to build up a single basecoat? Those coats are normally done a few minutes apart, within a total of one hour, and *then* you have the multi-day wait. If you're doing one thin coat per day, in a hot garage, that might explain why it worked, although I still wouldn't recommend it.

So normally, a white base coat is applied in less than an hour, and then you wait multiple days. Then mask and apply the next coat in the same way.

If I've misunderstood what you are saying, let me know.

Finally: when painting plastic, you need to wait even longer to ensure proper adhesion (many have found this out the hard way!) A week is good.

Neil
I made a comment in the main thread that the factory website recommends 48 hours dry time.
Thank you,
Brian

 

[neil_w]

I made a comment in the main thread that the factory website recommends 48 hours dry time.

I am not sure what that has to do with my comment.

I was trying to get clarification of what you meant by letting “thin coats” dry for 24 hours before the next coat.

 

[jqavins]

I just checked 8 cans I had handy. Six said 48 and two said 24. The current info on their web is 48. I believe the ones that said 24 were older. I almost use it exclusively and have not had any problems.

I too checked the cans I just bought and found 48 hours. (I had only said I was pretty sure.) So yeah, I guess I read 24 a while ago on older cans. Maybe the Rustoleum folks got word from users that 24 hours wasn't doing it.

I'm sure the high Florida temps help. Are you up in the north part of the state? Central and south Florida humidity would not be your friend.

 

[Scott Chase]

I am not sure what that has to do with my comment.

I was trying to get clarification of what you meant by letting “thin coats” dry for 24 hours before the next coat.

Neil,
What I mean by thin coat. First I'm painting in a garage in the heat under a very high output LED flood light. First coat of primer I hold my can back from the prepared surface at a distance that only covers the tube surface so lightly that I can still see the tube color underneath I rotate the rocket to get complete coverage. Second Coat is 24 hours later I sand clean surface and spray again judging the distance of the spray by how thin it looks under the spot light making sure to cover completely by rotating the rocket. This is done one more time thus having three coats 24 hours apart. The same process is repeated with Paint over the primer.
Thank you
Brian

 

[neil_w]

What I mean by thin coat. First I'm painting in a garage in the heat under a very high output LED flood light. First coat of primer I hold my can back from the prepared surface at a distance that only covers the tube surface so lightly that I can still see the tube color underneath I rotate the rocket to get complete coverage. Second Coat is 24 hours later I sand clean surface and spray again judging the distance of the spray by how thin it looks under the spot light making sure to cover completely by rotating the rocket. This is done one more time thus having three coats 24 hours apart. The same process is repeated with Paint over the primer.

OK then, that's what I was saying before. Standard practice (as recommended by Rustoleum) is to apply those three coats in one session, usually about 10 minutes apart or thereabouts, but finishing within one hour. Then you wait 48+ hours to continue.

A single thin coat like you're doing might indeed cure sufficiently to recoat in 24 hours, but that's not how most folks paint. By all means use whatever system works for you.

 

[DaHabes]

Joe,
I'm in Florida and my garage often gets in the 90s the thin coats are ready for another coat in 24 hours.

Neil
I'm baffled?? I really can't explain way 24 hours works for me it's obvious from the website information that the 48 hours is the dry time. I'm going to give it 48 hours like the website says. I'll just work on other projects while it dries.
Thank you,
Brian

Drying time depends on temp and humidity. 48 hours is safer...

 

[Jay Dub 4009]

I have gotten fed up with spray paint in general. Got a HLVP gun and will never look back!

 

[gtche98]

I have gotten fed up with spray paint in general. Got a HLVP gun and will never look back!

What HLVP system are you using and what are paint are you shooting with it?

 

[rockladen]

An excellent quality spray paint is Krylon Acryli-Quick Acrylic Laquer. Dries in 8 minutes and can recoat anytime. The finish is superb.

 

[Jay Dub 4009]

What HLVP system are you using and what are paint are you shooting with it?

Got a husky set at Home Depot that had a HLVP and a gravity feed gun. Createx paint (water based) Amazing stuff. Dial the gun in and it sprays light, and dries in 10 mins or less and can spray next coat immediately. No more waiting for days. The 5 mins to clean the gun and learning how to mix the paints is well worth the rewards.

I was inspired by the recent post of the little John amazing paint job. Yesterday was the first time doing it for me and even the first time had good results. MDRM nose cone with primer, black sealer coat and then 4 coats of wicked jet black.

 

[neil_w]

An excellent quality spray paint is Krylon Acryli-Quick Acrylic Laquer. Dries in 8 minutes and can recoat anytime. The finish is superb.

Who sells it at retail?

Color selection is limited. Could be an interesting strategy to use it as base coat, and then use Rusto as top coat if different colors are required. Would Rusto enamel layer on top of the Krylon lacquer base coat be safe?

 

[rockladen]

I get it from Amazon. None of the big box hardware stores carry it. The colors are limited, but I just finished painting a Madcow 4 inch Black Brant II, and it came out awesome.




Do not use enamel over laquer.