some of my painting stands

[DJ Delorie]

A couple of paint stands I made, I've got one each of 13mm 18mm and 24mm (D) sizes. Also used to insert engine thrust rings. Having a wood shop is handy

The tops match the diameter and length of standard engines, so they clip in with the engine clip,
and the inside of the engine mount is the one part of the rocket I don't paint anyway, and it helps keep paint out of there too!

 

[DJ Delorie]

Here's a photo of a rocket mounted on the 24mm stand.

 

[Elbmod]

Now there's a good idea! I like that a lot, guess what I'll be trying tomorrow????

 

[teflonrocketry1]

I used to use a vertical mount paint stand; but take a look at my article on page 3 of: The July/August 1999 issue of the Leading Edge at:

https://www.nira-rocketry.org/LeadingEdge/JulAug99.pdf

Bruce S. Levison, NAR #69055

 

[DJ Delorie]

I had a paint "stand" that used my lathe with an old rotisserie motor to turn the model slowly as the paint dried. However, I just finished three rockets that are over five feet tall. I can't support those horizontally, they'd probably break.

I have had quite a few chances to learn how to use spray paint though ;-)

 

[Micromeister]

Many of you folks may have seen my two part article in sport rocketry on Homemade paint chambers. model mounting stands are a very important consideration before starting the painting process.
Some of my LMR's are fitted over a "stem" that slips into an old D motor caseing fixed to a lazy susan either motorized or manually turned during the painting process. This allows the model to be completely covered without having to change sparying position in front of the chamber. Horizontal turnable stands are of great value for smaller models that can be locked onto the mandel in the models motor mount.
I use 1/2" hardwood dowels that will accept and 18mm motor casing and/or a combination of 18/24mm motor casings for D motor and cluster models. On the other end of these monuting stems (the part that slides into the turntable mounted D casing) another 18mm casing is glued onto the dowel which makes a very solid,stable slip-in connection. By making a number of these stem mandrels in various lengths one can adjust the height of the model to be sprayed and adapt to any motor mount size you like. Here's a pic of my 3X Orbital Transport in the my Large paint chamber. Note the 18" square manual homemake lazy susan in the bottom of the chamber. While painting the model is rotated with a 36" maul-stick. The stem mandrel for this model consisted of a 1/2" dowel about 12" long a expended 18mm motor casing and to cardstock centering rings roughly cut from the back cardboard on a paper pad.

 

[Micromeister]

Below the 2"x 6"dia. styrofoam disk in the picture below is one of those wind-up spring driven microwave oven turntables I'm sure you've seen. this is a great way to keep the model turning during painting. The large hole in the center of the foam will pass an 18mm stem into a 24mm casing epoxed to the turnable top.
I use this method for larger models also in my larger chamber on a fold out shelf. pictured in the down postion in the pervious photo.

 

[Micromeister]

another detail paint and fin attachment fixture which will sit in either horizontal or vertical position without having to touch the model also make detail painting, striping and decaling a breeze. This fixture is specifically made for micro models, I have another that will take models from 10.5mm to D12's using the same motor mount fitted motor casings.

 

[WiK]

I just glue a spent engine casing to a cd

Same basic outcome, but sooo much easier.

 

[Karl]

Now theres a great idea ! Micro how long did it take to build the 'chamber' that you paint in ?
-Karl

 

[Micromeister]

The large "Visqueen plastic" bag chamber took about two weeks, including a very long satruday cutting and heat sealing all the pieces of the "bag" with a monocoat iron, If memory service I was at it for 16 or 18 hours. Construction of the folding tube frame went very quick. I think the 2" x 2" wooden frame option would go even faster. Most of the remaining time was devising ways to install the upper fold down shelf, silde in-liftout center board, mounting the blower and attaching the other hardware and velcro fasteners & 4" dryer ducting.

 

[Micromeister]

Here are 4 turntable/lazy susan types model mounts I've been using.
Upper left: An 8" dia raised aluminim manual turntable fitted with a D casing epoxied to a 2" x 2" square of acrylic VHB tape and masking taped to the alum. top.
Upper Right: this is a 12" dia all plastic lazy susan the the same type D mount VHB & screwed to the top.
lower left: 12" spring driven "Microwave turntable" D mount VHB and epoxied to the top.
lower right 8" Spring driven "Microwave turntable" same mounting base. this one used in the small paint chamber.

Note the different tube size "slip in" mounts which allow multi models to be processed at the same time. Paint the first model then removing the still wet model to another area to dry. Load the next model, slipping the mandel into the turntables D casing base. the second model is ready for painting.

 

[Micromeister]

lastly heres a look at the Fixture I use for assembling,detail painting and application of decals on Standard size Model rockets.

This larger units 6" x 3/4" solid wood turning wheel and 1 x 4x 10 inch base give this jig enough weight to hold larger BT-80 size models (Optioms, Super Big Bertha and BroadSword) in either vertical or Horizontal positiion. It will also work with some clusters but you will have an offset rotation.