The Porsche DX3 is back

[Rob Campbell]

Now that's some serious eye candy!

 

[Blast it Tom!]

I posted above that it's a real beaut, and I'll say it again! And while I had my son at the dentist, I read through Nathan's 2013 thread on how he paints and polishes, lined on the 1st page - very informative. But automotive enamels are one thing - cure up strong and hard, take a deep shine, and polish well. SWMBO wants me not to spray such volitiles in the storage room/shop, wher I can paint in the winter, so I've bought some Createx acrylics to airbrush with. I wonder if our hero (or anyone else for that matter) could achieve the same mirror finish with acrylics?

 

[Banzai88]

I wonder if our hero (or anyone else for that matter) could achieve the same mirror finish with acrylics?

MOST paints these days are acrylics: Lacquers, enamels, urethanes, and water are the most common base carrier systems, though.

If you're talking about using water based acrylic paints as a color coat such as those offered by Createx or Wicked, with enough time and effort, most likely. Especially if one was willing to use some of the uncatalyzed clear coats and do all the finish polishing.

Then again, I find that catalyzed clear like Max2K to be glossier, easier to work with, harder and more durable, and polish better than the non-catalyzed like KBS Diamond. Either way, it's going to require some amount of effort in surface prep and polishing.

 

[Blast it Tom!]

MOST paints these days are acrylics: Lacquers, enamels, urethanes, and water are the most common base carrier systems, though.

If you're talking about using water based acrylic paints as a color coat such as those offered by Createx or Wicked, with enough time and effort, most likely. Especially if one was willing to use some of the uncatalyzed clear coats and do all the finish polishing.

Then again, I find that catalyzed clear like Max2K to be glossier, easier to work with, harder and more durable, and polish better than the non-catalyzed like KBS Diamond. Either way, it's going to require some amount of effort in surface prep and polishing.

Thanks - and yes, to get anything approaching @Nathan's fine work will definitely take both good ingredients and careful application - as well as patience and a LOT of elbow grease!

 

[Nathan]

Hey there Nathan. Hope you are well. I’m currently in the process of priming my second Zephyr Jr kit after almost a month of prep work and filling any minor imperfections with duplicolor filler (geez this is truly a patience game)

I have two questions if you don’t mind. First, when having dark color and lighter base coat colors on a rocket, is it a good idea to use a white and grey/black primer to better highlight the base coat colors used ? (In a zephyr jr, there are three main colors: white, green, then black)

Lastly, do you sand in between base coats? If this question has already been answered I apologize, thank you in advance !

The only primer that I use is gray primer, usually Restoration Shop lacquer primer from TCP Global.

For cardboard and wood rockets like the Apogee Zephyr Jr, I would normally fill the spirals and woodgrain using Carpenter's Wood Filler (CWF) thinned with water. For the plastic nose cone I would use Bondo putty.

No, I do not sand between base color coats. I do sand every primer coat, which is absolutely necessary.

Nice! Is there a thread showing the inside of the av bay? Id live to see the switch setup

There is nothing special about the switch setup, just the two key switches with JST connectors soldered on. Here is the av-bay sled, which is the same one that I use in several rockets. It has been flown over 50 times, mostly in my Madcow Frenzy XL which just had its 40th flight.

Just in case Nathan isn't around, I'll help you out here.

Yes, he sands. A lot. More than anyone.

If you search you can probably find the thread where he describes his painting techniques in detail. I can't find it at the moment, but it's out there. It's pretty amazing.

Yeah I'm still around! I have done several paint technique threads, this one was one of my favorites:
https://www.rocketryforum.com/threads/upscale-onyx.135941/

I posted above that it's a real beaut, and I'll say it again! And while I had my son at the dentist, I read through Nathan's 2013 thread on how he paints and polishes, lined on the 1st page - very informative. But automotive enamels are one thing - cure up strong and hard, take a deep shine, and polish well. SWMBO wants me not to spray such volitiles in the storage room/shop, wher I can paint in the winter, so I've bought some Createx acrylics to airbrush with. I wonder if our hero (or anyone else for that matter) could achieve the same mirror finish with acrylics?

I have no experience with Createx paint which is water-based acrylic. For several years now the only thing I use to paint rockets is acrylic lacquer.

 

[Nathan]

I posted above that it's a real beaut, and I'll say it again! And while I had my son at the dentist, I read through Nathan's 2013 thread on how he paints and polishes, lined on the 1st page - very informative. But automotive enamels are one thing - cure up strong and hard, take a deep shine, and polish well. SWMBO wants me not to spray such volitiles in the storage room/shop, wher I can paint in the winter, so I've bought some Createx acrylics to airbrush with. I wonder if our hero (or anyone else for that matter) could achieve the same mirror finish with acrylics?

If by "automotive enamels" you are referring to catalyzed urethane enamel, then I agree with your SWMBO! For decades, all new cars have been painted with catalyzed urethane enamel. It is provides an amazingly hard and durable finish but is dangerous to work with unless you have professional equipment including a full body suit and a fresh air system. A respirator mask is not enough. You seriously don't want to get that stuff in your lungs or even on your skin. I don't use urethane enamel.

 

[Blast it Tom!]

If by "automotive enamels" you are referring to catalyzed urethane enamel, then I agree with your SWMBO! For decades, all new cars have been painted with catalyzed urethane enamel. It is provides an amazingly hard and durable finish but is dangerous to work with unless you have professional equipment including a full body suit and a fresh air system. A respirator mask is not enough. You seriously don't want to get that stuff in your lungs or even on your skin. I don't use urethane enamel.

Thanks, Nathan. I was more specifically referring to the Dupli-Color you showed in your 2013 thread (another beaut), or things like rattle-can Rustoleum, Krylon, or any non-water based spray paint that smells like chemicals. I use a charcoal respirator if I have to do much of that indoors.

 

[Hobie1dog]

The difference in a rattle can with its 2 cent nozzle and an automotive style gun is a pretty dramatic difference in atomization. Being able to throw very small sized drops of paint that will flow together is something that really makes the difference. There is the Youtube video showing the duplicolor rattle can being used on a car fender:

 

[Blast it Tom!]

The difference in a rattle can with its 2 cent nozzle and an automotive style gun is a pretty dramatic difference in atomization. Being able to throw very small sized drops of paint that will flow together is something that really makes the difference. There is the Youtube video showing the duplicolor rattle can being used on a car fender:

Now I have something else to keep up with and try to learn from!

 

[Banzai88]

Now I have something else to keep up with and try to learn from!

Don't forget, all that paint adds weight, and weight costs newtons when you talking rockets! Especially the 2K clear, it builds up nice and thick and deep and will polish up nicely and be hard and durable. That's one of the nice trade offs of lacquer color coat, it's thin and light, if somewhat softer and less durable than enamels.

 

[Blast it Tom!]

Oh yes, it sure does. But I ain't an altitude junkie anymore (Criminee I can't even get out to fly... ). I like'em pretty and my wife doesn't like the storage room smelling like an auto shop paint booth!

 

[AHansom]

Great looking rocket!!! Have you ever tried the "Drag it across the Desert" technique for sanding between coats?