The worst Thing About Rattle Can Paint

[Valkyrie]

...one can does not match the next.

I was mounting the rail buttons on my LOC Iris and everything was going well until the drill bit walked and I had a hole where I didn't want it. Easy fix with a little epoxy and touch it up. The can I used to paint the fuselage was empty so I opened up a new can. Taped off a 2x2" spot and sprayed. Damn, a different shade of paint. Anyway, I feathered out the edges and polished them out but the area is noticeably different in color but I can live with it..

In any event, the rocket is ready to fly.

 

[smapdiage9]

This is one reason why I always set my painting goal as "does it look good on the pad from the spectator line".

I admire folks with the amazing show car quality deeply glossed paintjobs but I just don't have it in me right now!

 

[jrkennedy2]

This is one reason why I always set my painting goal as "does it look good on the pad from the spectator line".

I admire folks with the amazing show car quality deeply glossed paintjobs but I just don't have it in me right now!

+1 spectator line...

 

[Valkyrie]

It isnt noticeable at even three feet away so, I am fine with it. Just one of those little things that irk me.

 

[cherokeej]

If you can't see the flaw at 2000 feet and Mach 1, then it ain't a flaw.

98 cent/can Wally World paint. High-end finish. Cuz it's gonna get thrashed anyway.

 

[blackbrandt]

If you can't see the flaw at 2000 feet and Mach 1, then it ain't a flaw.

98 cent/can Wally World paint. High-end finish. Cuz it's gonna get thrashed anyway.

My opinion exactly.

 

[tim cubbedge]

Unless it's in a showcase for display, I can live with blemishes. Once you fly it a few times it's gonna be scratched up some!

 

[grouch]

Not me. I want them looking perfect at least once in their life. After they have a couple of flights in them I don't care but until then they better look like a magazine cover girl.

 

[dixontj93060]

I tend to always keep at a 1/4 to 1/2 can around of paint used on any rocket. My wife hates it, but I like my rockets looking nice and am committed to repairing them as needed.

 

[markkoelsch]

This is one reason why I always set my painting goal as "does it look good on the pad from the spectator line".

I admire folks with the amazing show car quality deeply glossed paintjobs but I just don't have it in me right now!

That is how I look at it, when I actually paint rockets. It is will be flown, and it will be scratched. Looks cool, but Is not something I would choose to do.

 

[The_Lone_Beagle]

It isnt noticeable at even three feet away so, I am fine with it. Just one of those little things that irk me.

Dude, your paint jobs are much better than mine!

Yes, I think I have the same OCD qualities, but, my paint jobs are good therapy in teaching me how to deal with it.

Somebody on this list has a signature line about "Their rockets have to fly and earn their paint." I'm beginning to see the genius in that idea!

 

[cherokeej]

Hi dollar paint jobs don't make sense to me. I did it once. 22 hours of wet sanding, undercoat, color coat, sealer coat. That Miracle color change paint. Man, that was a pretty rocket.

Right up until the first flight. Nevermind the scratches from the trip up to BR. It was the 1/4 mile of playa rash that did it in.

Big $$ paint on a rocket is like a super-expensive car. OK, so, you can afford a $250K ride. You pull out of the driveway, and head on down the street. Who's that coming around the corner? Why, it's Junior. In his $75 junk yard special. No license, no insurance, no job, and no brakes.

 

[ThirstyBarbarian]

It isnt noticeable at even three feet away so, I am fine with it.

I don't know, man... Are you sure you don't want to repaint the whole thing?

:wink:

 

[boatgeek]

The standard I use at work is "Can I see the difference from a horse as I ride by?"

 

[3stoogesrocketry]

Several years ago I had a nice new red 2006 gm2500 truck with a new black diamond plate toolbox. One day at work I was digging around in the box looking for a persuaded ( three foot pinch bar) and after I was done using it carelessly tossed it into the box. Well wouldn't you know the friggen bar be linned straight into the case of safty yellow parking lot paint ( the big cans) . Needless to say after the haze of yellow cleared the area , I had a new custom two tone paint job . That was a fun call to the insurance agency. The truck was at the body shop for about two weeks getting pulled apart and wet sanded and re-cleared. The box was shot black and called it a day. That's the worst thing about rattle cans lol.

Eric

 

[byoungblood]

I'm definitely a 3-6' paint job guy myself. As long as it looks good at that distance, I can take a few small flaws. But I do like it to look good at least for its first launch.

As such, I've never had much problem with rattle can paint with simple colors like black and white. I had to repair a zipper on a MPR about 6-8 months ago and surprisingly enough the bright lime green I painted it matched incredibly well. Red always seems to be the problem child, even guys I've talked to at body shops acknowledge red is one of the tougher colors to match correctly.

 

[Kruegon]

I want the initial paint job to be the best I know how to do. When you bring a new rocket out, everyone wants to see it. Let it be a nice display for those first few hours. Yes it'll get a little thrashed from landings, but it'll look awesome on day one. New cars look awesome in day one. After a few years you have scratches and door dings. But you still love your car. And I still love my rockets.

 

[EXPjawa]

I want the initial paint job to be the best I know how to do. When you bring a new rocket out, everyone wants to see it. Let it be a nice display for those first few hours. Yes it'll get a little thrashed from landings, but it'll look awesome on day one. New cars look awesome in day one. After a few years you have scratches and door dings. But you still love your car. And I still love my rockets.

This is exactly how I feel about it, with the side note that with at least some cars (and rockets), I'll also try my damnedest to keep the paint looking good years later. My Mustang is now 15 years old, but looks nearly new. My SUV, notsomuch...

 

[ActingLikeAKid]

This is exactly how I feel about it, with the side note that with at least some cars (and rockets), I'll also try my damnedest to keep the paint looking good years later. My Mustang is now 15 years old, but looks nearly new. My SUV, notsomuch...

When I had my Miata, I was all about carefully washing, prepping, polishing and waxing the paint.
Now I have a minivan and twins. They do a free wash when I take it in for service, and that's about all the washing it gets.