Total airbrush newb obsevation and question

[Pem Tech]

OK, so after getting back into rocketry several years ago I learned the fine art of finishing and painting. Well, somewhat...
As time has passed and my laziness has grown I discovered that sanding every little, tiny blemish out of any filler and primer was not necessary with the liberal application of decent rattle can paint. Matter of fact, I landed my greatest catch (Trudy) with my finishing skills. (not meaning to brag) On our first date she was so impressed with the HMAS Bonestell that she decided to continue going out with me, even though I am old and round.
:clap:


ANYWAY....
So, now I have started using a Paashe H single action, and am thrilled that the paint is less expensive, doesn't over-spray and is custom mixable. But the Createx paint apparently goes on so thin that it shows ever stinking little nick, void or sanding mark. Heck, I usually finish primer with 230 grit Norton sandpaper and get a fab finish with a rattle can but now their are valleys in my paint!
:bangpan:

For those of you not put to sleep by this little diatribe here are the questions.
Is this an inescapable result of using an airbrush and Createx?
Will additional coats help?
Am I putting the paint on too thin?

 

[BsSmith]

I have the same brush!

I had the same problem with Creatix paint, especially the pearl white. It is very thin, translucent paint. The solution that I've found is to use Creatix white as an undercoat, because it is not as thin. Then,once the white is blemish free, spray the color coat on top.

It's was a looooong process for me (especially because I was painting a 6ft tall rocket), but the results were well worth it. The pearl white and blue look great if you can get them right.

 

[stantonjtroy]

Couple of things. Createx is an acrylic. As such it has a high shrink rate as it dries and it tends to dry very fast. This will in turn show more flaws. Plactic enamel (model paint, Krylon, Rustoleum, etc) and urethaine paints tend to dry a little (or a lot) slower and as such flow out and level a little better. As a rule I final sand primer with a 320 grt minium, 400grt if I have it. The smoother the better. Your prep is your finish. As for the airbrush, the finer the tip and needle ( or difusion cone) the finer the atomization of the paint. This allows it to go on thinner. I prefer the internal mix, duel action brush. It gives better overall control of flow and fluid placement. Hope this helps.

 

[Pem Tech]

*whew*
Thanks guys, I was worried no one was going to pitch in and help a brother out.


So, finer sandpaper and white under coating it is.

 

[UPscaler]

While adding several coats of createx can cover up cracks better. I like to use testors paint thinned down with mineral spirits.

but I got a tip from a tripoli idaho meeting. Appearently, the thing to use is latex wall paint, thinned with washer fluid. Like the kind you put in your car.

I haven't tried it yet, but I've read some good things about it online.

 

[jim fustini]

I use Faskolor by Parma. It is for Lexan RC car and truck bodies. It covers very well. Works on Wood, Ceramic, Plastic, cardboard and Fiberglass. It is non- toxic and cleans up with water, I have painted over 50 model, mid and highpower rockets with it. No problems. Here is one of my high power rockets painted with Faskolor air brushed (blue and purple) and Krylon ( yellow rattle can)

 

[jim fustini]

Here is another.

 

[BsSmith]

Although I haven't tried it yet in the airbrush, I've been thinking of making a full switch to duplicolor paint. The airbrush paint only comes in primary colors, but it's easy enough to mix. Duplicolor also has an amazing assortion of clear coats, so I can mix translucent paints for that extra bit of detail.

 

[JAL3]

Layne,

You're doing things the hard way. Head on over to Sherwin Williams and pick up a gallon of your color of choice. That should be enough to paint lots of rockets especially since you specialize in the mid 20th century metallics. Also pick up 2 gallons of paint thinner and find yourself a #3 washtub. Mix the paint and thinner thoroughy in the tub. Grip the rocket by the shock cord and dip it into the tub, withdrawing it slowly and letting it drip into the tub (or Trudy will have something to say about it). Suspend it from the clothesline for 24 hours and you're good to go.

Save the airbrushes for the artists. You need to get back to engineering and put out some newer selections!

 

[FatBoy]

I use Faskolor by Parma. It is for Lexan RC car and truck bodies. It covers very well. Works on Wood, Ceramic, Plastic, cardboard and Fiberglass.

Jim... I looked at Parma's Faskolor a few times and thought about trying it (especially because of the brilliant colors available), but since it was made specificly for Lexan, I didn't think it would be good for cardboard and wood. Thanks - I am going to have to give it a try.

 

[FatBoy]

I had the same problem with Creatix paint, especially the pearl white. It is very thin, translucent paint.

I have used a lot of the pearlized and irridescent Createx paint too. It's light-reflecting properties unfortunately also reflect off of undesirable surfaces, like the sides of balsa grain and tube spirals. This makes minor flaws and imperfections look horribly magnified. I have also tried your solution of a white undercoat, but that was mainly done because the white is more opaque, giving a better base to put down the pearlized paint. I guess I hadn't realized that at the same time I was helping to hide some imperfections too.

 

[Pem Tech]

Layne,

Save the airbrushes for the artists. You need to get back to engineering and put out some newer selections!

Yes Brother John....
You are right....
There are just so many projects and so little time!

 

[Stymye]

Layne , hit your rockets with a can of white spray paint(of your choice) before using the airbrush.
If you want them really slick ,wet sand the white basecoat.
I do this with every rocket
than airbrush away

If I recall faskolor costs twice as much as createx/auto air.(ok...it's also fuel proof)
Now if people are trying to cover grain, blemishes and cracks with paint well...mabey the problem lies more in the construction finishing rather than the paint. airbrushing/painting is mabeythe last 10% of the job to a great looking finish

 

[Sandy H.]

When I painted a motorcycle helmet years ago it looked pretty bad until the clearcoat, which once sanded made it look great.

I too notice that the Createx paints seem thin and almost add a little bit of wrinkle finish. I have clear coated one rocket and it was better, but still not great. Maybe give that a try on some scrap and see if it helps.

Sandy.

 

[jim fustini]

I have tried Createx airbrush paint too with poor results.
I had done a lot RC truck bodies using Faskolor.
It states right on the bottle that you can use it on more than Lexan.
I pay $3.49 a bottle that is equal in coverage to a rattle can of Krylon
And they have alot of cool colors. Also I always clear coat after painting using Krylon or" Painters choice"( Rustoleum). Here is a photo of some more rockets using Faskolor and rattle can primers,clear coats, and some base colors.

 

[luke strawwalker]

Layne , hit your rockets with a can of white spray paint(of your choice) before using the airbrush.
If you want them really slick ,wet sand the white basecoat.
I do this with every rocket
than airbrush away

If I recall faskolor costs twice as much as createx/auto air.(ok...it's also fuel proof)
Now if people are trying to cover grain, blemishes and cracks with paint well...mabey the problem lies more in the construction finishing rather than the paint. airbrushing/painting is mabeythe last 10% of the job to a great looking finish

Amen and amen!!!!

If you want a killer finish, you gotta start with a *perfect* looking finish on the primer... simple as that.

Prime, let dry, sand with 220 til it's smooth, then go over it with 600 grit wet/dry that's been dampened, and sand in SMALL CIRCLES, CONSTANTLY MOVING. DO NOT SAND IN JUST ONE SPOT! Keep the paper washed off after every minute or so of sanding, and periodically wipe the 'sanding mud' off the tube and inspect it in the light. You can SEE imperfections that you will NEVER feel, if you learn how to do it. Hold the rocket so you get a reflection off the tube, like a 'glint' of sunlight off a windshield type of effect. Now gently rock the rocket side to side, so the "glint" moves up and down the length of the tube... is it wavy?? Broken pattern?? Uneven, tapering, pits, scratches, etc?? If it is you have surface imperfections. Keep sanding with the wet paper til it's smooth...

If you have grain showing, back up and fill the fins properly, then reprime. You CAN make balsa fins look and feel like plastic if you put the work in. Nosecones and transitions too. Tubes too for that matter.

Putting the paint on right is just the last 10% of the work-- if you ignore or 'good enough' the first 90%, I GUARANTEE you'll get a less than optimal paint job-- NO QUESTION. You MUST do the surface prep well or no matter WHAT paint you use, it's NOT going to be as good as it could or should be.

That's probably the biggest issue with finishing that folks just don't get. Yeah, sanding sucks, but the results ARE WORTH IT!

It's just like making hay. I've seen guys spend a fortune sprigging a field to Coastal or Jiggs or Tifton 85 Bermudagrass, fertilize it out the butt, spray it, baby it like youngest child, and then cut it and let it lay for a week until it's as dry and worthless as last week's newspaper in the floorboard of their pickup.... TOTALLY turned to worthless cardboard! Hay will NEVER be higher quality than the instant you cut it. It's ALL downhill from there-- it's just a matter of how downhill you let it go. Handle it right, and you can preserve the quality that's there. Handle it wrong, and you can turn solid gold into dog turds. I've had cattle turn down purchased bermudagrass hay to run over to some older prairie hay, because I baled the prairie hay spot on the money, and the high-dollar bermudagrass hay was left to bake and bleach in the sun for a week and turned to cardboard.

I've had body shop guys and car painters tell me the same thing-- You want a great finish?? It ALL comes down to the prep work. Trash in, trash out. Yeah, you CAN screw up a perfect prep job by misapplying the paint, or having the paint go wrong on you (blush, run, fisheye, orange peel, etc.) but you can have the finest paint in the world, $1,000 a gallon stuff, and if you shoot it on a crappy looking ill-prepared surface it WILL look like crap, NO QUESTION.

Good luck and hope this helps. May sound redundant, but like the A-1 Steaksauce, "YEAH, IT'S THAT IMPORTANT!" OL JR