What did you do rocket wise today?

Onebadhawk
the model rocket show
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mtnmanak said:
It is Duplicolor Metalcast Orange. Unfortunately, this is a very fragile paint and requires a very well done basecoat to work right. On this rocket, I did not do a good job on the basecoat. It looked good for the picture, but the metalcast paint is already flaking off in large chunks. It is not sticking to the somewhat glossy surface of the basecoat (even though I sanded the base coat with 600 grit before applying the metalcast). But, I have been wrestling with painting this thing for the past two months and I am just tired of it. Got one good picture, now I am going to fly it for a while and then sand it down later in the summer when I have forgotten how much of a pain in the arse it was to paint this thing the first time :)
Click to expand...
Createx makes an "adhesion promotor" for use with their Wicked metalic paints that I s supposed to help with your issues!?
rharshberger said:
Does Duplicolor recommend sanding to 600 grit before paint application? Many sources I have heard say not to sand finer than 400 if overcoating as this still allows the paint to lay out smooth yet still gives it something to hold onto.
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rharshberger said:
Does Duplicolor recommend sanding to 600 grit before paint application? Many sources I have heard say not to sand finer than 400 if overcoating as this still allows the paint to lay out smooth yet still gives it something to hold onto.
Click to expand...

I couldn't find anything from Duplicolor on this issue (at least regarding the Metalcast paints specifically), but 600 grit was probably too fine. I had been waiting for some decent weather here in the Northeast for months to get a decent basecoat on, but it has literally been snowing/raining/high winds in the area every weekend since last Fall. I got impatient and rushed the basecoats and had to stop and start many times. Also, when I finally got one nice day, I tried to rush the Metalcast coats and that was a disaster.

Chalk this up to purely user error. This is a great paint, but also an unforgiving paint. If you try to rush it or use it in non-ideal conditions, it will not go well.

spiker04 said:
Createx makes an "adhesion promotor" for use with their Wicked metalic paints that I s supposed to help with your issues!?
Click to expand...

I have Adhesive Promoter, including the Duplicolor brand. All the adhesion promoter I have on-hand says it is specifically designed to allow basecoats and primers to better stick to slick surfaces such as plastic and vinyl. I was not aware of an adhesion promoter that was designed to make color/candy coats stick to basecoats. I always operated under the assumption that was the whole point of a basecoat.
 
mtnmanak said:
I couldn't find anything from Duplicolor on this issue (at least regarding the Metalcast paints specifically), but 600 grit was probably too fine. I had been waiting for some decent weather here in the Northeast for months to get a decent basecoat on, but it has literally been snowing/raining/high winds in the area every weekend since last Fall. I got impatient and rushed the basecoats and had to stop and start many times. Also, when I finally got one nice day, I tried to rush the Metalcast coats and that was a disaster.

Chalk this up to purely user error. This is a great paint, but also an unforgiving paint. If you try to rush it or use it in non-ideal conditions, it will not go well.



I have Adhesive Promoter, including the Duplicolor brand. All the adhesion promoter I have on-hand says it is specifically designed to allow basecoats and primers to better stick to slick surfaces such as plastic and vinyl. I was not aware of an adhesion promoter that was designed to make color/candy coats stick to basecoats. I always operated under the assumption that was the whole point of a basecoat.
Click to expand...
mmmm.
sounds like you have researched it well !🤔
 
So far I've put another layer of thin wood glue on the balsa fins of the Indigo rocket. Once again this will be the very last time I ever use balsa wood. I'm going to attempt putting the Icing brand of lightweight filler on the paper transitions and nose cone tip on the rocket, I'm going to really hate this
 
Winds finally died down so my buds Roger and I launched a few.
One of the good things about being retired: launch according to Mother Nature, not your work schedule.
Estes Showstopper
0516220753[1].jpg
Mix n Match 60 #1
0516220651[1].jpg
Mix n Match 60 #2
0516220721[1].jpg
Roger's Estes Nike X
0516220804[1].jpg
Roger's Grid Fin scratch built
0516220800[1].jpg
Roger's Twister scratch built
0516220744[1].jpg
Roger's V2
0516220724[1].jpg
Video: Showstopper C11-5


Perfect day for launching.
Laters.
 
rharshberger said:
And what a launch it will be! SodBlaster IV!
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I’m looking forward to it! Planning several firsts for me that weekend… first L motor, first 75mm motor, and a few more… and I have a few new birds that need maiden flights, as well as a whole fleet of low power to maiden as well!
 
The lightweight body filler was so runny, and it set up in 3 minutes, so I didn't even have time to put it on everything I needed it to be on 🤬
 
I found a 2.6” Nike Zeus dual deploy scratch build kit, boxed up last year and forgotten. It was next in the build pile cabinet which I haven’t looked at for a while. Currently finishing a 3” Loc Norad but I can begin assembling the Zeus now.

819D09C9-2151-4FC3-B5E4-EDC83303E5B8.jpeg
 
Did a couple of internal fillets on a PML Callisto, continued assembling a 75/38 FG motor adapter, and assembled two motors for Saturday's low power launch. CTI G54RL is the most impulse I can fly with no waiver and no setup for high power, so I've got one of those plus a Loki G66LR. Should be fun from only 30 feet away!
 
(Yesterday) received the Astron Cobra that was my first "favorite rocket" when I was ten. Back then I was disappointed to find that not only was it expensive, but it needed three motors when I could barely afford one. Now I wonder how it'd do on three D16s. ;)
 
Jerry F. said:
Got my delivery today...kinda excited about the Vapor...
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Consider building it with a stuffer tube, and possibly with a baffle built into the coupler. These mods make it more reliable and make it easier/more fun to fly (no need for wadding/dog barf).
 
I made up ejection charges with 2 grams of black powder and an ematch. I used BT-5 body tubes, it's what I have on hand (in the future, I will probably roll them from craft paper/brown paper bags). I started serious work on building a new 7-motor Fat Boy. I cut the body tube to length, glued engine blocks in the motor tubes, glued the motor tubes in a cluster, and cut the centering rings. I layed out the fin outling on 1/8" ply, roughed the shapes, ganged the fins, then cut/sanded to final shape. Coming up - marking and cutting fin slots, gluing motor mount cluster into body (and recovery harness), and finally, trimming fin tabs and gluing fins into place. After that, primer/paint. It should fly Sunday!

5-18-1.jpg
5-18-2.jpg
 
Getting ready for the monthly club launch this Saturday. Checking rocket airwothines etc. Its hard to muster up enthusiasm when then the weather prediction is for 60% chance of rain in the PM and afternoon winds 8 - 11. That means anywhere from a brief shower to raining all afternoon here in FL. I can adjust for the winds. Since " I love to launch rockets." I will persevere and be there.

I am going to NSL in a couple of weeks. I am just a little bit more stoked about that than Saturday's monthly club. I am Looking forward to traveling, meeting new rocketeers, and seeing some nicely built model rockets.
 
jmasterj said:
Baffle is a good idea, stuffer tube isn't necessary in my experience.
Click to expand...

Neither are *necessary*. A stuffer tube strengthens the lower body section, and makes the ejection charge more effective by reducing the amount of dead space it has to pressurize. With/without - it's all good!
 
Put more Kroil in the back of the RouseTech CO2 units that are stuck/frozen, I guess I'm going to submerge them to make sure it gets into everything.
 

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