Filling Body Tube Spirals with Sandable Primer
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 5 ม.ค. 2025
- www.apogeerock... - There are four common materials used to fill those pesky body tube spirals. The method you use depends on what material the tube is made from, and how wide and deep the spirals are.
If the spirals are very tight and not very deep, you can get away with just filling them with a high-build sandable primer. In this video, you'll see the technique I use that shows how to sand off the primer and how much to remove to get the spirals filled and the surface smooth.
The other objective with this video is to give modelers that have never painted with spray cans before a quick lesson on the proper technique of painting. I'm often asked by people how to paint a rocket, so here is that basic tutorial for you if that is your other question. Technique is often critical to a good paint job on a rocket. Watch the placement and movement of the hands, as well as how far away from the rocket the spray nozzle of the paint can is. You'll also see that I constantly rotate the tube even when not painting, to prevent the wet paint from sagging.
Thanks for taking the time to make this video. I’m 60, and have done minimal painting finishing over the years rushing to get the rocket to the launch site. I used to spray a bit of neon Orange on C or D rockets so I could find them easier. Now that I’m older, I’m caring about my end product more.
I’ll be visiting your website, thank you
I know these video's are pretty old but at 40-some-odd years old, I'm getting back to Rockets. This is a fantastic tip . . "If you can feel it, the paint will show it" is what my Pops used to say. Another tip i'd offer is that you can buy polyester glazing putty. This is a thin compound that body techs will use over the top of other fillers like "Bond-o" to fill in the micro pinholes in the thicker fillers. It's sometimes referred to as Glaze, Pudding, or Frosting. You can basically rub this on the rocket tube like lotion, and once it sets up, it will sand to an almost plastic type of finish. Very light weight and waterproof.
I’m 78 years old and still use model airplane dope from Sig, although I started using Pactra Aero Gloss. Since airplane dope is a laquer, I start with Deft laquer-based sanding sealer, and after thoroughly drying, sand with 400 grit sandpaper. I repeat these steps, “candeling,” until no shiny (low spots) areas remain. Once all of the low spots are gone, I airbrush the color, starting with white, 2 or 3 coats, then masking for the black and/or contrasting colors. Note: for fin fillets I use Hobbico Hobbylite filler or talc-filled epoxy, carefully sanded to a consistent concave radius. Wrapping the sandpaper around a 1/8” diameter dowel or barbeque skewer works well for this. Fins are attached with epoxy. Also, I use auto body spot putty for filling dings, etc. that the Deft sanding sealer won’t fill. I realize this is a long snd tedious process, but I have been finishing my models this way for over sixty years now. I find the time spent finishing a model to be very therapeutic. The results are a beautifully-finished model that draws many compliments from bystanders.
If you ever want to build models for my show-room, let us know.
So, my local autopaint store has two part made to order Urythane filling/sanding primer aerosol can. You pop the button on the bottom of the can right before use. One can was more then enough to paint the Estes Star Orbitor. Cost is about $35-45 USD. However, they could not guarantee enamels or other paints would work best with auto primer. So you might also need two part auto paint as well. 😊
I like to use a foam sanding block, that way it conforms to the shape of the tube.
Tim: Water and paper actually mix REALLY WELL, and THAT is the problem...😊
Use Duplicolor primer and Duplicolor paint either Gloss enamel or flat paint works well. The primer sands like butter. Duplicolor actually allows you to adjust the spray fan either vertical or horizontal. Paint comes out even and not in a cone pattern.
Tim you may have already tried this but rust-oleum brand 2 in 1 filler and sandable primer from wal-mart in the auto section works great. You just need to make sure you spray light coats and let them dry good and it will sand great with 220 or 320 grit 3m wet or dry paper if you spray it to heavy and try to sand it will cake up your sand paper. I have had great luck from this type and technique
I also used rustoleum and I found that out the hard way. Holy moly were my hands tired from all that sanding! You really have to watch how much you spray closely.
You're awesome, Tim!
while painting today, I got some really bad finger indentations on the paint since I forgot it wasn't dry yet 😢what do you suggest I do? It also sustained a drop from around 5 feet and it landed smack down on one fin and a part of the paper skin in peeling off, but I added some CA glue and it somewhat fixed it. let's just say my rocket had really bad day today
It depends on how perfect you want it to look. If it is important to be perfect, then you have to repaint. Otherwise, enjoy the launch!
@@apogeerockets thanks!
When you wet sand soak the paper a few hours before sanding. Softens the paper.
Great idea😂👍
And after that you can start all over again with a new tube.
@apogeecomponents would the sandable primer method work as a replacement for the wood filler to seal balsa fins and make them smooth? I’m getting back into rocketry now that I have kids of my own, with high power aspirations. I was one of the kids you mention who just painted the raw wood and tube, so this whole process is new to me! I was always confused why my rockets didn’t look like the package! Haha. Anyway, I’m wondering if it’s a time-saver to prime the whole rocket and sand it down smooth and shiny like on this video, enabling you to skip the wood filler? Or is it a major boon to already have the fins mostly smooth? Thanks for your time
Maybe. It depends on the primer (see the video). Don't be afraid to experiment. You'll learn something either way.
@@apogeerockets thank you. I’ll try both and see what happens. One thing I haven’t seen mentioned yet is what happens after applying paint. Do you sand any more to polish the final coat of paint or is it good to go after all the work smoothing out the primer?
@@chawley8889 I'll let you find out. It will be a great surprise for you.
How did this go for you ? I’m on this stage of my life as a 20 year old! I have this same question ! Just ordered the Zephyr Jr and looking to get that glass finish !
@@Learning_The_Human_Mind It went very well! Very time consuming but this method makes it possible to achieve the same finish as the photos. I used the wood filler. It’s extreme easy to sand off which can get frustrating but skipping and using only primer requires way more coats so it doesn’t save any time
What were the tubes you used to hold the main tubes? Were they smaller or did they have a coupler that fit inside? Could I use rolled up newspapers for that job?
That would work. I prefer to have something more solid to hold onto, so I usually wrap a wooden dowel with newspaper, or paper towels, or whatever, just to make for a just-tight-enough fit into the tube to hold it securely.
For this particular kit, the tubes are just slightly bigger than a 24mm airframe tube. So that is what I put in the inside to hold them.
I collect random tubes from things like rolls of aluminum foil. I used one today painting an old kit, a very small tube that I have no idea where it came from but I'm glad I saved it. Another thing I did that made work on the airframe much easier was a tube in each end to create a rotisserie. I then used cardboard boxes to support each end, next cut a notch to keep it from rolling away.
a small stack of typing paper or other scrap paper rolled into a tube works well for a handle too.
If you see a stand of bamboo, stop and get some of various diameters. You can build it up with tape to make body tube holders for painting. Or wrap with sandpaper for internal sanding. It’s really just free doweling.
How do you glue to painted tubes?
Not as good as you'd like. You have to scrape away the paint to get down to the surface.
@@apogeerockets PLEASE make a vid on how to scrape the paint away and attach the fins--Is this the only way??
@@SenecaRocksMountainGuides That is a good idea.
I take an exacto #11 or similar snap off blade, trim down masking tape to the exact dimension (width and length) of the fin. Apply. Prime. Remove. The landing area for the fin is primer-free.
Mr. Surfacer works really well too.
Tim said “crap”. Oh, snap, it’s on now 😂
Very useful!!!
Great video!
Kilz aerosol works the best its ny far the easiest to sand and it builds easy its best to spray several coatsit dries super fast then wait 24hrs to sand i e filled in pretty deep stuff just let it set for several days before sanding
Go ahead and say, "CRAP". Make your TH-cam Channel like a South Park episode. ;-)
Try filling the spiral with Super glue and baking soda...fill the spiral with the super glue then sprinkle the baking soda over that ...After it dries sand it till it smooth...this works great...
Ok, thank you. I'll try that next time👍
Say carp instead!