New Rocket, painting questions *Almost Finished*
 

Hello YoRF,
My fiance gave me the Big Daddy Estes rocket for Christmas, I've had fun assembling it, and I've reached the point of painting. As I will deviate from the cool fade color suggested in the picture of this rocket, I am going with a solid cherry red as the main color (priming first with white primer) and I'd like for the nosecone to have a sunburst yellow tip with graduated thickening rings to the base of the nosecone. In my vision, I like this scheme.

I have a few questions on painting:

Is it recommended to paint the body of the rocket with the nosecone attached as one unit, or should these be painted separately?

I'm going to prime the whole rocket the primer white, then prior to painting the cherry red, mask off the nosecone with painters tape the graduated rings which will allow me to paint the sunburst yellow onto the primer white and not the cherry red. Once ready for the yellow, reverse tape onto the red so the white primer is showing and paint with the yellow? Is that ok, or is there another method to achieve the look I'm aiming for?

I've searched on the internet and I have not come across the above answers to my questions. Any help/suggestions from this forum is greatly appreciated, and once I finish, I will share pictures of my build.

Thank you,
eddieo

If the nose cone is the same color, I paint with them attached to the body tube, not separate.

I mask the nose cone shoulder and paint rocket and cone separately. Prevents a possibly unsightly ring where the top edge of the tube/bottom edge of the cone are different colors.

If the stripes are only on the nose you can save time and avoid extra taping by painting the nose completely with yellow first. Let it dry really well. Several days would be best. Tape over the yellow, scuff lightly with a red or gray scotchbrite sanding pad and then paint red.
Be sure the tape adhesive is not too strong or it will pull your fresh yellow paint right off. I had trouble with this in the past. It should be only just tacky enough to seal at the edges, but no stronger.
I also recommend taping off the nose cone shoulder. Paint build up can make a plastic nose fit too tightly.

I do a modified method. I will paint them together, to get a uniform paint application, especially critical with metallics. But I mask the nose cone shoulder, and put it into the tube for painting, with it only pushed in part way. That way the top of the tube and the bottom of the nose cone are assured to get paint. And, less chance of paint running into joint and sticking pieces together.

That's exactly how I do it. It gets a good edge on the end of the BT and the NC shoulder and keeps the paint from gluing the two together by wicking itself in.

Nobody has asked what painting skills this person has?

If they have none? Oh Boy!

If they have some, well OK.

I'll third this technique of getting paint on the top of the body tube and the top of the nose cone shoulder. It's very effective and you get to paint them both at the same time.

I have painting skills with rattle can (and paint brush). I know that even, light coats are preferred with spraying, and don't rush.

Thanks for all the painting tips! I will definitely be using this info!

Almost finished
 

Here's my BigDaddy.
Just about done, just need to apply the clear coat.
(hope I attached the picture correctly)

Thanks for all the painting tips !!