Finishing A Model

Almost as important as stability and fin design is the way you finish your model rocket. A bad paint job can slow a rocket down, and keep it from reaching its maximum altitude.

In order to get the smoothest coat, it is best to first use sanding sealer on all the balsa surfaces.

Several thin coats are much better than one thick coat. Hold the spray can about eighteen inches from the model, and move the spray can back and forth along the rocket. Allow each coat to dry before applying the next.

Masking is used to create rockets with more than one coat of paint. If you want the fins to be blue, and the body tube red, you would do the following:

First: spray paint the entire rocket blue, and let it dry.

Second: use masking tape to cover all the areas that are supposed to stay blue.

Third: spray the model red, and then let dry.

Fourth: slowly peel back the tape, revealing the blue fins underneath!

With practice, you will be able to paint intricate designs using masking.

This page, its contents, and the Hitchhikers Guide logo are copyright 1997 by:
Nicholas Burlett, Nathaniel Grady and Willliam