Nose Cone Prep TIP

A question about nose cone sanding came up on the Estes Model Rockets Facebook page:

Kenny D. asked: 
"Does any one here sand nose cones to 600 grit?"

My response:
I wouldn't go down to 600 grit, 400 is my max. Some plastics need a little roughness for the paint to grab onto, especially if you are doing any second color masking on the nose cone. Lifting the masking tape could pull up the paint if it isn't "locked" onto an overly smooth surface.

TIP: When scraping down the raised molding lines on a plastic nose cone, try using the flat back (dull side) of your X-Acto style knife blade. This will work like a small cabinet scraper tool. This removes the ridge and you won't dull the sharp side of the blade!