Tuesday, July 21, 2020

Sticky Sprayed Clear Coats? TIP

On YORF, Erik 442 wrote:
"Steve, please be careful not to leave anything coated with that clear out in direct sunlight for an extended period. I learned the hard way when I left my new Redstone on the sidelines while I was flying other models.
The heat made it very sticky and all the dust and black powder on my fingers left big marks all over it when I finally picked it up.Now I make sure to keep it in the shade until I'm ready to fly it." 


Yep, everybody seems to recommend sprayed acrylic clear coats after the decals are applied. I also learned the hard way - 
When I got back into the hobby I did a fairly heavy sprayed clear coat on my Red Max. The clear was thick enough that it made everything very glossy, almost wet looking.
Then came the Florida August club launch.
The heat and humidity softened the clear coats making it sticky. Fingerprints and dirt stuck to the body anywhere it was touched. 
Never again!

I only use Future clear coat where decal edges could peel, lightly applied with a Q-Tip. For example, when two trim decals meet going over the top of a rounded fin leading edge. Or, when a roll pattern decal (wrapped around a body tube) is right on the end of the body tube. 

If your surfaces are really smooth and glossy, a (well-produced) decal should stick and stay down without a sticky clear coat.

When I lived on the coast of Northern California, I would occasionally clear coat a rocket with no problems. But, the Monterey Bay has cooler temperatures and very low humidity.

1 comment:

  1. I used to wax (Johnson's Furniture Wax) my rockets, primarily the HPR ones. I never had issues with that, even in the Black Rock Desert.

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