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Old 07-26-2017, 12:48 AM
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LeeR LeeR is offline
Retired with Way Too Many Kits
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Colorado
Posts: 3,222
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I'm on the road, so I cannot view my copy of TAOSMR, but I agree that I think it's mostly applicable today. It might be hard to get something like a specific nose cone to use, but I've got so many older kits and parts it does not really affect me. I'm also a woodworker with a lathe so I can turn about any custom part I need. Decals are a little tougher, with providers like Excelsior getting out of the business due to printer failures. I have been in touch with Tom Prestia of Tango Papa Decals. He is still in the business, but doesn't have any Internet forums or Facebook presence. He made me a set of upscaled Orbital Transport decals that are beautiful. He can do scaling and color changes. I'm not sure if he does any new/custom decals but he has quite a few decals available, and perhaps if anyone provided him graphics, he could print decals. One potential source I've yet to explore is vinyl from Stickershock23. Mark can do about anything custom you might need.

Peter,
Thanks for signing my copy so many years back! I also remember what a fun evening I had when I drove out to Ann Arbor to meet you, and we talked rockets until very late in the evening (early morning?). My copy is pristine. I never write in books, so it's not full of scribbling. If needed, I'll make a copy of a page to write notes, and of course, cut out patterns! If my copy could help, I'd be glad to scan it. Also, I'll never forget holding your Saturn I that's on the cover of the book. Fantastic model!

MarkB,

I couldn't laugh, but I can commiserate re: Dullcote, I have an Orbital Transport that I put custom green decals on, and it developed a brownish, streaky haze over most surfaces within about 2 years. I'm in the process of refinishing it. I just flew it twice last month, but it deserves to look pretty. That Dullcote experience lead me to Krylon UV-Resistant Acrylic Clear. I use both Gloss and Matte formulations. No discoloration in the 4+ years I've used it.

Regarding old paints, the old Krylon Interior-Exterior spray paint that disappeared in the early 2000s is available from internet distributors like Zoro. It has been rebranded Krylon Acryli-Qwik, and is apparently a synthetic lacquer and has properties like the old stuff. (If you've seen build threads by scigs30 here, it is his go-to paint. ) I just used cans of the old formulation I bought around 20 years ago. Most cans work fine. Beautiful, smooth paint jobs. A few cans I had were not cleared, and paint dried down inside the hole at the top of the can, and nothing could clear it. Not bad, most paint I have is tossed if I don't use it after a couple years. My particular favorite paint now is Rustoleum 2X. I also like their lacquers, but colors are limited to red, white, and black. Good news is they are compatible with the little Testors and Model Masters lacquers, so if lacquers appeal to you, these Rustoleum lacquers are great.

Speaking of Rustoleum, I've had great results with the 2X white, and it comes in Gloss, flat, and semi-gloss.

Here is my Super Orbital Transport, painted in semi-gloss. I usually use flat white. But with decals, I tried semi-Gloss instead. Applied decals, and used the Krylon Clear in Matte as overcoat. Here it is with my little one with the crappy Dullcote. The Super pic was taken the night before going to NSL -- still had not installed motor mount. She took 2nd in fierce competition against John Boren's BSG Viper.
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Lee Reep
NAR 55948

Projects: Semroc Saturn 1B, Ken Foss Designs Mini Satellite Interceptor
In the Paint Shop: Nothing! Too cold!
Launch-Ready: Farside-X, Maxi Honest John, Super Scamp
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