Spectacular paint!

While channel surfing during commercials, I hit upon an HGTV segment featuring color-changing paint. Paint changes color due to temperature. One of the neat things they had was a faucet painted with the paint. Hot water made it turn red, cold water made it turn black. I think this could have some *very* interesting applications in rockets! The company, ALSA, also makes some other unique paints. See their web site at http://alsacorp.com/products/homeusepaints/homepaints.htm

Well, at $129 per quart I think I'll pass....
David Erbas-White
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Some of people who "pimp their rides" paint their whole cars with stuff similar to this. The pearlescent paint specifically.
A rich rocketeer or somebody making a lot of little rockets might be able to afford this paint.
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Not neccesarily rich. That quart would be about the same price as the reload to power the rocket that a quart would paint.
Actually, probably less than the reload. A quart will paint a good sized rocket.

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I'd rather paint my car with the radar black stuff...
    Bob Kaplow    NAR # 18L    TRA # "Impeach the TRA BoD"         >>> To reply, remove the TRABoD! <<< Kaplow Klips & Baffle:    http://nira-rocketry.org/LeadingEdge/Phantom4000.pdf www.encompasserve.org/~kaplow_r/ www.nira-rocketry.org www.nar.org
Timid men prefer the calm of despotism to the boisterous sea of liberty. -- Thomas Jefferson

Bob Kaplow wrote:
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For it to be truly effective, You would probably have to paint the windows also.

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Well, there must be something special they make the F117 windows out of...
    Bob Kaplow    NAR # 18L    TRA # "Impeach the TRA BoD"         >>> To reply, remove the TRABoD! <<< Kaplow Klips & Baffle:    http://nira-rocketry.org/LeadingEdge/Phantom4000.pdf www.encompasserve.org/~kaplow_r/ www.nira-rocketry.org www.nar.org
... One nation under surveillance, divisive, with liberty and justice for none.

Bob Kaplow wrote:
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I think its a special glass that is then coated in gold.
http://www.airforce-technology.com/projects/f117/f1178.html
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Bob Kaplow wrote:
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They're not glass, that's for sure.
It's not the windshield itself, it's the stuff inside your car that reflects radar.
In regards to stealth aircraft, the cockpits are designed to reduce/eliminate radar reflection. I don't think your car has the same design criteria.
You would also have to paint the headlights, front grill and your tires, rims and hubcaps. Don't forget the wheel wells and bumpers.
I suppose you could leave a little "hole" in the paint, to peek out of the car.

yeah, but how many ounces do you need?

I painted my entire level 3 rocket with about 3 oz of paint.
-- David
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Details? How big is it, how many coats, what color, what kind etc.
One thing people that use rattle cans will find when going to a spray gun - more paint from a rattle can goes onto everything near the rocket than onto the rocket. Still - I like those Rustolium Metallics.

7.5", 11' 9". 2 coats. I used Benjamin Moore impervo high gloss enamel applied with a roller. The finish wasn't as smooth as I had hoped, but it looks fine from a distance:
http://www.nomatech.com/rockets/level3/carry.jpg
I am not necessarily recommending the paint, just sharing my experience with how much paint it takes. I bought a pint of each of the two colors and only used about 1/2 oz of the burgandy and 2 1/2 oz of the navy.
For the smaller rockets, I almost always use those Rustoleum metallics. They look great.
-- David
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Looks great!
I forget how much I used on mine. I used flat black Rusto latex as kind of a joke. It covered great. When I decided to put something a little nicer on later, I was surprised at how hard it is to get the stuff off (unless you have 60 grit sandpaper in the sander)
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That's the first I've ever heard of painting a rocket with a roller. You are referring to the fuzzy wall painting rollers? Wouldn't that leave a rough finish, which is intentional on walls?
    Bob Kaplow    NAR # 18L    TRA # "Impeach the TRA BoD"         >>> To reply, remove the TRABoD! <<< Kaplow Klips & Baffle:    http://nira-rocketry.org/LeadingEdge/Phantom4000.pdf www.encompasserve.org/~kaplow_r/ www.nira-rocketry.org www.nar.org
Timid men prefer the calm of despotism to the boisterous sea of liberty. -- Thomas Jefferson

Yes, a fuzzy wall roller. The self-leveling tendencies of alkyd paint tends to negate the rough finish (as you can see in the picture), but would repeat my statement that I am not trying to recommend using this kind of paint on a rocket. For the amount of time I spent vs the quality of the finish, I am satisfied. But if you want a really good finish, you're going to have to spend more than 30 minutes painting your rocket. (As you know!) I tend to launch my rockets so many times that they get all dinged and scratched up, so I didn't care about a pristine finish (and I hate painting).
-- David
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