MonoKote help...

[GremlinX]

I did the fuse with pretty much no issue. I am starting in on the stabs tonight. I have sealed the bottom hinge line. I am just now starting to cover the bottom of one elevator. I stretched it tight and even. I am still getting some wrinkles, but not bad. MonoKote makes a pretty finished product, but it sucks to work with. I wish now that I had used UltraCote instead. Its too late now, the whole fuse is done. I have put so much heat to it and I am afraid it will melt the dad gum foam inside the elevator! I am trying the iron, I am trying the gun, and I tried th gun with a sock to push it down. The problem there is when I heat it, it makes wrinkles and you wouldnt want to push that down, the wrinkles stick! I can't imagine how painful the wings will be if this is this painful on a small flat surface!!!!! Thanks for any help you can supply.

[Bunky F. Knuckle]

Grem, what I do is this... I lay my piece down, tack it in 4 corners, then run the iron down the center of the piece SPANWISE. Then work my way to each edge. I use about 300F on my Century 21 iron, with a sock. I also work in circles too.

Or if that don't work, send it to me!!! I need something to do on these late nites!!!!! *BFG*

Bunk~

[madmax]

Had the same problem with TB Grem... Couldn't get the stuff to stick no matter what we did, even on the long areas of sheeted wings. I understand some folks will use aquanet (hairspray) to assist with getting it to tack.

[Double J]

Monocoat needs alot of heat to make it look nice. I have found that using Balsarite on the sheeted surfaces helps it to stick. Covering is an art and everyone has a secret method to the madness!

[GremlinX]

I think the curved stuff, such as the wings and stabs, will be easier. As it srinks, it will touch the surface. But the flat surface... arrggg.. It's pretty when it's done. But UltraCote from now on...

[Lowkey3D]

I find the smaller the model the hard it is to cover.. I'm dreading having to do my BME edge..

[GremlinX]

Its a 35% that I am working on.. I will try just ironing it on, no gun on the next elevator.

[Dsp Dave]

	Quote: Originally Posted by madmax
	Had the same problem with TB Grem... Couldn't get the stuff to stick no matter what we did, even on the long areas of sheeted wings. I understand some folks will use aquanet (hairspray) to assist with getting it to tack.

Hey Max, did you have the iron plugged in?

[moose]

GremlinX, you're a lucky man cause you found the right person....ME....just kiddin..

When applying monokote to a foam core balsa sheeted wing or stab you MUST use a low heat setting....I repeat LOW heat setting of not more than 220-230 F. With this setting you will find that the shrinkage is very low hence NO WRINKLES or BUBBLING. You will need to be patient and work slowly in small circles....tacking at the corners is not a must but should be done just to keep the piece in place.

When you are joining two different colors then I would recommend that you iron down the whole overlapping edge leaving the rest untacked and work slowly down to the free edge.

If I haven't made sense let me know and I will try to explain further.

I have had the same exact problem a long time back and have since learned lots of things about monokote and in all honesty it is all about the right temp. and patience.

GOOD LUCK !!!!

[GremlinX]

Well, at 300 or so, I had a lot better luck when I stretched and pulled the fire out of it, tacked it, and moved along. Then, hit it with the iron only after I tackd it and it was tight. The iron only seems to be the best for me. Big wrinkles, I hit it with the gun, but still finalize it with the iron. Did I mention this is the last plane I will ever use MonoKote on?

[GremlinX]

Sample... not perfect, but my first time usingthis stuff. Black seems to be easier than silver.

[GremlinX]

Well, it's official.. MonoKote has created the idea to buy ARF's from now on... or....use UltraCote. MonoKote is just impossible for ME to work with. I think it's junk. It makes a pretty finish... when you use epoxy to keep it down. It wrinkles to hell after a very tight finish and it looks great. 30 minutes later, it looks like a bedsheet... How close is UltraCote aluminum to MonoJunk? It's not beyond me to strip the bottom of the wings and use UltraCote to finish what MonoKote has otherwise made a miserable covering experience... The fuse is covered in this MonoWrinkle and I just can't see it matching anything that UltraCote uses... I have the stabs,fuse and rudder done up already... somehow. I am sure I will get flamed, and some of you want to be buried in it that it is that good... but does anybody else have this much trouble with this stuff? Maybe it's specific to the color... "aluminum". Thanks for letting me rant...