tewitt1949

Hi all. I've been using monocoat lately, and for the most part it's ok. I have some planes I covered 25 years ago with something other than monocoat and over the years it hasn't loosened up a bit. Any monocoat put on back then was loose and some wouldn't even tighten up. I don't remember what the name of the stuff, but it was red with little hairs all through it. It was very strong and won't rip at all. I beleive it is a lot lighter than monocoat also. If my memory is correct I don't think is had heat sensitive adheasive on the back. Since I'm primerally into 1/2a's now, I think monocoat is heavier than other types. That is just my opinion and I may be wrong.

What do you use and why?

Terry

combatpigg

My Feedback: (3)

Terry, monokote seems to be heavier than some iron on. Towerkote gets the job done and is cheap. I think Oracover is the heaviest of all. I used to use Solarfilm or Black Baron. None of the rip stop type coverings agree with my patience or skill level.
One of the lightest, fastest, easiest and cheapest of all time is tinted craft store cellophane. You can cover 3 planes with the same blade, with this stuff. I use it alot.

Remby

My Feedback: (3)

Depends on what you are looking for, is weight a factor?

The lightest I have used is Microlite. VERY light, just irons on. The down side is it tears if it hits a twig, or somthing like that, but if you use gear at a runway, or it covers a high wing plane, should not be a issue. Easy to repair, too.

I second Towercote, not a lot of cash, and it will get the job done, and lasts. Some here have described it soaking with oil under the glue surface, but I have not seen a great issue with this.

If you want the older style, get silkspan and dope, it is tried and true. Downside, it is higher priced to use than the iron on films.

burtcs

tewitt1949:

Silk, silkspan and to a lesser degree tissue work fine but...they have a limited life span. Maybe 4-5 yrs for silk, 3 yrs for silkspan and 10-15 yrs for tissue. If you truly anticipate flying your model that long it's an issue. They deterorate.

Plastic films work ok and they're cheap, relitively speaking. Monocote loosens up with time (and is a bit heavier) as do they all. I've used micafilm which was really lite and strong but it too loosens over time, and it's not made anymore. Litespan works too but after five years I see it loosening.

I don't think there is a perfect covering. The question you should ask is how long do think the model will last? All can be removed and recovered if need be so that should not be an issue.

regards - Steve B.

Toad

Was the material you used "Micafilm" distrib'd by coverite? I really like that stuff, very light and tough, you had to use Balsarite for the adhesive

ptulmer

My Feedback: (5)

Sig koverall and paint. That's my favorite. Done correctly, it is lighter than monokote and tougher. Second best is econokote. It's light, tough and best of all, cheap. I wouldn't use Black Baron to wipe my butt. That garbage literally fell off two airplanes I used it on. Even after using Sig Stix-it the second time.

Unfortunately, I've got a sizable stash of monokote.

flyinrog

My Feedback: (1)

If I have to cover a plane , I use ultracote..its easier and lighter than monocote and about the same $$....Rog

SST

My Feedback: (2)

I like easy cote. Light and shrinks enough to make even my lousy covering jobs look good. If the lightest weight is the real goal, Doculam is super light and real cheap.

rainedave

My Feedback: (1)

I have also been using Koverall over open areas and tissue over the sheeted areas on small models. Koverall is great stuff. It's inexpensive, is easily applied with nitrate dope, fills much faster than silk and heat shrinks drum tight. And you'll never see a wrinkle, sag or bubble.

If I'm not glassing sheeted surfaces I use tissue/nitrate to cover the grain before priming. Trying to fill grain with sealer and/or primer simply takes forever and adds a lot of weight. The tissue adds almost no weight and gives you a smooth surface to apply your primer with far fewer coats.

Worldtex from Horizon (same stuff as Solartex) is apparently one of the best kept secrets in the hobby. It is an iron-on fabric that is super easy to apply. It doesn't bubble, wrinkle or sag nearly as bad as plastic film. It will still bubble a little, but because it's fabric, air can escape when you iron it back down. It is also easy to paint.

I never learned how to use plastic film; I could never prevent it from sagging or bubbling, so I just stopped using it.

David

Raymond LeFlyr

My Feedback: (2)

Laminating film, floral spray. When are youse all gonna learn?

hogflyer

I've started using ultracote and find, like Rog, that its very easy to apply and shrinks quite well. I've never had a problem with it lifting after flying for a while. When I get out of this apartment I'll start using doped finishes more, but I don't think the neighbors would appreciate it very much [>:].

Hogflyer

nekked_man_2000

It's always interesting to read other peoples experiences. I have tried towercote and econocote, both were cheap, both went on real good and looked real good and both turned loose at the seams, and the dark colors sagged badly in the Texas sun. And they were lighter than the Monocote. Also different colors seem to act differently, the blue econocote I used came unglued first, the red and white held on longer, and they didn't sag as much in the heat. The white Towercote went first of the 2 colors I tried in Towercote. I have 3 full rolls of econocote and lots of partials...but if I use them it will be for trim stuff that isn't important....or for electric projects if I ever go that route. I bought lots of this stuff in Red White and Blue, was going to do a .20 size P-51 in Miss America scheme, so I got enough to practice using it on several planes. I got 2 covered, after the first plane started to come loose at the LE seams I tried wrapping the seams around the LE on the second so they would all face away from the exhaust. Still no luck. On Monocote I can crank the temp on the iron and really seal the seams. So I also tried that....burns holes in it. So now I have 2 planes with fuel soaked balsa and tattered covering. I do use 22% oil with 50/50 castor, maybe less castor might help, 'cause that stuff is hard to wipe off of a plane...don't know.

The transparent ultracoat has held up real well on the stuff I've had it on and stays as tight as a drum in my experience. But contrary to what someone else said, I've found the ultracoat to be a thicker and heavier material than Monocote. The only issue I had with ultracote is that while I'm shrinking if I get the heat too close to the seams they will "slip" because the glue melts at a low temp. But I do like Ultracote and have used a lot of colors including the flourescent ones, it seems to be more plyable that monocote.

Lastly monocote, when I go to hobby shops I'll shop the monocote and try to find the old stock with the old B/W labels, this stuff has been excellent for me. I have some of the new stuff, but on other forums I've seen bad stuff about the newer monocote and I don't have any "long term" experience with it. But the old stuff stays put in my experience, no sagging, no seams seperating. I think I'm down to 2 rolls of a desert tan, and a little orange....then I have to go to the new stuff.

Austin

build light

I am with you!
Doculam 1.5 mil laminating film and floral spray for me.

tewitt1949

Doculam 1.5 mil laminating film? I'm not familiar with the stuff. Where would someone get some and what is it normally used for? Terry

flyinrog

My Feedback: (1)

The story I heard is as the name implies ...laminating for documents, how true that is I dont know but it is cheap, I got some from someone hear online but he had bought 2 one hundred foot rolls for maybe $25 ,I think that was the minimum order from where he got it..you can use floral paint (yes for painting fake flower arrangements) on the glue side of it and it will still apply ok with heat...Rog

jetpack

My Feedback: (1)

Custom painting and designs UNDER the covering - now that sounds slick and durable.

flyinrog

My Feedback: (1)

You can only use so much paint, I dont know the reasoning behind the floral paint, just that it is thinner I guess ,,just enough to give it color, otherwise you would be flying a clear plane, cool, but not easy to see, especially with Ramonds old eyes[X(]...we still love ya big guy@!!!!....Rog

skaliwag

My Feedback: (1)

Doculam... All I use now. I think I got mine from a school supply place.
PM me Terry and I will send you some.

lz-23

I like doculam. You can check my last build using doculam 1.5 mil here
[link]http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_5939879/mpage_1/key_/tm.htm[/link]
Paint is over adhesive side. For this model I use cheap Walmart $0.99 spray paint. Only down side that I found so far is that after painting and paint get dry, you must cover immediately. Otherwise will take much higher temperature to attach covering. I don't know if this is because of paint I used or is in general like that. Less paint, better gluing. I guess with different paint will be different. But paint under covering is really very nice!
Here is where I got mine:
[link]http://www.laminatorwarehouse.com/laminating_film.shtml[/link]
2 rolls of 500' was minimum order at that time.

Andrew

Here is [link=http://www.schooloutfitters.com/catalog/product_info/pfam_id/PFAM949/products_id/PRO130]another source.[/link] You may purchase a single roll, 1.5 mil, 25" x 500', $29.99 USD with free shipping to the lower 48. I've used this with good results -- sticks well and stays tight over time.

Raymond LeFlyr

My Feedback: (2)

"Old eyes" huh? Just you wait young'un.

Floral spray paint is used by discriminating people who desire a more tissue-like appearance that is completely impervious to however much nitro or diesel grunge you care to "apply". No, its not as pretty as a "real" tissue job like Rainedave's always are.

Yes, I have used Rustoleum on both sides of the laminating film. On the outside I had best luck with thorough scrubbing with lacquer thinner before spraying. On the inside I used as light a coverage as I could. Sometimes it seemed that I needed a hotter iron setting but it still worked.

I have used EZ-lam and seal-lamin there are many others out there. Some rolls are as short as 50-feet, I have purchased mine in 100 foot rolls from Highsmith Co. You can find them on the web. Cost for 20-inches by 100 feet is about the same as two rolls of moneycote - including shipping.

The stuff does NOT bubble like either of the 'cotes or sag in the sun. But it doesn't stretch around curves as well either.

Strength has been more than adequate for my IMAA-sized models. Yet its light enough for my TD .010-powered Littlest Sticks.

But other than that - it sucks.

ptulmer

My Feedback: (5)

Andrew sent me an envelope full because I was skeptical. The day after I received it, the order for two rolls went in. I've used it once so far and had no trouble pulling it around corners, etc. Plan around it's deficiencies and if it doesn't look too great, put the heat to it. There's another plane going on my bench that will get it. (I'd have used it more, but there haven't been many airframes crossing my bench lately) It's low cost overcomes my desire to use other products quite handily!

rainedave

My Feedback: (1)

pt, if you're coming to the reedy race will you bring some samples from those two rolls (since it's probably more than you'll ever use). I'd like to try this stuff before buying 500' of it.

Thanks,
David

tewitt1949

Skaliwag. I got your package. The stuff looks real nice. I assume the piece that is blue is some you painted. I will check it out when I get time. Thanks fo much. I notice from you card your at Select hobbies. Do you sell it? Thanks again Terry

skaliwag

My Feedback: (1)

No ... Not worth selling. You can buy a lifetime supply for so cheap.
The blue is Krylon... It and the glue seem very compatible.. Makes a really good seal at the joints. And so many colours.

http://www.krylon.com/main/product_t...roduct_details