BillinIndiana

I'm going to be attempting my 1st kit soon. What recommendations would you give a beginner to which Iron to use for the covering?

carrellh

I have the Coverite http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXB361&P=0 and it seems to hold a pretty constant temp. Drawback – 5 foot cord
The Hangar 9 Proseal http://www.horizonhobby.com/products...ng-iron-HAN135 has the same type of temp control. Bonus – 12 foot cord

goirish

Hey go with the 29.00 one.  I have that model also and it works great.  You can use either side of the tip

j.duncker

My Feedback: (2)

I never liked that style.

Always used a travel iron, finding I had better control and my wrist got less tired.

Temp control can be erratic though on some models.

SeamusG

Coverite!

Also, a trim iron with a rounded shoe. Low heat does a good job "starting" the film's adhesive and the high heat does a good job for localized shrinking & stretching film.

JohnBuckner

My Feedback: (1)

I do not know about the Horizon iron but have gone through several of the Coverite irons. They are nice to work with concerning the rounded sides but in reality it is just a matter of which ever iron you really get use to.

There is an Achilles heel with the coverite that may eventually catch you if you are not aware of it and that is the electronic temperature control. Yes it is more Hi tech than the older bi-metal contact plates used in all the others but it is fragile and it only take just one drop off the table to a concrete floor or otherwise at just the right angle and that little blinkie light goes out forever along with the heat.

Its for this reason I tend to use mostly the old bi-metals and do just fine with them and it seems I am always getting spares with every buy out.

Now the fact that they are almost always half the price and sometimes even less I just reccommend to my students to just get whatever is the cheapest and they will do fine.

Heck check out any club swap event they usually go for 2 to five bucks in these parts.

John

goirish

YUP!!! you are right John. My little blinkie light went out. But if you rub the iron back and forth fast enough it will create heat

KitBuilder

FYI.... if you get color on the shoe (which you will - generlaly means iron is to hot)... a bounce dryer sheet removes it. Just rub the hot iron on it a couple quick times... and it smells good too . Also... an eraser.. from a pencil.... will remove color that gets on the ultra or monokote from iron as well. For example.. red on your iron shoe and you don't know it.. and you switch to white covering.

JohnBuckner

My Feedback: (1)

[sm=bananahead.gif]

BillinIndiana

My LHS has the Coverite "Gift Pack" for $49.99.. comes with the Sealing Iron 2700 and the Trim Iron 2750.. Is this a good deal? Do I need both?

mike109

G'day

I had one of the first type above from Tower. After a couple of months use, the plastic top cover cracked and eventually the whole top cover and handle broke off. It was not dropped or abused.

These days I use an older style all metal one with a wooden handle.

Mike in Oz

jester_s1

I've been in the hobby seven years and have only used a trim iron once that belonged to a friend who taught me to cover. There will be a few spots where it would be handy, but for covering most sport planes you can do find without it. I'll second the advice to just get the one that's cheapest. The covering has a pretty wide temperature range to work it in so there's really no reason to sweat it if the bi-metal thermostat lets the shoe heat swing by 10 degrees.

sjpateys

Any any any old Iron!

Sorry couldn't resist it!

Joecool73

Ive been using this butane one for a few months now. Lasts long and can go anywhere. Ready to solder from off to on in ≈ 30 seconds. Adjustable Watts range from 30 to 70 watts. I really like it and for about 20 bucks its hard to beat.

http://www.radioshack.com/product/in...ductId=2062753

JohnBuckner

My Feedback: (1)

I also happen to have both the Coverite and the Top Flite trim irons and both are seldom used.

When I do the small and long flat shoe that come with that comes with the Top Flite is the most usefull and for this reason the coverite never gets used.

Bottom line buy the cheapest iron you find, in other words any bimetal type and use the money you save to also purchase also a heat gun. And not a hair dryer, they get too hot and do not have the airbleed heat control that a covering heat gun does. This is a far more useful selection of tools and of course the bimetal irons are far more durable, this being more important than you may think.

John

carrellh

The 50 dollar set is what I have. The handle on the big iron broke but CA put it back together. I have used the trim iron very rarely. Based on the comments about the electronic temp control possibly breaking, this might be a better starting setup
http://www3.omnimodels.com/cgi-bin/w...I=TOPR2100&P=0 iron, 20 bucks
http://www3.omnimodels.com/cgi-bin/w...I=COVR2410&P=0 thermometer, 6 bucks
http://www3.omnimodels.com/cgi-bin/w...I=TOPR2000&P=0 heat gun, 20 bucks

BillinIndiana

I have a regular Wagner heat gun, it's meant for paint stripping, but has a high and low setting. Will this work ?

Gray Beard

My Feedback: (-1)

Like John I have a couple of the older irons. I had three of them, one was given to me and the two I have now were bought at a club auction, found in the button of junk boxes. It's how I got my incidence meters too. All of the irons on the market are pretty good so it's just a choice thing, more like price. I need a tough iron too, I tend to drop them a lot.
If anyone has a spare flat shoe for a trin iron I'm in need!! I keep looking in box bottoms and corners at swap meets but haven't found one yet. I should buy a new trim iron, mine is held together with tape and hose clamps but it has been with me for a lot of decades.
When my one iron decided to burn out it tried to burn my building board and shop down. Don't leave your iron on when you go in for lunch!!!!!!!!![X(]
Things that dumbass married to my wife does!

JohnBuckner

My Feedback: (1)

What GB is saying about forgetting leave the iron on is a vital warning that does need to be stated especially since this is the beginners forum but you know what? Even reminders to experianced fellows is a very good thing.

One of our members is a volunteer fireman and its been a while now but a home was completely consumed. In the investigation after the fact the cause was traced to an unmistakeable hobby iron which he recognized of course.

BillinIndiana that would be a big mistake and you will accomplish nothing but making holes. Covering even with a proper hobby heat gun involves using a technique that means learning the distance for each temperature and learning a constant motion technique.

All the modern hobby type heat guns are a lower temperature type and has two speeds. Also all the hobby types I know off now have a cold air bleeder type inlet which gives you infinate adjustment of temperature by controlling the cold air bleed rate. This is absolutely a vital feature to be able to properly use a heat gun.

If you going to stay in the hobby then don,t substitute or repurpose common household irons and heat guns. The special tools are needed if you want to progress to anything beyond a few RTF's. The lower priced covering tools are fine and I use them But I beleve repurposed covering tools are a mistake That in long run will cost you much more in ruined covering films.

John

Gray Beard

My Feedback: (-1)

When Mono first came out in the early 60s I did use my mothers clothing iron, once!! Then I got caught! It worked and even shrunk the covering pretty well but it was nothing like the nice irons we have these days. I went back to silkspan and dope until I started building and flying RC, then I went to Mono. A good iron could lay down the covering then and by turning it up high you could shrink the covering too. If you use Ultra then you can still do it that way but you need to know how to cover so you don't have to remove a lot of wrinkles or sags.
If you would join a club and go to a couple of meetings and ask for help then there are probably people like myself with spares that they will sell, loan or give you.
People new to the hobby don't need to go out and buy everything to get started. I was loaned my first iron and the fellow just gave it to me when I was returning it to him.
This can also go for radio gear and engines. Everyone has a 4 or 5 channel radio and standard servos in a box. Engines under the bench never going to be used again is something else, I can't recall how many engines I have given away.
If you want to see a wad of melted covering give a paint stripper a try. On high heat they will start fires.

ARUP

I have two Coverite irons and they are pushing 20 years old! Be sure and get the little round thermometer by Coverite. It's handy!

757jonp

My Feedback: (48)

I've been using a small travel iron for many years. I've tried the regular irons meant for covering, but keep going back to the old travel iron. I like the closeness of the handle and the big shoe. I'm not giving up my "industrial" heatgun either, just watch the heat!

BillinIndiana

Is this model any good?
www.amainhobbies.com/product_info.php/cPath/89_1979_2017/products_id/20509/n/Hangar-9-Heat-Gun-Sealing-Iron-Combo

carrellh

Yes, that is a good set.

wahoo

My Feedback: (59)

Hi BillinIndiana,

Welcome to RCU.

A word to the wise if you plan on frequenting these forums here on this site. You will gain a lot of useful knowledge but you also have to learn to weed through the BS.
I've used a small travel iron for many many years and to be honest the only reason I own a topflight iron and trim ironis from buying out someone who was getting out of the hobby and both are the economy versions, if my travel iron didn't give up the ghost I'd probably still be using it for the reasons already stated. More control, bigger footprint and less wrist fatigue. To each his own.

I also use a wagner heat gun. You have to be very careful using one as even on the lower setting you can burn holes in the covering. To get an idea on how hot the air is coming out of the gun, turn the gun on low and sweep it back and forth across your other hand, take note on how long you can hold it blowing on your skin and from what distance and you will soon get the idea of how long and at what distance you need to shrink the covering.
Again, to each their own, but saying it will cost you $$$ using"repurposed"tools is afallacy.