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Monocote "jig"

Old 04-13-2013, 10:59 AM
  #1  
Calvinman
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Default Monocote "jig"

Hello,

I was trying to cover some elevaltor half's for a Top Flight Corsair and was horrified with the results of my first try. I Made a frame out of 1/4 sub floor sheeting left over form my field box build ($10 per half sheet at Home Despot) the frame's inside is a couple of inches bigger than the elevator half on one direction and a couple of inches bigger than the rudder in the other direction.

I now cut a piece of covering the same size as my frame, iron it onto the frame and clamp the frame to my workmate with the jaws open with the covering glue side down. Now I can push the part to be covered up from underneath while heating the covering with my heat gun. The results were good, next time I will iron on a 1/8" striparound the elevator tip wich is a compound curve.

I will post pics when the site seems to be able to show them, I am going to redo the first elevator covering job that I did without the jig.

Calvi
Old 04-13-2013, 04:10 PM
  #2  
bingo field
 
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Default RE: Monocote

There are some really good video's showing how to apply Mono / Ultra cote on different parts of airframes, right here on RCU. They are very helpful, the job isn't really all that difficult, but you do have to work at it a little bit at first. After a while, most surfaces will cover easily for you.

HA! Found them - http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_8503667/tm.htm

Right in the first post in Beginners Resources..
Old 04-13-2013, 06:45 PM
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Charlie P.
 
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Default RE: Monocote

You need to lay it out flat and tack the corners, then edges, then pull out the wrinkles and, as a last step, use the heat gun.
Old 04-14-2013, 04:51 AM
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Calvinman
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Default RE: Monocote

Yes I understand, but with the shape of the elevator with the corners, ribs, and compund curvesetc this "jig" I made just made it that much easyer, it is good for those small odd shaped parts, almost like vacu-forming the covering to the part, but you push from underneath instead of sucking the covering onto the part. I could just about get the covering all the way around the tip of the elevator with nary a wrinkle, from there I justpullit free of the jig and either pull the covering around the rest of the tip, or just cut it as far around the tip as Icould get it wrinkle free, and use a 1/8 inch stripon thetip,not one wrinkle. I will post some pics.

Calvi
Old 04-14-2013, 05:05 AM
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Calvinman
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Default RE: Monocote

I am sorry, I think I should have posted this under "Tips and Techniques". building and covering a TF Corsair is probably not a "Beginers project" .

Calvi
Old 04-14-2013, 12:10 PM
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kwblake
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Default RE: Monocote

If you're going to jump over to "Tips and Techniques" I am with you. Would like to see this. If you can, add a video. Sounds very interesting, even if just for interests sake.
Old 04-14-2013, 01:30 PM
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Calvinman
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Default RE: Monocote

Ok, I am going to try to instst one to start this is the elevator after it has been pushed up from under while heating the covering with heat gun.
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Old 04-14-2013, 01:43 PM
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kwblake
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Default RE: Monocote

Interesting. How much ( if any ) of the excess material is salvagable?
Old 04-14-2013, 01:46 PM
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Calvinman
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Default RE: Monocote

Ok so far so good, herer are a few more,
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Old 04-14-2013, 01:49 PM
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Calvinman
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Default RE: Monocote

You can see that I did a decent job without having to bore my wife or kids to tears helping me by holding and stretching for me, note also the elevator I did without the jig, strange that my rinkles apeared in the corners and the tip.
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Old 04-14-2013, 02:26 PM
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hogflyer
 
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Default RE: Monocote

That's an interesting way of applying covering, but is the material really getting stretched as tight as it should be before being shrunk? I guess the first trip into the sun will let you know for sure.

Here's my Sig Astro Hog. I covered the wing using one full roll of Monokote, and barely had enough. There is only one seam at the center after I cut the roll into 4 pcs, so each wing panel is one piece center section to tip. I also did the stab one piece center to tip, upper and lower. Those rounded tapered tips took a long time with a lot of pulling - close to 2 hours for each upper half, and each lower half. The real key to applying the iron-on plastic covering is to take your time pulling the wrinkles out. You'll have to unstick it as you go several times to pull more wrinkles out, so don't do more than enough of a tack until you have the wrinkles pulled out, the use higher heat to seal the periphery. And don't be scared to pull it hard. You'll be surprised how strong a balsa structure is, and how touch the material is too.

Hogflyer

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Old 04-14-2013, 02:43 PM
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Calvinman
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Default RE: Monocote

Good point kwblake, I will just hang onto the "leftovers" and hope they will come in handy somewhere else. Nice covering job Hogflyer, I only used this technique on the elevators and rudder for the Corsair as they are small,finnicky complex things and I was not happywith my first try as you can see in one of my photo's,and usually do just as you described while covering.

Calvi
Old 04-14-2013, 03:18 PM
  #13  
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Default RE: Monocote

The result sure looks good, but for me, I like to pull it tight on all sides by hand first before using a heat gun for the final shrink and gloved matt down.
Old 04-14-2013, 03:58 PM
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Default RE: Monocote

Thanks Calvinman. The whole key to a good covering job is experience which is gained by just doing. I've wasted lots of covering learning, and had some planes that were full of wrinkles. The more you work at it, the easier it becomes. Take your time learning the techniques and planes the size of an Astro Hog really aren't that hard, they just take a while to do and use lots of covering. The Hog took 4 rolls and at least 25 hours to cover.

Hogflyer
Old 04-14-2013, 04:03 PM
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Default RE: Monocote

It's funny how you mentioned how long it took to cover the AstroHog, when I built my Venture 60, I told people that it took longer to cover than to build. When you first start covering, it is an awkward process, as you learn it, it goes faster, and you learn where to put in the time to make it nice. And, Mono is different than Ultra cote. To me, it is more "rubbery".
Old 04-14-2013, 04:26 PM
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Calvinman
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Default RE: Monocote

Yes you sure are right, covering is a big part of the build, I am usually so anxious after completing the airframe that covering is just a step in the way of flying my new plane. My wife usually ends up getting upset with me because I am obsessed by the time covering time is here and I will spend way too much time in my workshop until it is covered. It should be a lot easyer once I replace my covering iron, using my wifes iron is not ideal(especially if any of the color comes off onto her iron!)

Calvi
Old 04-14-2013, 04:59 PM
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Default RE: Monocote

It's a new idea but I think I'll keep doing it the old way and not waste so much covering, it to expensive now .

If you get color on your iron from the covering : lay a newspaper on your bench then put a " dryer sheet " on the news paper and run the iron over it slowly while it's still warm, then just wipe the iron clean with a rag. ENJOY !!! RED
Old 04-14-2013, 05:30 PM
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Calvinman
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Default RE: Monocote

Thanks Red, that will keep me out of hot water with the wife!

Calvi
Old 04-15-2013, 12:33 AM
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Default RE: Monocote

I don't know Calvin but looking at your pictures it doesn,t look like you use your workmate bench enough
Old 04-15-2013, 05:46 AM
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Calvinman
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Default RE: Monocote

LOL, I just keep forgetting to bring it in out of the rain. Time for a new top I know.

Calvi
Old 04-15-2013, 06:00 AM
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Default RE: Monocote

What a waste of material!
Old 04-15-2013, 07:18 AM
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Calvinman
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Default RE: Monocote

Yes RGI cut the jig to fit both my rudder and my elevator, I should have made one for each, but the covering is just some 20 plus year old hand me downs so I felt like I could waste a bit.

Calvi
Old 04-15-2013, 11:28 AM
  #23  
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Default RE: Monocote

But that 20 year old stuff is supposed to be better than the new stuff   BTW, is that the Metalic Plum?  I think I have sonearly 20 year old stuff in my old Monokote collection.  I used it on a trainer before learning about contrasting colors - Metalic Plum and Metalic Charcoal look pretty much the same when it flies overhead 3 mistakes high [X(]
Old 04-15-2013, 12:10 PM
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Calvinman
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Default RE: Monocote

Not sure of the color RG but it is growing on me, and like me maybe it gets better with age too. I know what you mean by contrasting colors the worst plane I had was white with orange wing tips, I don't know why but that plane would litteraly disapear in the sky. Now it is dark with light highlites for the top and light with dark highlights for the bottom. I have read that it should be the other way around but it works for me.

Calvi
Old 04-15-2013, 04:12 PM
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retransit
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Default RE: Monocote

I think I'll buy some stock in TopFlite. You're using way too much covering in your method. As previously mentioned, all you have to do is tack the corners and ends, seal all the way around and then shrink. I almost never use a heat gun. I use an iron. If you get it too hot you'll melt through it or apply too much heat that when it sags later on you won't be able to re-shrink it.

One thing you have to remember is that although it is not visible, there is a grain in Monokote and it runs the length of the roll. You want this grain to run spanwise on your wing and tail surfaces otherwise as you shrink the covering it will not bridge the ribs and will cause a droop between them.

Here is a video of Solartex being applied. Same prodedure as Monokote.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ChviyGPH_lI

Bob

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