FREEBIRD

What's the best method for prepping the hull before monocote? I was thinking spraying it with a coat of polyurethane, and light sanding before covering. Will the monocote adhere properly?

Thanks.

evan-RCU

mmmmm..... no.... don't do that..... the best way would be fiberglassing it, .25oz or more depending on what you're doing and then paint. If you monokote it you'll tear it up the first time you run on shore or hit a rock, and you WILL hit something. Monokote does not stick WELL to anything but bare wood.

Lake Flyer

My Feedback: (13)

I don't use monocote on my float planes but I brush on a coat of balsarite on everthing I can reach inside. In fact I will balsarite the inside of the airplane or wing before I put the final piece of sheeting on. You could balsarite the the hull before monocoting but I think you will find it difficult to get all the trapped air under the monocote out. Unless it is a small floatplane I agree with even. A word of warning, glue does not stick well to balsarite so don't use it where you are going to glue something on later

magyarbacsi

I have tried to waterproof my Mariner and Seamaster, both the same method, by using silicone on the wing saddles and water proof grease at the push rod exits. the mariner got water all the time before it quit flying. The Seamaster has seven flights and nary a drop.

There is a product I found at Lowes and Home Depot, that is used to strenghten soft wood, i.e. decaying. It is very viscous, almost water-like, and dries fast, but the fumes are toxic. Git Rot, as sold in marine stores and the Bondo brand, wood stabilizer. I dont know if it is fuel proof, but so far I have found no evidence in the engine pod of fuel penetrating the wood.

I've only used this on the interior of the fusalage and any bare wood accessible. On an ARF, the wings are already sealed and I'm depending on the factory to have done a good job. Ace Seamaster has so far held up.

proptop

My Feedback: (8)

That "Git Rot" stuff sounds interesting. Do you know if it attacks iron on film from the back side? I used Krylon "crystal clear" once, sprayed it on the inside of an already covered fuse. and it seeped thru pinholes and melted the color/adhesive, so I ended up with a fuse. that had "measles"!

canadagoose

My Feedback: (2)

I have tried brushing on a clear coat of interior acrylic urethane to balsa sheeting and after it was dry i then ironed on a film covering to it. The film and urethane seem to get fused together, there's absolutely no unsticking the film to reposition it once ironed to the urethane though otherwise the film peels the urethane off the balsa with it. If you iron the film on carefully working from the middle to the outsides heating it down to avoid airbubbles, it seems to get stuck almost permanently. I don't get any bubbles or wrinkles in the film even when sitting outside in hot weather. You could cover the sides and tops of the floats this way and coat the bottoms with epoxy or glass cloth and epoxy. Completely covering with glass cloth is the best way though.