ORIGINAL: lil_nages22
ORIGINAL: bruce88123
I am new to monokote or ultracote and have a question. I am making a high mileage vehicle and making the body out of balsa wood. I am then going to wrap it in monokote, but the engine in the back may be too hot and melt the monokote. Will the Monokote melt or will it be fine??
Is the rear engine going to be outside in the open air or enclosed inside the fuselage?
It sounds like you are hinting of another engine in front? Free air for that or tightly cowled in?
school project?
School Project it is. A single 3.5 hp motor we are putting in the back inside the body of the car, or under the monokote. The car is like a go-cart with a steel frame, not more than 10 foot long, 2 foot wide. We want to cover the balsa wood with Monokote or something rather to make it lightweight, but we are all new and do not know if the Monokote will melt. We may just need provisions for routing the heat outside of the vehicle. Any insight would be appreciated.
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I'd be tempted to recommend an aluminum chassis for weight and use steel brackets to mount the engine if necessary although alum could be used there too. Cost could be an issue.
Are you talking about solid sheeting balsa or space frame structure?
You're talking about a lot of Monokote here too - cost.
Make sure you have enough cooling air to the motor to keep it from overheating. if it is OK and you don't have enough heat to scorch the wood, the Monokote should not melt. Not sure how well the adhesive will hold in those conditions.