I have yet to be able to apply large strips of covering (Ultracoat) over covering without getting a lot of air bubbles, no matter how careful I am.

I am wondering if I can use the soapy water method to apply the strips of covering and then iron instead of just ironing on. I seem to have the most trouble when doing sthings like my last job. Applying some 4" wide by 2' trim strips over the base covering.

In "there are no secrets" the suggested method is to mark the outline of the strip on the base color with a removable marker, then make hundreds of pinholes in the original covering in the striped area. Then apply the stripe working from the center out-wards the pinholes let all of the air escape between the two layers

HTH
Tom

Tom, that sounds like it would work. But - "hundreds of holes". It would take that, and that is a lot of work! Are you talking about using one of those woodpecker tools on the under layer or just getting in there with a pin and doing a lot of poking.

Windex!!!! Apply windex and put the stripe. Problem solved!

Serge

Large areas of a different color are best done by only lapping the seams about 1/4" instead of covering over covering. Depending on your layout and if the surface is solid or hollow, this isn't always possible though. I don't believe the Windex route will work on anything but trim sheets that are sticky backed because even if you wait overnight for it to dry, as soon as you put the heat to it you'll get bubbles. If you have to put covering over covering you need to set your iron as low as it will go.

I use a wood picker and it works great.

Do you use the woodpecker on the undercoat and then iron on the top covering?

I use a wood picker and it works great.

Geez, I don't know how that post got in twice.

Yes I just run the woodpecker over the bottom covering. Whether it's over wood structure or open structure doesn't make any difference. Then I just iron on the top covering. I've tried a lot of techniques and this works best for me. It's not real good with transparent covering because you can see the pecker tracks through the covering.
I do try to avoid doing this over solid structure though when I build the plane. In that case I cut all the patterns out and lay them on bare wood, woodpeckered. But if it's a previously covered plane and I just want to change it I just go at it with the woodpecker.