I will soon have two airplanes in my hangar after I get the second one built. I just got an iron and was going to try and remove some wrinkles in both models. One is covered in Ultracote and the other one is Monokote. I have heard that Ultracote uses a lower heat setting......300 degrees???? How about Monokote for temperature? Also, do I have to be concerned about having the iron to long in one spot and ruin the covering? I do have a sock for my iron.

Thanks to all.

HarelyFlyer

The rule of thumb is to use the lowest heat setting possible to shrink the covering. 300 degrees is a good start for both. Just keep the iron moving slowly and using a sock is always a good thing as it prevents scratches and allows the iron to slide over the covering better. You may have to stop the iron on a wrinkle at first just to get the shrinking process started, just keep checking it.

You may find that a heat gun is better at removing wrinkles as you can see when the wrinkles are going away.

Try using about 250 or 260, first. Iron temp for UltraKote is 230. UltraKote takes lower temps than MonoKote. If you start off at 300, you have effectively limited yourself to future shrink. At about 320 or so, UltraKote loses most of it shrink capability. Always use the lower temp you can so that in the future you can go a little higher and still have some shrink left. Using a heat gun start at about 250 or so and work just a little slower. Give it the opportunity to shrink. If at 250, you don't get any or enough, just raise the temp a little higher and try again.

Just my opinion, for what it's worth.

I found a heat gun to be a much better tool for removing wrinkles than an iron.


Andy

180 is a good start point,

At 300 degrees Ultracote has reached it's MAX shrink point and will not shrink any further...., ever!

Or a 1200 watt hair dryer works pretty good.

Just piping on the subject........... i have both an iron and heat gun i allways seems to find the iron is better althou sometimes it dents the wood alittle (guess im pressing too hard)...............

The heat gun i have has 2 settings and a nossole attachment........ whats the best way of using a heat gun ??????????? Thx

im not sure about which setting for the heat gun i dont think it makes a difference much the important part is how far heat gun is away from covering. Without the nozzle quickly go bakc and forth across the wrinkles about5-8 inches from covering slow down movement or get closer until wrinkles start shrinking out, then attach nozzle get a little closer and start moving gun faster than before and keep getting closer and closer till the little wrinkles shrink out. Also remember too that when you apply the heat it makes the film looser so if a wrinkle isnt coming out take the heat of and as it cools it should shrink keep heating and taking off heat watch for it to shrink keep repeating till its gone. The most important part of using a heat gun is to always keep the gun moving. With the more expensive films liek ultra and monokote you dont have to worry about burning a hole through it liek you do with cheaper covering like towerkote.

Oh yeah about denting the wood the heat should tack the film down if its not then your irons not hot enough you should not have to press down hard let the weight of the iron do the work. The only time you should press down is when youre getting into corners

it also helps to have a hot glove or cool hand when using a heat gun, i find i like the cool hand better.

http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXHZ21&P=7

http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXHZ22&P=7

What Minn said is likely true, from what I have seen of his vast experience in this area. However, on the Ultracote instructions, it says that the shrinking process starts at 300F and goes to 350F. The maximum shrinkage occurs between 300 and 330, with some additional (not as much) occuring between 330 and 350.

Hmm, I could swear I read that 300 was the max, but I could be wrong, (It has been know to happen now and then )

I stand corrected...

Straight from the UC label:

Adhesive activates at 220F

Shrink is just as Bryris said - Most of it from 300 to 330 and 350 is the max.

Who da man?


You da man!