I just want to play it safe. When covering over a solid surface, after tacking the covering in place do you still shrink the cover with a heat gun or do you iron the whole thing down and leave it? I'm starting with servo and flap covers and then moving on to the wings and fus. The whole plane is sheeted. I've got a year worth of work into it and don't want to screw it up now[X(]
Thanks
chopper man

Use a heat gun to get nice tight covering, usualy the iron is only used to tack the material to the wood, then the gun is used to get out all the wrinkles

Good Luck

PS, dont get it too hot or it will burn a hole in the material

On a solid sheeted surface. If you tack down the edges and use heat gun, the hot air tropped under the covering has no place to go and will not produce good results. I would tack down the covering down the center of what I was covering and work to the outside pulling on the covering as you go using as little heat as possible to achieve a tight finish. The trick is to keep the covering taught were ever you are working it. Don't forget to use a sock on your iron.

ChopperMan: Start with the iron set at the recommended temp for whatever brand covering you are using. I usually cover 1/2 of the wing at a time. Cut the covering about 4" longer than the wing and about 2" wider. Give your self some pull area and roll area on the end of the wing.

On a fully sheeted wing, start on the bottom. Tack the covering to the leading edge. I start at the center of the wing with it standing on the ailerons, tack at the center, line my piece of covering down the leading edge to the wing tip. Pull taunt and tack. Then I run my iron up and down the upper most part of the leading edge, nailing the covering down as I go.

Then I turn the wing (still standing up on the ailerons) where the top side (side we're not covering) is facing me. I take the iron and roll the coving with the iron toward the top uncovered) side of the wing. I am laying down the edge all along the wing.

Then I take the iron and roll the iron over the leading edge toward the bottom (part I'm covering) just enough to get it over the hump. Roll it over, move the iron, roll it over and so on until you get to the end of the wing.

Now I lay the wing down flat, leading edge toward me, reach over and grab the covering at the trailing edge and pull taunt and hold up off the surface slightly. Slowly, slide the iron over the covering from leading edge to trailing edge, ironing it down. Do press down on the iron, let the heat and the weight of the iron do the work. Work from the leading edge to the trailing edge and from the center section of the wing to the wing tip. Use the iron to pull the covering down as you go. Hold up a little from the surface and hold it tight and use the iron to kinda roll it onto the wood.

Don't worry if you get a wrinkle or two. You can eliminate these with the heat gun.

Now, go to this link to watch a expert cover. MinnFlyer is one of the best. He will show you how to do the wing tips, etc.

http://www.rcuniverse.com/magazine/a...?articleid=726

I have to agree the iron is usally meant to tack and the gun is to shrink it fast. However, on small pieces of flat stock I just use the iron all the way.
psullivan is correct in his warning of watching your temp. Ultracote uses less heat to apply and shrink than monocote. Set your iron at a low temp and work your way up.
If you are a slow mover- lower temp is better, gives you more time to move around and not mess up.
If the temp is high, you have to move faster, otherwise you can melt the covering.
One very good thing to remember that may help you-- If you mess up, you can heat it back up and pull it off, get a new piece and try again. It's not like wood stain, paint and so on. Very easy to correct mistakes, although costly.
I would suggest getting a scrap piece similar to a wing tip, a round nose and mabye something with curves. Practice on these first and learn how to use the heat gun while streching the covering to come around the curves and wing tips.
Another tip- if you are using the heat gun and you see the adhesive and covering bubbling (like boiling water) back off it's too hot.
Hope this helps and good luck.


Wow to posts while I typed this one! lol

PS: IN the 3rd paragraph from the bottom I said "Do press down on the iron", that should read "Don't press down on the iron." Use just enough pressure to lay the covering to the wood and move rather slowly. Let the heat do it's work. If you see the color changing on the covering as you move, move just a little faster. When you see the color change it is shrinking. We want the iron just hot enough to activate the glue and stick the covering.

I forgot to ask. Should I cover the surface with coverite sealer before covering with the Ultracote?
chopper man

I never have, I dont even know what your talking about...slap that covering on man.