I started covering my dynaflite butterfly this past weekend. I bought a Coverite 21st Century sealing iron and a tower hobbies heat gun.
My troubles started when i plugged in my iron. I set the temp at 250 deg's and let it heat up. It go so hot that it turned the sock completely brown.
I tested the a sample piece and it completely melted it. I turned it down to 150deg's. It worked ok then to cover the bottom of my wing. The sock only lasted for hald the bottom before breaking from getting to hot. At the point i started to finish the bottom of the wing the iron went haywire and got crazy hot. I turned it down as low as it would go and it still got so hot that it started to melt the plastic around the handle and cracked it. I called Tower Hobbies ( where i bought it) told them about the problem. They are sending me a new one without sending the defective one back. The call took 2 minutes. What good service!!!

250 degrees? Were you planning to weld?

I've always had good service like that from Tower. Take the defective iron and either mark it, or better yet pitch it so you don't get it mixed up with the new one. I don't even remember how old my Tower iron is, but it keeps on working. I like to use a very hot iron with Monokote and my socks turn brown also. I just keep using them until they get a whole worn in the or just to grody to use.

Hogflyer

Heat guns get strange also. if you've had one for a few years and it starts two produce less heat and taking longer to shrink(if at all), be very careful with your new one because you have unknowingly developed bad habits with the old gun. Meaning, taking the new one and immediately burning a hole right in the covering.

My socks have never turned brown, that's funny. Hmmmmm. I have some with holes in the toes, but I just throw them away.

250 deg's is what the instructions suggest to use (Monokote). The sock turned dirty looking brown immediately and started to smoke...lol.

I was just surprised that you were using Monokote. There are so many whiners on RCU that say it doesn't work or is too hard to use. Personally, I use Monokote all the time.

I think you were above 250 because of your defective iron.
These come in real handy for assuring proper temps.
http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXB352&P=7

I'll have to say I'm using Ultracote for the 1st time and the first time covering in over 30 years and I have been very pleased with the outcome so far. I consider myself a beginner and it's making me look good. [8D] Hope to post some pictures of my Top Flite Piper Arrow soon.
Chopper man

I never had any problems with Monokote or Ultracoat.

So far I have had no problems with Monokote on this project. I did use coverite Balsarite for film for the first for me.

i just ordered my first plane a couple of days ago and i got some top flight monocoat for it, and a top flight sealing iron, just wondering if i will have trouble, just reading in here and it sounds pretty hard

ooh!, also do i need the hot socks, i was gonna order some but i forgot

acarter,
i have a solution to your problem that i have used and continue to use. it has been very helpful. Get the Top Flite Monokote "Secrets of Great Covering with Top Flite Monokote" DVD or VHS. Even if you use another covering beside Monokote it will help show you the tricks needed to cover your plane correctly. I recomend it to all first timers on covering a plane.

Good pointer, bskin101.
I used the VHS way back. which I brought at TOWER. Their is also a published volume COVERING R/C AIRPLANES
by Faye Stilley, sold through MODEL AIRPLANE NEWS.

thanks guys, i'll order the dvd (looks pretty good) also, do i need a heat gun

RCU member MinnFlyer has done some great how-to articles and videos on covering. check them out as they will go a long way to getting you started.
[link=http://www.rcuniverse.com/magazine/article_display.cfm?article_id=67] Minnflyer Covering how-to [/link]
[link=http://67.18.81.100/rcuvideos/magazine/reviews/352/cov1.wmv] Minnflyer Covering video, part 1 [/link]
[link=http://67.18.81.100/rcuvideos/magazine/reviews/352/cov2.wmv] Minnflyer Covering video. part 2 [/link]
[link=http://67.18.81.100/rcuvideos/magazine/reviews/352/cov3.wmv] Minnflyer Covering video, part 3 [/link]
newest covering videos
[link]http://www.rcuniverse.com/magazine/article_display.cfm?article_id=726[/link]

You can cover and shrink with only an iron, I've covered several planes with a thrift store teflon coated travel iron and nothing else. Single dad on a budget! I just bought a heat gun from Harbor Freight Tools for $9.99. Has two heat settings and works great for shrinking covering on the low setting.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=35776

Nice deal on that heat gun! I agree you can cover a plane with an iron only. I use a heat gun for larger areas, but an iron on high and moved over the surface can have a similar final result once you get the hang of it to heat areas evenly.

somegeek

thanks, rcken, vids were really helpful