Ok, I don't recall reading too much about covering in this forum lately, i have a couple of questions. What brand of covering do most people use? What is the main differences between them? I am looking for something that is realetivly cheap and coes the job. I have several planes that need to be recovered or at lease fix the covering.

Thanks

Jon

Jon, hands down the better choice for people who are not used to covering is Ultracote.

Monokote here

monokot and ultra cote are generally referred 2 as the 2 best or more used exactly which is better will always be a heated topic

Steven

Ultracoat gets applied with a lot less heat than Monokote. I was a Monokote user for many years and switched to Ultracoat a few years ago. I like the way it goes around the curves better and the fact that it shrinks better once applied. Just my 2 cents, Good Luck, Dave

I really like Towerkote http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXJC67&P=7
At $6.99 per roll it is one of the cheapest that I think can be found and my opinion is it goes on as easily and neatly as Ultracote. Goes on with little heat and really tight and smooth.

The different between them are the colors..lol
Yes..even white..you'll get different shades of white.

I used all of them...even the hobby shack onces..lol (Hobbie poeple dosen't sell it anymore)

The lowest cost is the Tower Hobbie's.
You don't have all those colors to choose, but it'll do just fine. For a model i know I'm just
going to using a lot and the chance of me crashing it increases.

It's lower temperature so easy with the heat.
This is the kind of film you will want to use if you're apply film on faom...such as the duraplane.

Monocoat or super monocoat cost more..but higher temperature (it can a be a pain to apply on curves)
I've had the heat gun pressed against it...many times ...while tower's will just melt.
Put once you get on,it's sweet.lol

I use a combination of everything becuase I have all types.

Ultra coat is easy to work with

But for that base coat I like to use mono coat, becuase it won't wrinkle as easily.
Sometimes my model sits out in the sun. It's stroger too. it won't punture as easily.

For scheme ...flames, stipes...etc.
I like you use lower heat film becuase it gose on easiler. i don't have to apply a lot of heat to tack the coners.
You can actaully just rub it on.

But water , soap and a squiggy dose the trick


I cut on glass

Esaki silk with nitrate and butyrate dope. Hey, you didn't specify iron-on plastic film covering only.

I agree with MinnFlyer - Ultracote is easier to use than Monokote due to the lower application heat, but both are very similar. I use and like both. The real key to either covering is to make sure you put a good pull on it when you put it down which will lessen the chance of wrinkles when the weather changes from winter to summer and vice versa.

Hogflyer

Most of the covering run around $15 a roll. I see the price of TowerKote is half that of others, may be worth trying out.
If/when you build a scale plane and want cloth covering, I am covering a plane right now with SolarTex and what a wonderfull covering to work with. I am extremely happy with it.

Thanks, I have used monocoat before, but just wondering what else people use. I want to recover a couple of wings of a telemaster, so looking dor options.

Jon

Where is the best place to purchase Ultracote?

Online, I order from horizon hobby. There is a LHS that carries it, but they are a 45 minute drive from my place.

somegeek

In my experience, Monokote wrinkles easier than Ultracote when applying. Ultracote is stronger than Monokote in my experience.

FYI - Firefox has a built-in spell checker and IESpell is available for free for IE.

somegeek

Missileman
do you have to paint or clearcoat the solartex. I use coverite but it is getting hard to find and the price is keeping up with gasoline.

If you are NOT EXTREMELY SKILLED AT COVERING, go with Ultracote for your film covering. It requires less heat to apply and it shrinks SUBSTANTIALLY BETTER then Monokote. It also does wingtips and compound curves with ease. The ONLY downside (if you want to call it a downside) to UC is that the Windex trick for applying trim will not work (different glue). For trim you will either have to iron the UC on or use Monokote. I would avoid Econokote/Towerkote. These are a cheap version of Monokote and are not as strong as MK or UC and both are noticeably more brittle in cold weather.

For a fabric covering go with SolarTex (or any of the "Tex" coverings). IMHO they go on even easier than UC and do not require Balsarite or SIG StixIt on the airframe to get it to adhere.

Campy

You can use the monokote over the UC using the windex method. Not sure you can use it over the solartex or coverite. Do you know. I am fairly skilled at covering, not an expert by any means but it looks OK when I am done.

As with any cloth covering it will be easier to clean if you clearcoat but the covering is fuel proof and can be bought in any color you want.
Check out Balsa USA for info.
http://www.balsastore.com/store/products.php?cat=22

Hummm looks like about the same price as coverite. That probably is my favorite covering. TH has it for 21.79. Thanks