I will be covering my plane next week ordering ultracote and a iron with sock. I have been reading, watching videos and photos on covering and nobody uses a sock, what is the sock for and do I need one?

The sock stops the iron from scratching the covering. If you keep the iron surface on your iron scratch free, you would not need a sock. Good Luck, Dave

The sock spreads the heat out a little more evenly, but it also dissipates some of the heat, so you usually need to run your iron a little hotter.

I don't use one except in some rare circumstances - and then, I usually just wrap a t-shirt over the iron.

I usually use one when I'm covering. I feel it lets me better adhere the covering to wood underneath. I can put pressure on the covering without scratching or scuffing the covering. I avoid buying them from the hobby shop or Tower as they are expensive. Instead I buy cotton baby socks at Wal-mart. Much cheaper.

Ken

Normally I go without a sock, but recently went the baby sock route just to see what I could see. This must be a learned skill because I was challenged to produce the same results. I had to crank the iron all the way up and it still didn't produce the kind of heat that I was after. I am sure it is all about technique here as I tend to keep my irons moving when I cover. I will admit, my irons are kept out of harm's way and look as new as the day I bought them, so I don't really worry about damaging the surface of the covering.

-MA

One thing I like about using a sock (actually use one of my little boy's socks) is that is cushions the balsa underneath. Sometimes I get a bit carried away and can dent the wood underneath and the sock takes up some of that. I do tend to pull the sock with my iron hand, so that it spreads the weave of the cotton a bit and lessens the insulation so I don't need to crank the heat up too much.
Curtis
Consequently, I do notice that the finish on the covering is much smoother and is left very glossy with imperfections more masked.

I never iron in the nude. Expensive commercial sock covers are too expensive and burn out to fast especially when using higher temp Monocoat. The baby sock ideas is good but I have always used old T shirts and done this way they will not slip and slide around the iron.

If the other suggestions don't work for you, try what I do.

I cut up an old sock and keep it in my left hand while I iron gently with my right. As soon as I pass the iron over the film, I'll press the film down firmly with the sock in my left hand.

The reason I choose to do that is, I watched my freshly tensioned covering lose tautness, when I ironed around the edges. The heat softened the adhesive, which let the tension pull the film sideways.

Now I go all around the outside, rubbing the freshly ironed film down firmly to the balsa, and wait until that's done and the film is cool, before I shrink the film over the rib bays (with the iron.)

Works for me.
Dave Olson

Hey John
I don't have any blue T-shirts. Geeze, what do I do now? I bet you were real good at pinning diapers. BTWnice job.

Hmm I don,t have any blue tee shirts now either, I wear a triple xxx tee shirt your mileage may vary

I use the sock for two reasons: As has been mentioned, it lessens the chance of denting the wood when first contacting it with the iron. But it also gives more friction when ironing covering outward at the edges of a structure to pull it tighter. As to temperatures, I spent 20 minutes with a Coverite thermometer recalibrating the temperatures with the sock on.

I use pretty much the same technique as JohnBuckner, but instead I prefer using an old pillow cover as material. And I will just sew it on quickly and as tightly as I can get. My Mother would be proud.

I've used the same top flite or other brand sock on 3 planes now and it looks all dirty and nasty, but leaves no marks or colors on the covering. I use the el cheapo tower iron too, I think its made by hobbico anyway.

This is more my speed

But I like the glove hand deal too

I have one, give me your address and I'll send you mine, I never use it.

I'm not sure what the coating on the irons is but mine wear off on the first plane every time. So I started using a sock. The coverite sock fits the coverite iron better but I've also used the TopFlite socks. All of them wear thru the tip first for me so I suppose its my fault due to how I use it. I just wraps a small piece of cotton cloth over the tip of my trim iron for the same reason.

Seems to slide better on the monokote. With the socks on I pretty well have my coverite irons on full heat and just move around and not park on a spot long enough to burn thru.

I'm still not any good at covering and would love to try the heatgun/oven mitt approach but have never had anyone around to hold things still for me.

One of these days I'm gonna have to make me some sandbags,

Clay

I like the socks for the reasons above. I've found that without one, when I'm ironing a dark cover down, say the stripess on the bottom of the wing, the color will stick to the iron and transfer to the white. The socks greatly reduce this problem.

I make my own socks also, I use some soft muslin, polyester will melt, and sew in a cord like the comercial ones. The first one took an hour to do, but then I got the hang of it and I can cut out and sew a dozen in about 20 minutes.

For trim work though the sock gets in the way.

Don