Monokote Problem
 

I am slowly working on my first covering project, a GP .60 Cub. Covering with Monokote. Things went fine at the tail end of the plane, but I am having some difficulty with the sides of the fuselage. If you are familiar with the plane, it has slab sides with a 1/4" stringer glued to the side to provide shape to the fuselage, with a framework on top of the "box." The goal is to only adhere the covering to the edges of the fuselage to give a scale appearance.

I ripped off my first effort because I put a seam back near the tail and decided it looked bad. My next attempt was to do the fuselage side as one piece. When I stuck the edges down, there were a few wrinkles, but I figured I could just blow them out with the heat gun. I can't. They don't seem to want to respond at all. I have put quite a bit of heat on, but the covering doesn't seem to be shrinking. I don't want to burn a hole in the side, so I am concerned about too much heat.

Are there any tips out there for shrinking Monokote? Am I missing something?

-Scott

RE: Monokote Problem
 

"Are there any tips out there for shrinking Monokote? Am I missing something? "

Yeah, switch to ultracote I have found its easier to apply then monocote also the color doesn't pull away if you apply heat and remove a piece

RE: Monokote Problem
 

I've found that wrinkles that won't dissapear with the heat gun can be taken out by rubbing them with the iron. I have a thermometer to check the temperature of the iron to get it up near the highest recommended temperature. I had no problems removing wrinkles in monokote. And I have never burned a hole through the covering using the iron. I have using a heat gun.

RE: Monokote Problem
 

I have a couple of hints for you, but first, IMHO, Ultracote sucks. It shrinks better and is tougher, but the glue creeps. So I prefer Monokote.

When I covered the fuse on my cub I used one piece for the side up to the top of the cabin (even on the open structure behind the wing). I started by attaching the covering to the 1/4" inch stringer in the middle of the fuselage side. Then I stretched the covering to the bottom edge (in the middle) and applied heat. Next, while continuing to apply heat and tension (by pulling on the covering) I attached the covering to the bottom all the way to the tail and then to the nose of the plane. I repeated this procedure paying special attention to the area directly behind the wing for the top of the fuselage. Now comes the important part - don't trim the edges. If you've done this properly, you will already have a tight covering job because you were shrinking/tensioning as you went. But you may still have a few wrinkles to work out. You do this by applying heat to the edge near the wrinkle and pulling on the monokote. This is also how you cover rounded noses and wing tips. If you've already trimmed around then edges you can't grip the covering, but if you haven't then try this.

RE: Monokote Problem
 

Re: wrinkles

When MK's adheasive side touches itself, that wrinkle is there for life.

Not so with UC

RE: Monokote Problem
 

not so with monokote, ive removed wrinkles with my iron as well. it sorks, not all the time but most of teh time if the wrinkle isnt ghastly you cna shrink it out... heat guns are crap... never used one and never will. there chalked up in my mind as a nice way to melt a coke bottle into a mini cowl...

RE: Monokote Problem
 

jagnweiner, I have the same plane and am at the stage of covering the fuse. I also wonder about how I will go about covering it with those 1/4 stringers running the side of the fuse. I wish i would have not put them on. I think it's going to be a problem.

RE: Monokote Problem
 

geish-

Obviously I feel your pain. However, I think following ksechler's advice should result in a good looking finished product. The stringer definitely adds to the scale appearance. I think I'm going to tear the covering off and try a third time. I just haven't got around to doing so. Other than the bad looking seam, my first attempt looked pretty good. Probably should have left it, but I just wanted it to be "perfect."

RE: Monokote Problem
 

One basic "secret" with MonoKote is to make sure that you draw out as many wrinkles as possible when you're sticking down the edges. Lift and pull, as many times as necessary to ease out the wrinkles. You need at least a one-half inch of excess material around the edges to allow you something to grip. If you have a wrinkle in a corner, then lift the adjacent area and pull out the wrinkle. You may have to work your way down the structure to fully remove the excess material. You should have the covering as wrinkle-free as possible before you start to shrink it. This is how the flawless jobs get started.

RE: Monokote Problem
 

Third time was the charm! Following tips from ksechler and Bill worked. Geish, tacking it first to the center stringer was a big help. I just worked slowly and kept pulling out the wrinkles. The toughest part was back under the horizontal stabilizer. It doesn't look real good, but also shouldn't be very noticeable.

I'll try the rest of the fuselage this weekend and report back. Thanks for everyone's help.

-Scott

RE: Monokote Problem
 

im just a little confused here, since ive never built it and cant find a good pic of the sides, ill go by what i think it is. if its anything liek a sigrascal side with the frame work then just cover it and shring it with the iron. otherwise im lost.

could you post a pic sincei really want to know if im compleatly lost.

RE: Monokote Problem
 

Balsa Master-

Sorry, I don't have a digital camera so I can't post a pic. I finished the fuselage and it came out looking pretty good. It's exciting to be nearing completion, although it will be just in time for winter. :eek:

-Scott