Hi guys/gals,

Here's the deal: I'm covering a 2 meter pattern plane for a friend in a 4 color trim scheme that
includes metalic red Monokote. The other colors are regular opaque white, Insignia blue, and yellow Monokote.

The last 3 colors behave as expected and are going on normally, but the metallic red is giving me
fits! It seems much THICKER that the other colors and won't stay skrunk. After heat is removed and
the covering cools a bit it seems to sag and loosen no matter what I try.

I've filled the area w/ small pin holes to let the trapped air escape, I've used a heat gun and rubbed the covering with a soft flanel rag, I've tried to burnish it down w/ high heat on a sock-covered iron, BUT IT STILL SAGS!!!

This plane will hopefully be taken to the Nats and entered in the advanced class, so I want this
plane to look really good for my friend.

Is this stuff just hard to work with, or am I doing something wrong in my application technique?

Thanks for any ideas/comments/suggestions you may have.

Hey Luv. I've worked with Monocote a ton and I used the dreaded metal flake red ONCE!!!!

There simply is something different about this color. Looked cool with the scheme but it didn't go on the same as most other Monocote colors.

Don't think it is you, but also don't have a suggestion. sorry.

ed

Thanks Ed, at least it seems it's not me $crewing up!

Anymore ideas out there??

thats odd, recently I used the metallic blue without any of those problems. Could it just be that color? It does wrinkle a tad out in the sun, but that is probably because the rest of the plane is black.
Kyle

Thats very odd! I've used that color many times with no problems. It could be that you happened to get a bad batch. I received a Yellow roll that gave me similar problems. I took it back and had it replaced. Are you ironing it down so the adhesive grabs the wood, Or are you using a heat gun? Usually, When you heat it it expands, and then when it cools, It tightens up.. Hmmm.

I've used the other metal flake colors without problems, just the Metal flake Red. Maybe the batch I had was bad, 4-5 years ago, but it was bad enough neither my friend or I have used it since.

ed

Run your iron at the hottest setting. Be sure that it is covered with a sock. I shrink my metallics with a regular heat gun, but I reduce the airflow into the back of the gun to increase temperature. The metallics are somewhat thicker, and require more heat.

Silversurfer

I just covered an Aeromaster using metalic red, metalic green and metalic gold as well as white. The red and green were no problem at all, but the gold was a bear. It does not seem to like to shrink. Fortunately it does not melt through easily either, even with the heat gun on high about a quarter inch away!

I have used Monocote for many years and found each color to behave differently. White and other opaques shrink easily. Some of the metalics (blue) do too. Some are more trouble.

I used the metallic blue on my SE, and it went on beautifully. Seems that the red is the problem here.