The next question that should be asked is why building your own models is far superior to buying ARF's.

<---- is ducking under desk, curling into fetal position, and pulling blanket over head.

I think it's time to unsub from this thread

John - who loves Monokote and finds that it doesn't wrinkle when I install it!

I think I stirred the pot just fine, thank you. I hate to say this, but I've been covering longer than MinnFlyer. I am honest enough to say that I have been known to make covering/finishing mistakes in Monokote, Coverite, silk&dope, Oracover, Ultracote, fiberglass, and silkspan. Forgive me if I left anything out that I have used before. I'm absolutely certain that if I have used it, I have screwed it up at least once.

It seems that the more attention I pay to finishing, the better the finish. This applies to the amount of haste, also. The faster I go, the more mistakes I get. I don't care who you are, sometimes you are going to encounter "Murphy's Law"

Given my personal choices, the painted finish over a glassed product will always have the superior appearance to any other covering, equal job to equal job. But how much work do you really want to put into one of these things?

Regarding ARF's to hand built. Personally, I just can't see me being exactly the same as everyone else at the field. I LIKE my individuality. Plus I get to build the plane the way I want it to fly from the beginning. There is no need for major modifications to a kit previously completed by someone else.

By the way, if you use the soap and water method to apply layers of covering over each other, be sure to use a low temp setting on your iron to set the covering after the layers have dried. It's really embarrasing to see all your different color layers fly off the plane on it's first flight. It usually happens when you let the covering sit out in the sun to bond them to the bottom layers.

Thanks to the guy who started this post. It's been most enjoyable.

Silversurfer

I just did my first monokote job (well... first in 20+ years). I expected the worst after reading all this, but didn't have any severe problems. I measured the temp of the iron with one of those coverite thermometers, and set it to the temp in the instructions - 275 F as I recall. I was amazed at how much it shrunk. No bad wrinkles except a few tiny ones around tight corners. The odd wrinke that did appear would go away if I rubbed it with the iron. No bubbles over balsa. A few small bubbles where monokote is over monokote, but nothing too severe. I did manage to burn a whole through the covering two times early on, but once I got the hang of it... no real problems. Just stripped it off and redid it.

I also stuck on some peel and stick trim. I floated it into place over soapy water and it worked fine. Is it true that the peel and stick trim is not fuel proof and the edges should be painted over with something?

So anyone whose reading all this.... don't worry about it!

OK, I'm going to cave in and use Ultracote on my next plane, an Uproar 40. I personally have been amazed at the amount you can get Monocote to shrink using the heat gun after the edges have been tacked down. My last plane was a TF Corsair that turned out rather nicely using Monocote. I've never covered a Cub wing, but I can't imagine it being as complex as an F4U wing.

I'll admit that I've never done a complete plane in Ultracote, only the bottom of the wings on my Super Skybolt. After a recent conversation I had with a fellow flier at the local field about his beautiful Ultracote covering job, I'm going to try it again. This time on a complete plane. Bend it around some real corners. We'll see MinnFlyer, we'll see...

For the record though, Monocote is a usable product and should be tried and not dismissed because somebody got a wrinkle.

I think I just recently discovered what i was doing wrong when using solarfilm (kinda like monocote).

1. Get a proper variable heat sealing iron
2. Get one of those little iron heat thermometers.
3. When bending around wingtips/corners, pull the film out while heating it....(ie stretch it out well first before you press it down with the iron)

Old Mill,

Nothing beats covering with cloth or silk and dope.

I have a mid sized free flight model converted to R/C that I plan on covering with silk and dope when the time comes. There really is nothing as pretty as a nicely done silk and dope finish.

John

It is a beautiful finish and it's really not even that difficult to repair. It does tend to puncture easily but there's an answer to that. Don't puncture it.

I've been to vintage/old timer events where they were required to use vintage engines but were allowed to use monokote. ????

Seems kind of backward to me. Vintage engines are getting scarcer every day, but silk and dope are still readily available.

Any1 used oracover before??

www.oracover.com

Would like to hear some opinions....

I've used it and don't like it any better than any other iron-on film. I used it on My Stik 30 and the black bubbles horribly in the Florida sun.

A lot of people will tell you that UltraCote (same as Oracover so I've heard) is better than Monokote. I haven't had any better or worse results with any particular brand. They're all sub-standard finishes as far as I'm concerned.

Aren't you glad you asked.

The lick em and stick em stuff is relatively fuel proof. Over a period of time it will show some lifting/softening around the edges if exposed to the exhaust residue. I think this is more a function of oil immersion more than anything else.

ORACOVER IS ULTRACOTE, without a doubt. When I have purchased either Goldberg or Hangar 9 ultracote, the backing paper has said Oracover. Made in Germany. Oh, and the last 2 rolls I bought of flame red were marked as "hellrot". No english translation to flame red on the backing paper. It is pretty nice, but I thought it to be a bit transparent. In this color, anyway.

-Craig

Patience is the key to covering, I know when I get fustrated I just stop and go relax for a while and than come back later in a better frame of mind. If I continue when things go wrong they just get worse and worse. I find after building for 20 years trying to rush a job just brings bad results. As for moncote or ultracote, I use monocote simply because it lasts longer and stays put better. I got planes 8 years plus old with monocote that still look good. I use ultracote 2 times and both times I had trouble with the covering wanting too lift at the edges especially the trim after flying the plane for a while. Since it is a low temp. film if it is hot outside ultracote can come off the plane while flying. I had some come lose and peel back on my wing once on a hot day while flying. While ultracote is easier to apply It just does not stay put as well.

If you seal the edges with a hot, 275+ degrees, iron, it will not peel up even in the middle of August in Texas.

John

Take the ugly wing tips and do knife edge touch and goes until there gone. Then build new one and try covering again.

Sounds like a simple solution to me.

Regards

"hellrot" translates into light red.