Alright you Mister Wizards out there, who invented monocoat and what was the original intended use? Is it a NASA velcro type of thing or what? I have been using it for 20 years and was just covering my Direct Connection FA-18 and got to thinking that I haven't a clue who to thank. So whats the story please.
Kirk RC

Kirk RC:

Who invented it? I don't know, but irradiated polyolefins (To give them their proper name) are everywhere now. Shrink tube, shrink wrap, MonoKote and later variations, etc.

MonoKote was the first on the market that I know of, I actually have an unopened roll of "TOP FLITE Revolutionary New SUPER MonoKote The covering with the built in finish" in flat grey. It is so old, the label sheet is printed in monochrome, brown on white, and it says you need a small travel iron to apply it. No mention of a specialized covering iron, they weren't yet being made.

As a guess, I'd say this roll dates from 1961 or 1962. I have no idea why I never opened or used it, but I'm keeping it just as a "Collector's Item."

If you are sufficiently curious the stated patent number is 3388651, you could research and get the name of the patent holder - that wouldn't necessarily be the inventor's name, of course.

Bill.

No mention of a specialized covering iron, they weren't yet being made.

Well actually they were around but were being used in the photography industry to mount photos onto mat board. someone probably put 2 and 2 together, tried it with monokote and said this is cool and had the name changed on the iron so it looked like it was made special just for the covering.

Art:

Right again, Beret Man! (Or was that quote "Right again, Robin?")

forgot the heat sensitive mountings, I never used them but I did know about them

Bill.

I am covering a kit right now, and I think it was Satan, intended to make me angry!

Hi All,

I did a quick search on the USPTO web site and found the following information on patent 3388651.

It was issued on June 18th, 1968 to Sidney Axelrod, and assigned to Top Flight. For more information or to read the patent, click on the following link.

http://patimg2.uspto.gov/.piw?docid=...6RS=PN/3388651

Thanks to Mr. Sidney Axelrod...or curses...whatever the case may be at the time...

Later,

In re MonoKote patent

That blows my guess of '61-'62 all to pot.

Still seems like it was early '60s, must have been late '60s. Sorry.

And thanks, Sydney, a whole bunch.

Bill.

PS: I don't get any text at USPTO, just an error when I try for it. wr.

I did too the first time I tried. I had to download an Apple Quicktime update to get it to work. You might have better luck going in through the front door at the USPTO and searching for either the patent number or the patent holders name.

Good Luck!

I thought it was a guy named, Charlie Monokote! Man...I was way off!

The Military developed it for transportation of equipment! Who introduced it to hobby application is a good question.

My first experience with TF Monokote was back in '70-71. I remember they had a picture of a small traveling iron in the instructions. Lo and behold, I actually had one of those, exactly as pictured in the instructions, that my aunt gave to me after her travels to Europe in the early 60's. It worked great...until it finally quit heating

Now I have several covering irons, the TF trim iron, heat gun, several types of trimmers, etc. It's easy when you have the right tools!

Interesting thread. Surprised nobody asked who invented Ultracote ?

Monokote is a particular type of plastic and a particular type of glue. However, if your asking about plastic covering materials, in general, there were coverings offered as far back as the 40s (I think). Unfortunately I cannot find the reference at this time but they were aimed at UC models.

RCPAUL

It still could have been out in the early 60's. They may not have applied for a patent for sometime, plus patents can take years to go through.

Shok:

Yes, but not my roll. I read the patent number from the label.

I did finally get the patent to come up, and I read it. There are references to papers from the late 1930s.

It would seem Sidney's innovation was no more than supplying the poly film with the adhesive coating on it, once you cut through all the references and bull.

The heat shrink film and the glue were already available, but you had to apply them separately.

Bill.

It's Italian, and originally pronounced "Manicotti"

Minn:
And pasta was invented by an Italian named Aroni, he moved to Scotland and changed his name to MacAroni.

Needless to say, there's a "Haw" attached.

Bill.

And here I thought it was Al Gore, just before he invented the internet..... :-)

And for bipes you had to use Biscotti. I have rolls of Monkote from the 70s that have the original travel iron instructions. Top Flites FAQs say now do not use a clothing iron. Here is the first page of the original instructions

Seeing this dusty old thread again, makes me realize how much I miss Art and Bill. This place just isn't the same without them. []

I remember using the original monocoat, the stuff before super monocoat came out. It was the toughest thing to apply. It was sticky, just like the trim strips. this was back in 66 or 67. gawd, that's old.
I also remember us thinking that "oh Boy, we don't have to sand anymore"----NOT!!
The covering look awful. Had to strip it off and sand. We asked "why bother with the covering", we still have to prep the surface.. Ol well, we lived & learned.

Yes, there was definitely a "Monokote" before Super Monokote. It was about twice as thick as today's product. I remember my father using it in about '66 or '67, on a U-control Mustang. When it crashed, you could pick up the tail, and all the parts were already in a "bag", to haul away.

You hit the nail on the head! I had the same kung fu flashback as I read the first threads. [sm=crying.gif]

Back on thread...I am of the opinion is was invented by a woman upset about the whole high heel thing and wanted to get even in a sick kind of way.

I remember reading Model Airplane News, or Flying Models with ads for Monokote in them at the time when escapements, galloping ghost and reeds were the R/C systems of the day. As a matter of fact, this was at the time of Kennedy's assination, so I'm pretty sure were talking about the stuff being available in 1963. I bought my first R/C system in the summer of 1968, it was a Kraft Gold Medal Series 4 channel. This was a Digital Proportional radio and although not an old technology at the time, Proportional had been around a few years when I bought this radio. I'm certain Super Monokote was available then. I also remember how thick and ugly the old Monokote was.

I dropped out of the hobby while in college from 64 to 68; only did fabric and dope before then. When I started again the guys showed me some shinny stuff called Monocoat. It was different than Super Monocoat in that you had to cover with silkspan first (IIRC). I do remember first using it on a C/L Shoestring stunter.