FentonFlyer

My Feedback: (11)

Hi all,

I'm applying a trim scheme to my Seamaster 40 using a hockey stick stripe design. The "handle" starts at about 5/8" and tapers don to 0 over about a 20" run.
My problem is with the MK shifting under the templates while cutting.
Can the MK be stuck to glass, adhesive side down with windex, without ruining the adhesive? I'm wondering about this since I'm using the windex method to stick the trim?

Any suggestions?

Thanks

MinnFlyer

My Feedback: (4)

Yes, it can

Jeff Worsham

My Feedback: (28)

Wow- I need to try this! I've always just used masking tape to hold the MK on the ends, and then a cork backed straight edge with extra hands pressing down on it while running the blade. And sometimes it still moves!

kargo

I used the windex method for both cutting and positioning with Nelson Litefilm. The stuff is a lot more plastic cling rap like than monokote or ultacota, etc, but it worked very well. The litefilm adhered very well to glass adhesive side down when windex was used. The windex didn't seem to harm the adhesive any if allowed to dry overnight. If I didn't allow it to dry the covering didn't stick as well when I ironed it. All that being said the litefilm is very plastic wrap like, its thin and will smooth out well and "cling" when squeegeed. I don't think thicker covering will cling like the litefilm did, so I don't know how well it will stick to the other covering if you let it dry overnight. It will probably take a little experimentation. Let us know the results... For what its worth, the litefilm worked AWESOME as trim just because it would smooth out and cling, if you squeegee it and let it dry overnight there are almost no air bubbles.

FentonFlyer

My Feedback: (11)

I saw a video somewhere where a guy used press'n seal wrap to lay out intricate designs with MK. I'm not sure how he stuck the MK to the glass though.

Gonna try it tonite

RCKen

My Feedback: (9)

Here's a great method for cutting designs in Monokote

http://youtube.com/watch?v=8NhLZ-4V1pM

In addition to this, I cut designs with my vinyl cutter and then use the Monokote 301 method above to transfer them to the plane.

Ken</p>

kargo

You guys RULE!!!!!!! That mono 301 video is awesome, it would have saved a lot of repositioning work with the starburst pattern I put on my decathlon, to the point that it would be easy enough that I'll try it all over again!

Question, does the monokote trim solvent work on other coverings and how is it used?

RCKen

My Feedback: (9)

No, using trim solvent or Windex only works on Monokote. The trim solvent, or the ammonia in Windex, activates the adhesives on the back of the Monokote so it sticks. It won't work on other covering material. However, you can use Windex to put down Monokote trim over other covering materials like Ultracoat.

Ken

kargo

I guess Monokote has a different type of adhesive than Ultracote, which is probably why the windex positioning method didn't work so well with the Ultracote Parklite I tried it with. Worked great with the Nelson's Litefilm, but maybe for different reasons... what do you think? Guess I'll cover with Ultracote, and trim with Monokote.

I really liked the results with the litefilm. If you let it dry over night it turns out smooth as glass, and the white remains a pure white (instead of pink, white over red). The litefilm is also semitransparent, giving it a very unique look.

I had some pictures of the finished product, before it had a conversatin with a pole, which are are temporarily missplaced, but making good time...

twn

I just pin the monokote, ultracote, etc... Down onto a slab of drywall, tape my template of the trim piece down and start cutting. For the templates I start with paper and end with thin card board. Often I will harden the edges of the card board with thin ca if the piece is fragile or that I have to cut up against the edge of the template. If I'm using ultracote I turn the covering upside down and trace the trim piece out with a ultra fine tip marker and cut the straight edges with a ruler and scissors for corners.

Ultracote won't stick with windex so I mostly cut against drywall or very hard cardboard laid up against drywall. For letters I just print with the printer and pin down and cut. Often I will flip 2 pieces of covering back to back and cut only once if I need mirrored pieces or stacked up normally for multiple same cuts.

For very fine work with monokote, windex to hold it down to a piece of glass to cut on, then use press-n-seal to lift...

huck1199

Why not leave the backing on and spray it with 3m 77 to stick it cardboard then make your cuts. Then peel it off and place on the model with windex.

RoyR

I would like to bring this thread out of retirement because I had something very interesting happen to me and I wonder if this has happened to anyone else.

First, I have used the method RCKen pointed out: http://youtube.com/watch?v=8NhLZ-4V1pM

It works great, just as the video says. I used it to make some intricate designs with very tiny pieces, and none of it has come off after 3 years or so flying on a 4*40.
I have used Windex and glass quite a bit making trim.

I am building an UltraSport60 and wanted to try to join two colors about half each for the wing. I am using pearl blue Monokote with gold Monokote overlapping down the center.
I didn’t have Windex, which I had used before on the trim, but had some Walmart Glass cleaner. I tried that on two pieces of Monokote and it stuck as well as the Windex had.

I have a large piece of plate glass. I cleaned it with glass cleaner then laid the monokote down and aligned it, and squeegied out all the cleaner and bubbles and left it overnight to dry. The two pieces of Monokote bonded well, and I knew they would hold together while I took them off the glass.
The blue peeled off great, the gold was attached to the blue firmly, and there was no problem with separation between the colors of MK.
However as I was peeling the gold off the glass part of it stuck to the glass, tearing a inch or so off the gold. I thought maybe I had missed something on the glass that it had stuck to. I continued to lift the gold and the whole piece was stuck to the glass, leaving small gold flakes on the glass, then tearing the rest of the Monokote.
When I say it was stuck, I mean it was like it was glued on. I couldn’t even peel the pieces off the glass, I had to use a razor blade to scrape them off the glass.

I had applied heat to the seam, but not the part of the Monokote that stuck

I don’t know if the problem is using Walmart brand cleaner, or the covering. The blue came off nicely. The Gold Monokote is a few years old, but it was still in the shrink wrap covering. Or maybe there is just a different type glue in the gold. I have also never used that large of pieces on the glass before.


Has anyone heard of this happening before, or have any suggestions?

FentonFlyer

My Feedback: (11)

Yep.

When I was trimming my seamaster, I used silver, blue, and orange. When I was done, I left the silver and blue scraps stuck to the glass for a couple days. When I went back to clean up my mess, the blue came off the glass just fine, but the silver didn't. Most of the silver adhesive remained on the glass while the clear layer pulled away. I just attributed it to the silver being some 30yrs old and the blue being the "new formula" monokote. Maybe all metallics behave this way?