On TF Cool Glove
06-20-2005, 01:04 AM
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On TF Cool Glove
I'm finally getting around to covering things on a SIG Astro Hog and am running into difficulty on the wingtips.
It seems Monykote will bunch up on round and semi-round tips and such. I'm thinking that Top Flite's Cool Glove and my heat gun might help things.
What does the collective have to say about that? I'd sure appreciate any comments.
Dave
CentCal
It seems Monykote will bunch up on round and semi-round tips and such. I'm thinking that Top Flite's Cool Glove and my heat gun might help things.
What does the collective have to say about that? I'd sure appreciate any comments.
Dave
CentCal
06-20-2005, 10:08 AM
#2
Senior Member
RE: On TF Cool Glove
Anything you can use to grab the covering will help. You need to heat and stretch the monokote over curves like that. Check out MinnFlyer's covering video here on RCU if you are new to covering. Good luck!
06-20-2005, 11:13 AM
#3
RE: On TF Cool Glove
I have a pair of leather "rough out" insulated gloves I use for this purpose. They work well and, if needed, I can keep my hand in the air stream of a hot air gun for 5 minutes before it starts getting uncomfortable.
The rough out provides a little extra gripping power. If you go this route, make sure the gloves are genuine leather and not an artificial type of leather.
The rough out provides a little extra gripping power. If you go this route, make sure the gloves are genuine leather and not an artificial type of leather.
06-20-2005, 04:07 PM
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RE: On TF Cool Glove
Let me try to 'splain what I was able to do to finish this wingtip.
1. I ironed downed the sheeted side last night (yes, the front leading edge of the wingtip). It's cool, it's done.
2. This morning I attacked the rear, open side of the wingtip by using my trim iron to shrink what I could and then blasted it with the heat gun. I managed to shrink things some more but it still wasn't wrinkle free nor tight.
3. I finished it off with the trim iron and its rounded shoe (not the flat one). I heated the wrinkles, pulled (sometimes pulling up the previously sealed edges, heating, stretching and tacking it down again) and stretched and did that over and over until it all smoothed out.
What I'll do with the next wingtip --
Follow what the guy did in the video referenced above by heating, stretching and tacking in the middle of the wingtip rather than sealing down the front half like I did last night. If I had of seen the video last night I think I could have saved myself some work.
A major thing I would also do is wear a glove on my left hand (I stretch the material with it) since I inadvertantly marred the surface underneath the surface I was covering with my nails (as short as they are I was stretching pretty hard I guess - I don't know my own strength).
I'm hoping that starting in the middle and working out to the sides using the heat gun, my old motorcycle glove and pliers with balsa glued to them will make things easier next time. And ain't that the name of the game? Not to mention a nice finish.
Dave
1. I ironed downed the sheeted side last night (yes, the front leading edge of the wingtip). It's cool, it's done.
2. This morning I attacked the rear, open side of the wingtip by using my trim iron to shrink what I could and then blasted it with the heat gun. I managed to shrink things some more but it still wasn't wrinkle free nor tight.
3. I finished it off with the trim iron and its rounded shoe (not the flat one). I heated the wrinkles, pulled (sometimes pulling up the previously sealed edges, heating, stretching and tacking it down again) and stretched and did that over and over until it all smoothed out.
What I'll do with the next wingtip --
Follow what the guy did in the video referenced above by heating, stretching and tacking in the middle of the wingtip rather than sealing down the front half like I did last night. If I had of seen the video last night I think I could have saved myself some work.
A major thing I would also do is wear a glove on my left hand (I stretch the material with it) since I inadvertantly marred the surface underneath the surface I was covering with my nails (as short as they are I was stretching pretty hard I guess - I don't know my own strength).
I'm hoping that starting in the middle and working out to the sides using the heat gun, my old motorcycle glove and pliers with balsa glued to them will make things easier next time. And ain't that the name of the game? Not to mention a nice finish.
Dave
