KI8FR

ok thanks I will do that.

LuftwaffeOberst

I thank you so much for the links and videos. I have a 16 year old Goldberg O.S. 40ts Eagle, and the covering that was on it is getting to old for my liking. The Mono-Kote is real brittle, plus she has too many patches on it.... so I stripped the wings down to the Skeleton except for the Ailerons. I never covered anything except the Tissue and Dope planes that I used to get when I was a kid.

I'm studying all the video's and I will read the directions on the Ultra-Kote and I'm going to make a attempt to do this. If I do a great job...I might do the Fuselage... however that isn't too bad and only has a couple patches. We'll see, wish my club would help me, but that's OK, I taught myself to fly somewhat, and I have you people here thank God!







Peter Dowling aka LuftwaffeOberst
AMA District II #856404
Aero Modelers Club
Pulaski, NY

hobby-plane-rc

nice plane

tomahawk44

My Feedback: (1)

Very good videos, happy new year!!

Avalanche2

Mike, what a great post... Thanks a ton from all of newbies that panic when the guys at the hobby shop start talking about covering. You make a hard task seem almost fun. That "Great Planes P-38" you did was great. In covering, build and the timing in which you built it for. God bless our vets.. and just pure THANK YOU!! to them. Nice song with video but, would like to hear that bird sing a little more..

Safebet

My Feedback: (12)

Thank You, Minn Flyer. Great job and very helpful.

MinnFlyer

My Feedback: (4)

A very humble "Thank You". It's nice to know that it was helpful. But if covering is so much fun, why do I hate to do it???

Yea, for a while there we were adding music to the videos, but after several similar complaints, we stopped doing it. Hey, you know, the whole concept of an On-Line Magazine is new, and we're still in a learning process. Check out the review I did on Nitroplane's P-38, it's got two OS 70's and no music!

[link=http://www.rcuniverse.com/magazine/article_display.cfm?article_id=765]Nitroplane P-38[/link]

Avalanche2

Very nice. Now thats a bird with a voice... would love to see it fly.. I'm sure the video doesn't do it justice....

tronco

ive never covered anything before. I knew this was going to be a challenge so i built a small 35' wingspan plane to practice on. I covered, stripped, and recovered my way through two full rolls of monokote on that thing with no success. And i dont just mean that it was unsightly! there was so many wrinkles im not sure it would even fly. I have all new equipment (irons and such) and two very informative books with good pictures. I have followed all the instructions to a T! i can get the covering tacked down tightly without any sag, slack, or wrinkles but as soon as i apply heat it shrivles and sags. some places seem to shrink like theyre supposed too but its patchy. there are places that melt before they shrink! Im at a loss! is my material defective? what am i doing wrong? i have covered that plane over a dozen times and my results have not improved. And dont think i havent taken my time. i have spent all evening on half the underside of a wing with terrible results. bah......ok..sorry for ranting. heres my question:
*is it possible BOTh my rolls of monokote are defective?
*is there any reason to think i might have better luck with ultracote? i hear it shrinks at a lower temperature.
thanks

Avalanche2

Ttronco, take a look at MinnFlyers post. He has made VIDEOS for us newbies that are great... He has a few post with several videos and written material... Fantastic information. Good luck...

tronco

Yeah thanks. But I watched all the videos attentivly. they are wonderful and as far as i can tell i was doing everything correctly.../shrug. Turns out i work better...much better...with ultracote! my plane looks wonderful on the first try! Its not perfect by any means but it far outdoes my original expectations. I am just starting in this hobby but i may have just developed a brand loyalty! thanks for the thread everyone!

MinnFlyer

My Feedback: (4)

Switching to Ultracote was going to be my first suggestion.

I like both coverings for different reasons, but for just plain "User Friendliness", Ultracote is the winner, hands down.

Here is another tip for getting out wrinkles:

Let's think of a sheet on a bed. If the sheet has a wrinkle in it, you might just sweep your hand over the wrinkle to get it out - and it MIGHT come out that way.

But if it doesn't, you don't keep wiping it, you pull the sides of the sheet - right?

The same rule applies to covering. If you've got a wrinkle that won't come out, try heating (shrinking) the covering next to the wrinkle. As that area shrinks, it will pull out the wrinkle from the side.

octanehuffer

I am covering a Taylorcraft now and had to use on color with Monocote. The other three are Ultra cote colors. Monocote compared to Ultra is like covering with tinfoil. This is the first time I have used Ultracote, but have coved many models with Mono. Also I have to cover the Mono over the Ultra. Not fun. I will never use Monocote again. Why does Top Flite leave the clear edges on the film. What a PITA. Also I need the edge that is littered with their ink. How do I remove it?

MinnFlyer

My Feedback: (4)

The only way I know of to remove that is with a razor blade

octanehuffer

I was afraid you would say that. Just going to have to cut the whole bottom off and make a new edge. Thanks Mike

hrrcflyer

Hey Minnflyer,

Awesome video's!! In a diferent thread, I told you about an 80" Midwest Extra I have with a 3W60 in it. Thanks to a four legged friend of mine who put a whole through the elevator covering (both top and bottom), I have found that the covering is so brittle, it just crumbles in my hand. This being said I am going to have to strip and recover the whole plane which is a shame because all of the awesome graphics on it. My question is this. Obviously it will depend on how many colors I use and it is impossible to say for sure, but can you give me an idea of how many rolls of covering it will take to recover it? Also can you give me any ideas about where I can find grachics similar to the ones on my plane (see enclosed pictures). Any advice you can offer will be GREATLY appreciated.

Thanks again for your assistance.

Fly safe and have fun!!
David

MinnFlyer

My Feedback: (4)

Well, that's a tough call to make depending on how much overlaping you plan to do. If I were covering it, I wouls plan on 1 roll of white and 2 each of red and blue

Something to consider... check your local Auto Supply store. They usually have (Or can get) WIDE pinstriping tape. It would be just the thing to use on the Fuse sides. But check the price first, some of those tapes can be expensive.

Send RCKen a PM. He cuts graphics and probably has many of the ones you need

hrrcflyer

MinnFlyer,

I will drop RcKen an PM when I decide what graphics I want to use. Common sense would tell me to strip and cover it just the way it is (at least the fuselage anyway) to keep me from having to repaint the cowl which is probably what I am going to do. The way its looking now, I will not be able to get a chance to work on it until next building season. Like you, I have been busier than a one armed man in a donut making factory if you know what I mean. Since I have a 27% Lanier Cap to strip and recover as well, they should take me until spring of 2008 to finish. I will let you know how they turn out.

Thanks for your input. As always, it is very helpfull. It's people like yourself, and and others here I have corresponded with on RCUniverse that make this website THE BEST, IMHO.

Fly safe and have fun!!!
David

MinnFlyer

My Feedback: (4)

Thanks David, hope all goes well!

Alex7403

Mike, Thank you very much for the movies, its very helpful and instructive.

OK, Now I have a reference to how its done the Right way.

I intend to start cover next weekend,
How Should I practice on something before I cover a profile wing with monokote?

Well any way some mistakes will be made and corrected.

Thanks a lot.

Alex

MinnFlyer

My Feedback: (4)

Alex, One of the nice things about Ultracote is that if you really screw it up, you can just heat it again and remove it, then start all over again.

Good Luck!

dirtmagnet

minnflyer, you are a hec of a guy. i am about to recover a few of my planes and i wasn't sure how to do it and do it right. there are alot of little tricks and stuff you did on there that seem to make things alot easier than i have done it before and mine turned out terrible. those videos will really help me out ALOT. and also save me money from buying extra covering when i screwed up. thanks!!!!!!!!!!!

MinnFlyer

My Feedback: (4)

Glad it helped!

KI8FR

If I get a decal made at a printing shop. will I be able to put then on the same way with the window clenner?
Paul

MinnFlyer

My Feedback: (4)

Yes, window cleaner or water with a few drops of dish soap will work very well on decals and vinyl graphics