Has Monokote changed??
 

I recently finished covering my first plane in 15 years.

We used Monokote as I always have but I noticed it didn't shrink quite like it used to back then and tended to burn through easier.

Is it just me, has Monokote changed or is my Tower heat gun just hotter than the TF gun I used to use?

Maybe I'll give Ultracote a shot on the next one.

RE: Has Monokote changed??
 

You may have just gotten an old roll.

Like you said, try UC next time, very few people go back to MK

RE: Has Monokote changed??
 

What color was the Monokote? I've noticed that white takes a lot more heat to shrink than the other colors of Monokote. I seem to recall seeing a thread about that here on RCU a while back too.

Mark

RE: Has Monokote changed??
 

It was white I had the most trouble with...
I blew 4 holes in the white.. 1 in the purple..
The metalic purple took the heat much better.

I did my telemaster in white back in 88 or so and I don't remember having this much trouble.


This is the plane we just finished..

http://www.pontiacs.org/pics/project...e/IMG_2876.JPG

RE: Has Monokote changed??
 

Sent you a PM. Harry Castle Rock

RE: Has Monokote changed??
 

The Monokote problem has been around quite some time. I run into it over a year ago. when I couldn't get the white to shrink at all with a heat gun. None of the dealers or the distributor bothered to ease the problem, or explain it. So I went to Ultra Cote. Wish I had done it sooner. Never worked with anything so easy. Try it, you will like it.

RE: Has Monokote changed??
 

[8D]I can tell you that I had always used MK for years, but noticed a
few years ago that it did not seem to shrink up as well as it used to.

I tried UCote and was really impressed with it. It is also known as
Oracover. To me, UltraCote is a better looking film covering and
is easy to apply.

RE: Has Monokote changed??
 

I'm using UC for the first time and I love it. I'll never go back to MC again. I shrinks perfectly and consistently and I love the paper backing for drawing on.

RE: Has Monokote changed??
 

I've been using Monocote for 30 + years. The last 2 planes I did were the worst covering jobs I have ever done. I am positive they have changed it and I won't be using it again![:o]

RE: Has Monokote changed??
 

YES!

Monokote is definitely not the product it used to be. By comparison, today’s stuff is truly bad. I say this from 30 years of experience with the stuff. I started modeling with silk and dope then discovered Monokote. Great stuff back then. I had no reason to use anything else. About 10 years ago their product began changing for the worse. The first thing I noticed was the stuff wasn't as thick or opaque as it used to be. Light colors used to be opaque enough to cover over multicolored undersurface without any tints showing through. Overlapping seams never used to show different color either. Now the stuff is nearly transparent. Years ago (before I had e-mail) I wrote TopFlight a letter asking what's up. There response was basically bla bla bla - a non responsive answer about the reduced quality. Since then the stuff has only gotten worse. I still have 20+ year old models covered with original Monokote that are good today. I had scraps of 20+ year old Monokote. It was nearly 3 times as thick as today's stuff. Besides the color not being opaque, now the colors sometimes do not match from one roll to another. The last plane I covered with Monokote 5 years ago was trash after 4 seasons. The covering had become so brittle that just the pressure from cleaning it with a paper towel could break through. So, another great product gone down the tubes years ago. Shame.

Multiflyer

RE: Has Monokote changed??
 

Sorry I didn't get back to you to answer your questions. Been real busy with the upcoming Pluto misson. I belong to Crosswinds R/C Club. Some of the greatest bunch of guys you will ever meet. I'd like to invite you to fly at our field when the weather is better. Give me a call at either of the numbers I sent you.

Harry

RE: Has Monokote changed??
 

MonoKote has always been super to work with and still is!! If you want the best looking and longest lasting film covering finish, MonoKote is the best and only solution.

Some samples of how it can look:

http://image.rcuniverse.com/forum/up...77/Ig13687.jpg
http://image.rcuniverse.com/forum/up...77/Jh14488.jpg
http://image.rcuniverse.com/forum/up...77/Cy77270.jpg
http://image.rcuniverse.com/forum/up...77/Pn36159.jpg

I do not know why people keep saying it has changed, etc, it works great for me! Nothing has changed in the 37 years I’ve been using it.

RE: Has Monokote changed??
 

I still like Monokote (I've only been using it for 36 years). I have found that Econokote has all the faults listed above and I swear I've bought monokote that was actually econokote (white econocote is terrible - not close to opaque and a pain to work with). Econokote seems to need much less heat than monokote (lower melting point). I've never tried Ultracote, but i haven't heard anything bad about it either. Maybe when my supply of monokote runs out (in about 25 more airplanes...:D) I'll try it. Nothing beats paint for really top quality finishes, but I've come pretty close with monokote.
By the way, 8178, your crafsmanship is excellent!!!

RE: Has Monokote changed??
 

Thanks flywilly! Like you I’ve been doing this for a couple of years. I’ve tried all the covings and nothing beats MonoKote for the best looking and longest lasting film. I could list all the problems with the other films but the key thing is MonoKote is the best. I keep my aircraft for decades so a good quality film is a must!

The beginning of the build thread on the orange Cold Duck is at http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_3092876/tm.htm

RE: Has Monokote changed??
 

Just covered a supper sportster and some thing has been changed. I have used Mono. for many many years and a heat gun all it does is make it sag. After you get used to it it works well but you have to use the right temp. or you are going to screw up. Believe it or not you can even get the black to stick and look decent.
And it is thinner and has a different addhesive:eek:

RE: Has Monokote changed??
 

I have some old MonoKote that is at least 15 years old and some band new MonoKote rolls. I cut some pieces of the old and new and I cannot tell the difference between them. I do not have a micrometer that can measure MonoKote but they both feel and look the same. I’ve used MonoKote for a zillion years and the current stuff works just like it did many years ago.

RE: Has Monokote changed??
 

I'm still debating what to use on my next project. I have used both, many times and have found good and bad attributes to both.

Ultra will shrink well making covering a lot easer but has a low temp glue that will pull loose or cause your nice straight lines to look a little wavy. The Ultra Black should be taken off the market. Even a hint of sun on a nice cool day will turn the black into a raisin.

Mono on the other hand has great adhesion but hard to work with. You simply cannot put one color over the other on a compound curve. Heat will give you bubbles & you can't use the Windex or trim solvent method on these curves.

RE: Has Monokote changed??
 

I've been using heat shrink coverings, including Monokote, for over 30 years and never had a bit of trouble until last winter. I bought a roll of transparent green and one of transparent yellow to cover an oldtimer and each would only shrink with my iron on the highest setting, and then not very well. I ripped it all off and replaced it with Ultracote.
Some have said that there was a quality control problem with Mono, that some of it still works fine, but I don't have the time to mess around finding out if I got a bad roll or not.

I will NEVER use Monokote again!

RE: Has Monokote changed??
 

I'm not kidding when I say that I wrapped a rascal 40 wing around the tip edge and left a seam 1/2 inch wide. I could have left more if I had more patience. This was with, of course, Ultracote. There's no way Monokote would have done that

RE: Has Monokote changed??
 

Ummm,

and then...


I must admit to finding these conflicting reports very conflicting...

Obviously, 8178 has no trouble with it. That is beautiful work. The tip looks like it was painted, so don't say what monokote won't do unless you see a master's work... When my work comes out less than perfect (an all too often occurrence) I am more apt to blame myself and my lack of patience rather than the material I'm working with.

RE: Has Monokote changed??
 

Thanks for the positive input Woodpile! Here’s the link to the build thread on that orange aircraft if you are interested http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_3092876/tm.htm The MonoKote process starts on page 5.

RE: Has Monokote changed??
 

My pleasure, 8178. I wish I had the patience to get results like that consistently, but I'm too eager to fly the d@mn thing! I build mostly 10-20 scale airplanes... They look great from 10 or 20 feet away....

Regards!

RE: Has Monokote changed??
 

One of the reasons I was doing a search on Monokote is because I am having a heck of a time with a new airplane I am working on and getting the Monokote to shrink. I wanted to see if others had advice. I've covered many airplanes with success using Monokote, but this time it's just horrible. I can't get it to shrink, the wrinkles are horrible... heat gun and Iron just don't want to shrink it. Ironically, I'm using white as has been mentioned previously in this forum. I've always had previous success with Monokote, but I have to believe with all of these similar comments, something is up... I'm going out tomorrow for some Ultracote to give it a try...

RE: Has Monokote changed??
 

Have to agree with the comments re white monocote. I bought some to repair wing on my Great Planes Lancair, because they said it was Monocote.

1. I t DIDN'T match, and
2. It was nearly impossible to shrink the stuff!

I've been using film for 25-plus years and NEVER had this problem with monocote till now. Re-covered with Profilm fine.....

Cam

p.s. having discovered 3/4 oz glass and acrylic lacquer, I'd never use film again anyway:D

RE: Has Monokote changed??
 

A few years ago I tried to cover my GP UltraSport 40 with silver Monokote. It wouldn't shrink one bit. I pulled it up and covered the plane with black EconoKote and was very pleased with it. I've since used white and royal blue MonoKote to cover three planes and have been very pleased with the results. I'm going to use MonoKote on a GP Ultimate 40 I'm building, since I'm familiar with it. It seems to go on easily, shrink well and cover compound curves without much fuss. If I have any of the troubles reported here, I'll post my gripes.

==Mike==