covering
 

I need so tips from some of you pros on covering. I am useing monocote and so far the results are mediocre at best.I am using a sealing iron and heat gun.

RE: covering
 

RCU member MinnFlyer has done some great how-to articles and videos on covering. check them out as they will go a long way to getting you started.
[link=http://www.rcuniverse.com/magazine/article_display.cfm?article_id=67] Minnflyer Covering how-to [/link]
[link=http://67.18.81.100/rcuvideos/magazine/reviews/352/cov1.wmv] Minnflyer Covering video, part 1 [/link]
[link=http://67.18.81.100/rcuvideos/magazine/reviews/352/cov2.wmv] Minnflyer Covering video. part 2 [/link]
[link=http://67.18.81.100/rcuvideos/magazine/reviews/352/cov3.wmv] Minnflyer Covering video, part 3 [/link]

newest covering videos
[link]http://www.rcuniverse.com/magazine/article_display.cfm?article_id=726[/link]

RE: covering
 

I've watched the videos, and they were really informative. Unfortunately, as he states in the video, he's using Ultracote, which is reportedly far easier to work with (has 2 or 3 separate heat activation temperatures), not Monokote. I'm relatively new to covering myself (I've only done three covering jobs), but they were all monokote. Here's my limited experience.

One thing I found really helped me with Monokote was NOT pulling the covering to tightly when tacking it down. Just get it smooth. Then I only tack a minimal amount around the edges (about 1/8-1/4"). This is especially important when covering large areas (wings and fuselage). Pulling it tightly seemed to encourage wrinkles to form, and kept it from shrinking uniformly. When tacking the edge, start with the ends, then tack the middle, then keep splitting the difference until you have the entire edge tacked down. Just hold the iron in place when tacking. Don't slide it back and forth. This seems to push the monokote around, and creates wrinkles.

Cover as large an area with one piece as you reasonably can. This may mean completely unrolling the monokote and cutting along the long edge. Its a bit of a pain, but it reduces the number of seams. With careful planning, you can cover the entire fuselage with a single piece. Likewise with the wings.

Work from the bottom up, and forward from the tail.

Try to give yourself about a 1/8" overlap over sharp corners.

Once you have a large piece in place and smooth with the edges tacked down, use the heat gun to shrink it. Start out with low heat and work your way up to avoid burn through. Remember, putting the gun closer to the work will increase the heat, but reduce the area heated.

If you're putting on strips cut from monokote for trim, just use the Windex method to put them on. Once you're worked all the bubbles out and its tacked down good, use the trim iron to quickly heat any sharp corners. This will keep them from pulling up. No need to heat the rest of the trim strip.

Good Luck!

Brad

RE: covering
 

Why not give UltraCote a try?

RE: covering
 

As the others have said, Ultracoat is great. I personally prefer it over Monokoate. One problem I've seen with MK is inconcistency between colors and rolls. Some colors seem to apply easier than others and the quality seems to vary from roll to roll. That doesn't mean you can't get a nice job out of monokote though; I've done it others do it all the time. Either way, the videos are great. The main thing though, no matter what covering you use, is just patience and practie. You'll get better at it.

RE: covering
 

as with everything practice or the more you do the better you will become.one thing I have noticed is some irons do not generate enough heat.at one time when using coverite and a monokote iron there were instruction on how to turn the limiting screw of the thermostat to increase the heat for use with coverite.after doing that and then using the same iron on monokote at a slightly loere setting,just below the point of melting monokote adhesion and shrinkage were improved and wrinkles would not reappear as before.

RE: covering
 

One thing I strugge with is the memory of the covering. No matter how small the piece of covering is it always wants to roll up, like it was on the roll. What is the trick to getting the covering to lay flat when cutting and working with?

RE: covering
 

Thanks,I have covered everything but the wings,some looks real good and some like a beginner which I am.I have found that if you don't seal at least a 1/4 inch over an edge it will slip and wrinkle when you heat it.I burned a hole or two and just patched over them,it's a cropduster so it looks like he nicked a tree sor something and fixed it:DBy the way I am using monokote and for a beginner like me it won't be to bad as long as it flys.

RE: covering
 

One nice thing about monokote for beginner jobs is its very tough.

Stick with it. It gets easier as you practice.

Brad

RE: covering
 

One thing about covering material, you can't pull the roll out and take a long piece of it.Covering does have a grain and it goes across the roll.