Are people still running into bad batches of Monokote, or is "fresh" Monokote OK? I understad that bad stuff looks pebbley with the backing on, and good stuff looks smooth. Correct?

Jon

Hey Jon,

I just finished covering a sport airplane which called for 1 roll of white. I purchased a roll from my LHS. To make a long story short, it was most difficult to apply the white, even on flat hardwood, sanded, woodpeckered and prepped. I did not notice any small pebbly bubbles in between the film and the backing. I apply with a film iron only. Even with higher heat settings, the film would not immediately tack down. Had to work at it. Good thing I wasn't covering something large like a sheeted wing!!!

Steve

Jon,

Yes, black and dark red I have recently purchased have the issue you described.

Here is a thread documenting the issue.

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_4555773/tm.htm

The new stuff sure doesn't go on like before. No matter what they say it's different, and not very good.

Tim

No no no,
You are obviously not using the top flight iron, lol....
Because the top flight iron has magical powers apparantly. haha

I quit using monokote. Couldn't comment on today's quality.. But I sure do remember yesterday's.

Hi Jon,

Yes, there are still bad batches of Monocote out there. I got some just
before Christmas from my local LHS and all 4 rolls were the bad stuff,
especially the dark red and black colors. On one roll of the dark red
color there were areas were no coloring was applied at all. You could
see straight through it. Some of the other rolls have that "fish-eye"
effect which will not disappear after applying it to a fully sheeted surface.
The backing does not stick to the actual film like it used to. You used to
have to peel it off, now it just falls of by itself. What coloring has been
applied to the back of the film feels very rough and dry. No matter how
much heat you apply, it will not stick properly and give you a very bad
looking finnish. Not worth the time spent to apply it. I guess we'll have
to look for an alternative.

Karl M.

Thanks. I'd hoped for better news. I like (old) Monokote a lot better than UltraCote. I hate the way UltraCote edges pull if you have the iron even a couple of degrees too high.

Jon

Hi Jon

I just used 5 MK colors - one roll of dark red was as Karl describes (junk, defective, etc.) - sent it back for credit and found a roll of "good" MK at the LHS. The other rolls were typical with well adhered backing and no "bubbles" or dryness. Over all MK isn't as good as it was - but useable. Compared to work done three years ago the results are similar.

I also observed (with a temp gun) that both "pop-switch" controlled MK irons I have are junk - control for a given setting varies +- 100 deg. A H9 solid state controlled iron is +-10 deg or so and much easier to do good work with. (A difference of 25 degrees from one color to another makes a difference in how well MK works.)

I've never had Ultracote edges 'pull' when the iron is set high. What do you mean by too hot? I think the heat range is 220 to activate the glue and something like 350 for max shrinkage.

Anything over about 250 degrees. UltraKote consistently pulls edges, Monokote never does.

Jon

HAHAHA!!! blw said "Max shrinkage..." BUT I WAS IN THE POOL!!!

Just bought a new iron with an accurate temp control. Around 220 degrees it only glues down. No pulling, shrinking, or puckering. The shrinkage chart is accurate. Either you didn't glue down the edges enough, and/or you are too hot. It doesn't ever pull unless you are either really hot, or you didn't glue it down properly....at least with all of the Ultracote I've been buying.

edit: this is only to correct a comment made about Ultracote, not as a criticism about Monokote.

Jon, I do not think we are communicating.

I find it the other way around-----at least that is how I'm reading your comments!

I switched to Ultracote BEFORE the latest "bad run" of MK and thought it was a tremendous improvement. I can't even make it do what you are talking about unless I have the temp above 325*F ----- even then I find it quite controllable?????????????