I have a good deal of experience applying Monokote on Monokote using the Windex method. However, I've not tried to apply Ultracote over ultracote.

Will the Windex method work on UltraCote as well as it does on MonoKote?


Thanks much,
Mike

No - the adhesive on Ultracote is not the same as Monokote and does not react with windex or trim solvent. Low heat is the best way.

What Krossk said. You can not use Windex to apply Ultracote. The adhesive in it is not activated by the ammonia in the Windex like Monokote is. You have to use heat to apply Ultracote.

Ken

Also you could use a tool called Woodpecker to provide access for air to escape between the two films. The Woodpecker makes small cuts in the film. Be careful of your fingers it can make small holes is them also. You roll the tool over the film prior to laying on bottom cover and then use the heat iron.
You can find this on Tower Hobby.

I've had very good results applying UltraCote over UltraCote. Use low heat and work slowly making sure that you don't trap any bubbles.

Right. The good news is, unlike Monokote, UltraCote's adhesive doesn't gas with heat. If you want bubbles with UltraCote, you'll have to trap air under it.

Best wishes,
Dave Olson

Are there any videos available for download that show intermediate to advance techniques for applying both monokote and ultrakote ?? (mostly interested in ultrakote)....

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://www.rcuniverse.com/magazine/article_display.cfm?article_id=726] Minnflyer, Another Look at Covering[/link]

Try reading Faye Tilley's bool.

RCKen,

Thank You... that's just what I was looking for !!

Thanks for your replies, fellas.

Some of you wrote to say use "low heat" and I have a couple follow-up questions about that:

1. Lower than one would ordinarily use when applying the covering? Care to guess what temperaturein degrees?

2. Do you use an iron or a heat gun?


Thanks again,
Mike

The problems with reporting a specific heat are many. Won't go into them, but will say, it's so easy to set your specific iron to the setting you use to apply over balsa areas and go for it.

I've accumulated 3 irons over the years. I've also got an iron thermometer. Set 'em all at 200degrees and they each work differently enough that I no longer bother with that thermometer. But I do know where to set each one for sticking the Ultracote down when I'm starting the covering job. And that usually works great for applying trim pieces. The trick is to start slowly and not trap any air.

A heat gun is really hard for me to control the heat accurately enough to put trim on. The heat the film feels depends on both how hot the gun is shooting and how close the gun is to the film. And get too close and you shrink the trim. No way I'd ever try to trim with a gun.

Like da rock says, temps will vary. So just turn the heat down, put the piece in place and work the iron from one side to the other squeeging out the air as you go.

Then turn the heat up a notch and do it again, working out any bubbles you may find.

Keep repeating this until the piece is firmly attached.

The Monokote trim adhesive will work with Ultracote. I have used it several times with great success! -Craig

My results (along with many other confirmations on RCU) are quite the contrary.
I'm sure that if there was some substance that chemically activated the Ultracote adhesive, it would
be widely publicized by now. I know *I'd* certainly be interested...

I have tested ultracote-on-ultracote using Monokote Trim Solvent. TS definitely activates ultracote's adhesive creating a tenacious bond.

Free Bird is spot on with going slowly, very slowly. I had excellent results using a sock in conjunction with the lowest activation temp - no bubbles. This was the result whether I perforated the underlying covering or not.

Harry Higley did a book "Tom's Techniques" that focuses solely on film covering.

To solve the problem with bubbling during trimming, I use Orastik. Hanger-9 Ultracote is the cheapest stuff from Oracover line. I use Oracover Scale as a base color and Orastik for trimming.
My techniques:
1, Using paint reducer, take grease and fingerprints off from the base.
2. Slowly apply Orastik
3. Using paint reducer, take fingerprints off from the trim (if not – bubbles)
4. Using an iron (mine is Hangar-9) on position 1, iron the edges of your trim
5. Using the iron on position 1.5, stick all the trim to base. Repeat this adding more heat - Iron position is 2
6. Using the iron on position 2.5, iron the edges of the trim one more time

You cannot put Oracover (Ultracote) on Ultracote. The film was designed to apply on plywood and balsa surfaces only. Trust me. All ARF company which use Oracover (Ultracote) – Hangar-9, SebArt, QQ, Aeroworks and so on, buy Orastik for trimming. Chinese companies use their own film, similar to Orastik, but it’s not as good as German product.
If you want to cover your plane nicely, buy Orastik and do not use Oracover (Ultracote) for trimming.

That’s it.
Just go http://www.lindinger.at/index.php?language=en and buy a good quality German film, and forget about bubbles

SeamusG, can you please explain your technique in getting a "tenacious bond" when using trim solvent to apply Ultracote to Ultracote ?? I would agree that trim solvent definitely reacts with Ultracote's adhesive but it definitely does not create a "tenacious" bond....In fact, it creates a VERY POOR BOND if anything that can easily be peeled off even after letting the test piece "set" for 48 hrs !! Looks like to me that the adhesive remains very tacky and will not cure, which would explain the lack of adequate bonding........

Now, Monokote on Monokote using trim solvent ?? Different animal........ even after just a few minutes after application, the bond is outstanding. I can only imagine what it would be like after 24 hrs !!

Please let us know your secret !!!

Hi I went to the site you recomended but did not see orastick?? for trimming...
can you assist me?
Thanks, Riley K

My experience has been good with Ultracote on Ultracote. I use Ultracote on wood, and apply Ultracote trim over it. This has been a simple iron-on process, no problem, and it sticks. Unlike MonoKote, the adhesive does not gas when heated. If you want bubbles under the trim, you must trap air. It is reasonably easy to iron down Ultracote over Ultracote (or over Monokote) without bubbles in the finish.

Dave Olson

You can also use monokote for the trim with the windex method on Oracover.

CW

I know, old thread, but I wonder if you can use the Windex method to apply Monokote to a plastic cowl.

Hi!
It woukld be very difficult!
Oracover over oracover has been done for years without any problems! Just use a heatgun and be patience!