Dai Phan,
Great Planes has to use Monocoat, they make and market it.
You are right, it is inferior to Ultracoat.
I'm finding more and more of their stuff and/or instructions to be inferior.
And over priced.
Good Luck,
KW_Counter

I beg to differ on your analysis of the beer buying power on 16 bucks. For 16 bucks you can get 14 1 littler bottles of Colt 45 or Steel Reserve. That's way more than the 5 six pack. In my younger college days, all I need was a Colt 45, a brown paperbag and a side walk. Who says you can't have fun for less than a buck, heh? DP

That's true. And have you seen the Monokote VHS? I thought it was the most substandard instructional videos I have ever encountered. The UC version is way better. I have heard that MK is used to be good until they changed the formula. Now why on earth would you still produce stuff that people find to be substandard? DP

For 1/4" overlaps between 2 large color breaks I use a straight edge an a blade. For trimming a nice 1/8" overlap for a fuse or control surface the Higley Trimmer can't be beat. I've tried all of them, the Monokote trimmer and DuBro even had one they marketed a while back. The Higley trimmer just works. It's simple, blades are cheap and it's versatile. I think I paid abut $10.00 for mine. IIRC he was at a local swap meet when I bought it. He has some other gizmos that are pretty simple and useful like his wire benders for small diameter music wire.

If anyone is interested in covering videos that aren't hour long infomercials check out Charlie Bauers covering videos. He was the product manager for Top Flight back in the early days and he did a set of covering videos are better than anything I have seen to date. Although they are a little dated by today's standards (Charlie looks like a different guy, much younger) the information is still good. I learned with the first 2 in the series back in the early 80's and still use a lot of the techniques in the vids.

I bought my HH trimmer from HH himself at the Westchester show some 13 years ago. Harry coxed me out of the audience to try it and the darned thing worked! With a new blade just hold the covering taut and the cut will start. Outside of the #11 blades, probably the best $10 I ever spent in the workshop.

I use a sissor just for cutting monokote. Keep it sharp and don't use it like a kid. Use it like a tailor and put the tip where you want it and use it like a sheer it will give you a pretty nice line. Take s longer to type it then to do it.
Dennis

You can see how I got straight cuts on the overlap on my Yak-54 rebuild thread. http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_8377120/tm.htm
The covering portion starts at about Post #28 or 29. The 3/16: strips I cut out using a 4' metal straight edge and #11 blade. It worked perfect. I cut on one of those self sealing cutting mats from Tower Hobbies. I gave up trying to use the Top Flite strip cutter.
Ralph White, Neoga, IL

HI I USE A METAL YARD STICK ON A PIECE OF PLEXIGLASSTHE YARDSTICK IS HEAVY IN METAL AND THE PLEXIGLASS HOLD THE FILM FROM MOVING WHEN YOU MAKE THE CUTS -WITH A SINGLE EDGE RAZOR BLADE- 3/8 SEAMS CAN BE JOINED BEFORE THE FILM IS ATTACHED TO THE AIRFRAMEWORKS VERY GOOD OVER OPEN WING BAYS-IF USING ONE LAYER OF FILM WITH A FEW DIFFERENT COLORS-I ALWAYS OVERLAP THE TOP WING FILM OVER THE BOTTOM AT THE LE AND TE TO KEEP THE JOINTS STRONG AND PREVENT FUEL FROM GETTING UNDER THEMA LIGHT COAT OF SIG BUTERATE CLEAR DOPE CAN SEAL ANY DECALS OR SEAMS THAT MIGHT BE EXPOSED TO FUEL-IT CANNOT BE SEEN WHEN IT DRYS-CAN SPOT FUEL PROOF UNDER THE FILM WERE THE MUFFLER WILL SPRAY HOT FUEL TO KEEP THE FILM ON FOR THE LONG TERM-ENJOY TONY

I got one of those higley blocks... yes expensive... but it WORKS! Probably the best covering tool I have now.

In this case, I would cover the bottom with overlap onto the sides. Cut excess with scissors.
Then I would tack the sides on with a cooler iron. Then I use sharp sewing scissors to cut the edge.
I get the cut started, then slide the scissors through the covering (xmas paper style, not cutting like your using pliers)
I let the bottom edge of the scissors ride the bottom of the fuse, and set the amount of overlap by how much the scissors 'lean' away.
I yeilds very consistent overlap and edges.