stripping monokote is a bear! help
 

alright i need a little help. is there an easier way to strip the covering off a plane?
i recovering a "lazy bee" and am desperte for something that easily takes off those small pieces that are stuck to the balsa that just don't seem to want to come off. maybe a solvent or some kind of techinque.
thanks ryan

stripping monokote is a bear! help
 

Ryan,
If you have a heat gun try heating it up a little to loosen the adhesive just be careful not to burn yourself.

stripping monokote is a bear! help
 

yup, use a heat gun and lift up the covering with the heat gun following it. light sand any remaining adhesive. paint thinner can be used too.

stripping monokote is a bear! help
 

Ryan,
This topic has been discussed here often.
There is no real short cut, the only thing that works is elbow grease.
Acetone, and lacquer thinner and others work, but they soak into the balsa so fast they really don't have time to work, and after they evaporate they leave a residue that will make the new covering no want to stick.
The only real way is to use a heat gun to soften the glue a little, peal as much off as you can. Then go back and sand the remaining small pieces and glue residue off with light sand paper.
It takes some time, but it's faster than building a new plane.

Good luck

covering
 

I use Balsarite on a clean rag it wipes right off with it!!!