Monokote tip / Trick

[Paul Taylor]

This might be old news for some. Louis Rankin taught me this.

Get some modeling clay and roll a coil along the edge of the monokote next to the joint. It acts as a heat sink. The clay will liquidate a little but the monokote does not curl up. Just be sure to iron the edge down first.

[Clint Ormosen]

I’m confused. What’s the purpose of this??

[Dave Hull]

To use up the clay around the house so that the kids aren't smearing it on the walls?

The Divot

[Paul Taylor]

I’m confused. What’s the purpose of this??

Acts as a heat shield to keep the monokote from curling up at the edge.

[Phil Spillman]

Thanks Paul, I'll give it a try on my soon to be performed repair! Missed you at the Brodak FlyIn. We had a great time for the first three days. Couldn't afford to stay the entire week this time!

Phil Spillman

[Rusty]

Don't you have some extending over the edge so you can iron it down?  I usually have about 1/2" ironed on the edge and seal that so fuel doesn't get under it. 

[Paul Taylor]

Thanks Paul, I'll give it a try on my soon to be performed repair! Missed you at the Brodak FlyIn. We had a great time for the first three days. Couldn't afford to stay the entire week this time!

Phil Spillman

Hey Phil
I really wished I could have made it up. It’s a two day drive for me now that we moved farther south. I miss seeing all the gang. I hope it happens next year. 😉

[Paul Taylor]

Don't you have some extending over the edge so you can iron it down?  I usually have about 1/2" ironed on the edge and seal that so fuel doesn't get under it.

This is right against the fuselage. Iron it down with a trim iron, lay the clay down and hit it with the heat gun. The covering will not roll up if you get too much heat next to the fuselage.

[Ken Culbertson]

Great Idea.  I will try it.  Nothing can compare to the overwhelming sense of doom as you watch one of the edges come loose and curl up before you can move the gun.  I monokote my fuselages as well and I do the fillets separately first with about a 1/2" overlap on both the wing and fuselage.  I sand the edges then go for the wing.  If you don't get the edges sealed really well before going to the gun you are going to have a mess.

Ken

[Perry Rose]

Wing to fuselage joint, apply the monokote 1/8 from the fuselage then put the fillet over the monokote and paint the fillet.

[fred cesquim]

i use a wood ( usually 1/32 plywood) piece to protect the 1/2" lip of the monokote ( ironed with the trim iron, very hot) close to the fuselage. This makes the heat flow towards the tip and let the glued edge undisturbed.
then i apply white primer over the covering, sand, and overlap with the final color about 1/2 over the ironed edge.