Monokote help

[Cody bishop]

When ever I use my heat gun to remove wrinkles from my monokote it always pulls away from the fuse what can I do so it doesn't pull away like that

[jfv]

Use an iron and don't go near the edges.  That's what I do.  Much more accurate with the heat placement than a heat gun.

[Ron Cribbs]

Don't use the heat gun!

Seriously though there is some truth to that. I don't mess with the heat gun on flat panels because it will pull away from the wood as it shrinks. I always use an iron,  set to the temp required to tack the monokote down, but not shrink.

Now, if you do shrink with a heat gun, it is possible to pop the air bubble with a pin and quickly run your thumb over it forcing the monokote adhere to the surface again.

I use an iron almost exclusively unless I am doing compound curves on wing tips and for that I use the gun.

Hope that helps,

Ron

[Dane Martin]

I agree, and will also add.... whatever heat you are applying, remember to apply it in quick bursts. Don't try to hold the heat on until the wrinkle goes away. Hit it for a sec and get the heat off. You want to heat the localized area, and then quickly let it cool to see what it ends up like. That and you don't want the heat to spread where it doesn't need to be. The heat gun is an ok tool, open the rear vent all the way and take the nozzle off the front for wrinkles if that is all you got. But I'd highly recommend the iron for this.

[Larry Fernandez]

I would also add
Make sure that the surface you are covering is free of all fine balsa dust.
Blow the surface off with compressed air or vacuum it off. Better yet, use a tack cloth.
Good luck

Larry, Buttafucco Stunt Team

[BYU]

I would also add
Make sure that the surface you are covering is free of all fine balsa dust.
Blow the surface off with compressed air or vacuum it off. Better yet, use a tack cloth.
Good luck

Larry, Buttafucco Stunt Team

The Expert speaks

[Jason Greer]

If you are covering a flat surface, I recommend pulling the covering as tight as possible and only adhering the covering around the perimeter with the iron.  Once you have the perimeter attached securely, stop using the iron.  Next get the heat gun and tighten up the interior of the covering.  If you use the iron to go over the entire surface, then any imperfections will be brought to the surface and you will also run into the potential issue of bubbles that you are experiencing.

The image below is an example using this technique with Monokote.  I was rewarded with 17 appearance points at the 2014 Nats using this method.

Also, don't go anywhere near a plastic canopy with the heat gun.  It will ruin your day... 

[Peter Nevai]

If you are covering a flat surface, I recommend pulling the covering as tight as possible and only adhering the covering around the perimeter with the iron.  Once you have the perimeter attached securely, stop using the iron.  Next get the heat gun and tighten up the interior of the covering.  If you use the iron to go over the entire surface, then any imperfections will be brought to the surface and you will also run into the potential issue of bubbles that you are experiencing.

The image below is an example using this technique with Monokote.  I was rewarded with 17 appearance points at the 2014 Nats using this method.

Also, don't go anywhere near a plastic canopy with the heat gun.  It will ruin your day...

Flat surface or not, Sand the model and fill imperfections as if you were going to paint the surface directly, then get all dust off the surface using compressed air, tack cloth, etc. Start covering the model back to front and bottom to top, this way any seam overlap is towards the rear and the bottom of the model. Cut 1 inch wide strips and cover the Wing and Stab roots first following the back to front bottom to top method. Leave at least 1.5 inches of monocote excess on any side of the object you are covering (except wing and stab roots) this is to make sure you have enough material to grab hold of and stretch around wing tips and any other curved surfaces. It also ensures that you have enough material to hold onto when it comes time to do the final trim to shape.

[Jason Greer]

Good point about the strip around the root of the fuselage at the wing and stab. That is definitely the way to go if the entire model will be covered with monokote. I chose a bad example in the picture I attached. The model in that picture has a painted fuselage, so the fillet was applied after the monokote was applied. The paint then overlapped the monokote. Sorry for not pointing that out.

[Peter Nevai]

Good point about the strip around the root of the fuselage at the wing and stab. That is definitely the way to go if the entire model will be covered with monokote. I chose a bad example in the picture I attached. The model in that picture has a painted fuselage, so the fillet was applied after the monokote was applied. The paint then overlapped the monokote. Sorry for not pointing that out.

Understandable, as I have always covered the entire air frame with monokote it is second nature for me. Note: Monokote will adhere to most model filleting material. There is a trick using a cold damp cloth and stretching the material while applying it to get it to stick and conform well into the compound curve filleted areas. It almost makes you wish you had three hands but it is doable.

[Larry Fernandez]

The Expert speaks

FYI
I saw the snide remark you deleted
Who luvs ya baby

Larry, Buttafucco Stunt Team

[Brett Buck]

If you are covering a flat surface, I recommend pulling the covering as tight as possible and only adhering the covering around the perimeter with the iron.  Once you have the perimeter attached securely, stop using the iron.  Next get the heat gun and tighten up the interior of the covering.  If you use the iron to go over the entire surface, then any imperfections will be brought to the surface and you will also run into the potential issue of bubbles that you are experiencing.

The image below is an example using this technique with Monokote.  I was rewarded with 17 appearance points at the 2014 Nats using this method.

  Congratulations! That beats my (and maybe Allen Brickhaus') record of 15. Or at least we thought it was a record.

   Everybody else - listen to Jason. You cannot use the iron in the middle of the surface or you will get some spot stuck hard and others not, and it will look awful, almost no matter how careful you are. Even if you use a "sock" over it.

    The late Bill Fitzgerald (David's dad and Ted's long-time coach) was a master, and both he and I would adhere the monokote in the middle of the surface using a heat gun and a very soft cloth, leaving plenty of gap at the tips for the air to escape, and work from the root to the tip - all AFTER it was stuck everywhere else around the perimeter, shrunk without touching it,  and otherwise perfect. If you don't do that, it tends to look really great at first but will occasionally wrinkle up afterwards.

   And ultimately, sun exposure will cause it to become extremely brittle or even chalky, like loosely compacted powder that will pull up at the slightest touch. I took my backup airplane to the 2006 NATs and held the elevator in place with a strip of very-low-tack masking tape. Went to pull it off, and all the monokote underneath just pulled up with it like it was made of talcum powder. Later still, I was just wiping it with a rag, and it pulled a slight wrinkle from the friction, and it cracked.

     Brett

     

     

[Dane Martin]

Cody,  I apologize if it seems our info is clashing. I assumed you meant a plane that was already covered. When I answered, I was covering a wing and assumed you were doing a wing near the saddle.
If you're covering a fresh plane, then do as Jason has outlined. The points of getting the model prepped to be paint ready are spot on.

[BYU]

FYI
I saw the snide remark you deleted
Who luvs ya baby

Larry, Buttafucco Stunt Team

cha-ching!

So does that move me up to 5 then?

[Larry Fernandez]

cha-ching!

So does that move me up to 5 then?

Not even close.
Mr. Fitzgerald has a solid lock on the number five spot.
You sir, have a ways to go

Larry, Buttafucco Stunt Team

[Peter Nevai]

There are a number of techniques to ensure full adhesion over surfaces,  unfortunately I do not have a sheeted foam wing to demo on. I usually start by tacking down the monocote mid span from root to tip. Then while holding the material away from wing I heat the material right behind the length that is tacked down, I put tension to it and then  roll it onto the wing panel while ironing it down on to the wing panel. Always keeping tension on the monocote. Always working from the tacked area back to the trailing edge. I then repeat the process working forward towards the leading edge. The trick to remember is that monokote stretches quite a bit when heated. Any small air bubbles can be addressed using a pin to pierce the monokote and working the air towards the pin hole. While it sounds easy in the description it take practice to get a feel with working the material. Also you can lift the monokote back up to reposition so long as it has not completely cooled after being stuck down.

[eric rule]

Can't think of anyone who knows more about Monocoat than Mr. Fernandez (aka 'Evil Larry"). Who else do we know who received a "Best Monocoat Finish" award plaque from the AMA?