Monokote Question

[Paul Taylor]

I’m wanting to try my hand at transparent monokote. I would like to only use it over the open bays and use a solid color over the sheeting. I know when covering to go TE to LE but to have the seems under each over lap but I’m unsure on that.

Maybe cover the whole wing with the transparent then lay down “trim sheets”.

Thoughts?

[Dan McEntee]

 It depends on how big your trim color sections are. Put down the transparent and then over lap your trim about 1/4" to 3/8" and you should be OK. It will be a bit tedious to apply, but making paper patterns will help a lot in figuring things out and laying things out. Heat selection for initially attaching it is important, to make sure you aren't too hot. Then after you are satisficed with how things look, go back over all the edges at a higher temp to really seal it down and then shrink.
  Type at you later,
   Dan McEntee

[Paul Taylor]

It depends on how big your trim color sections are. Put down the transparent and then over lap your trim about 1/4" to 3/8" and you should be OK. It will be a bit tedious to apply, but making paper patterns will help a lot in figuring things out and laying things out. Heat selection for initially attaching it is important, to make sure you aren't too hot. Then after you are satisficed with how things look, go back over all the edges at a higher temp to really seal it down and then shrink.
  Type at you later,
   Dan McEntee

Thanks Dan
Basically all the sheeting I would like to cover in non-transparent kite and just the open bays will have transparent. I don’t want and wood grain showing except caps strips.

Paper templates are a good idea. 👍🏼

[Dennis Toth]

Paul,
The paper (poster board is cheep and will give an edge for the marker to trace onto the MonoKote) patterns that Dan suggested will do the trick. You will have a lot of waste MonoKote from the cutouts. Another option is make the cutout pattern then make up the ends to cover the center planking and blend curves of the inboard and tips and use straight pieces between them. This gives four pieces per wing panel. If you do this put down the transparent center first, then the TE and LE straight stripes (have them 3/16" overlap at the ends) and last add the end pieces. If you are going electric you could do butt edges with no overlap, some of the RC guys would do this and actually cut the two edges on the wood. There may be YouTube videos on this. If I did this I would do a couple test pieces to get a feel for how to do the cuts and  then do a clear coat over the whole thing to seal it all.

Best,    DennisT

[Paul Taylor]

Paul,
The paper (poster board is cheep and will give an edge for the marker to trace onto the MonoKote) patterns that Dan suggested will do the trick. You will have a lot of waste MonoKote from the cutouts. Another option is make the cutout pattern then make up the ends to cover the center planking and blend curves of the inboard and tips and use straight pieces between them. This gives four pieces per wing panel. If you do this put down the transparent center first, then the TE and LE straight stripes (have them 3/16" overlap at the ends) and last add the end pieces. If you are going electric you could do butt edges with no overlap, some of the RC guys would do this and actually cut the two edges on the wood. There may be YouTube videos on this. If I did this I would do a couple test pieces to get a feel for how to do the cuts and  then do a clear coat over the whole thing to seal it all.

Best,    DennisT

Thanks Dennis for the input. Much appreciated. I was thinking about this a well. I am going electric so not worried about fuel creep.

[Arlan McKee]

I wouldn't worry about waste, Paul. You probably remember the Vector that I covered this way. The opaque cutouts for the wing should be large enough to use as the opaque pieces for the tail.

[Steve Helmick]

Dig out your October '24 Model Aviation and study up on how Frederico Cesquim covered and finished the "Holeshot Master". Do that!  Steve

[Paul Taylor]

I wouldn't worry about waste, Paul. You probably remember the Vector that I covered this way. The opaque cutouts for the wing should be large enough to use as the opaque pieces for the tail.

Hey Arlan - yea At first I was going to steal your idea with different colors top and bottom. I always thought that was cool. I’m going to do the same colors top and bottom. 😊

[Paul Taylor]

Dig out your October '24 Model Aviation and study up on how Frederico Cesquim covered and finished the "Holeshot Master". Do that!  Steve

I will definitely give it a good read. Thanks for the exact date.