I prefer Ultracoat.  I can make Monocoat work, but it's more frustrating.

I've had mixed success with other brands -- sometimes the cheap stuff works great, sometimes it's a disaster.  I couldn't tell you specifically about the Brodak or the Sig stuff, but I've heard that it's OK.

You use the perforators over large expanses of wood (that's also where you curse Monocoat if you're used to Ultracoat -- you always need more heat over wood, to get the underlying wood hot, too.  Monocoat always seems to need more, and goes through this really ugly wrinkly stage before it looks nice.  Sometimes it never looks nice no matter how much heat you put into it).

Designs in Ultracoat iron on, and you'll never get rid of the last few bubbles.  Monocoat can be made to look much better -- look up "the Windex method" for a full treatment.

I don't prepare the wood with clear dope -- but then, if I'm using plastic, I'm ready to accept that I'll see a bit of wood grain through the covering.  If you don't want that, then painting it with something and sanding off the fuzzies is probably necessary.

Can you apply Monokote pieces on top of Ultrakote by using the windex method?

Scott, you just asked my question.  Sounds like monokote on top of ultracote is a winner!

What about getting it to look nice on larger surfaces like the fuselage areas and stab?

Was the base coat Monokote or Ultracote?

Allen Eshleman

Does the rustoleum need anything else with it.  Is it sprayed or brushed?  Is it fuel proof?

Does the rustoleum need anything else with it.  Is it sprayed or brushed?  Is it fuel proof?

Only the Rustoleum Gloss Protective Enamel in non-metallic colors is fuel proof.  But if you give it a couple of weeks to cure out, the Gloss Protective Enamel is good stuff.  Unfortunately, most of the "finishing" systems that are recommended for Rustoleum involve lower layers that aren't fuel proof -- I've been finding that the areas under my fuel tanks (on profile models) tend to get a little wrinkled, and dings and dents in the front of the model tend to get wrinkled patches around them.  That's not too much of an issue for me -- I go through airplanes pretty quick -- but it's a strike against Rustoleum if you don't.

If you take Flying Models, dig out the May or June (I think) 2010 (I'm sure) issue -- look for an article titled "finishing the Oriental" by Allen Brickhaus.  It details the whole bare wood (and bare 'coat) to Rustoleum process.

You can also do a search here on "Rustoleum", perhaps along with "Polycrylic" and come up with a lot of info.

You probably want to spray the Rustoleum with rattle-cans, but if you have the equipment you can buy the brush-on stuff, thin it with acetone, and spray it with a spray gun.  I can't imagine being able to brush it on and have it look nice without weighing a ton.

I once mentioned that I just spray Rustoleum straight onto 'coat, without scuffing it, backed by the fact that Mr. Brickhaus didn't say anything about that in his article, and got scolded (Hi Dan).  It's true -- after about six months, your Rustoleum over unscuffed 'coat will start to chip slightly.  I tend to solve this problem by crashing my planes before then -- the big square patches, the rips, and the scuff marks as big as Texas do tend to draw the eye away from the minuscule chips.  Scuff things anyway.

From 25 years ago: Seen here at Whittier Narrows, c.1988, this profile Yak-9 (AJ's Free Flight Service kit) was finished 100% with Monokote.  Functioning flaps; no gear; hand-launched; OS .35FP, 10-5 Top Flite, K&B 100 fuel.  It was a lot of work, and a lot of fun in flight - but after 25 or 30 flights some of the seams began to come unglued.  Never did that again.

I posted too quick about the virtues or Aerokote.  I am having having a lot of trouble with the edges curling up, especially the edges that are on top of other Aerokote or film.  Any suggestions?  I can't seem to get smooth finish where there's film on film.

Also -how do I make a good seal where the wing meets the profile doped fuselage?

Are the pearls a metallic type look?

Hi All,

       To those who have worked with the ultracote pearls,  what is your take?

Also,  is there a way, per above to avoid the curling edges in Aerokote?

Also, I've read that it's hard to iron or Windex graphics over dark colors.  Can it be done effectively - like yellow over dark blue,  Red over dark blue.

        or
should I start with a light base, white, sky blue, cream pink - or are there other light colors?

Also, I've read that it's hard to iron or Windex graphics over dark colors.  Can it be done effectively - like yellow over dark blue,  Red over dark blue.

Hard in what way?  I just Windexed some white Monocoat trim onto a red wing with no noticeable differences over Windexing the same red Monocoat over the same white on a different plane.

'course, if it's a longevity issue, then I can't comment -- "good and solid after one day of flying" isn't much of a testimonial.