stunthanger.com
Building Tips and technical articles. => Paint and finishing => Topic started by: Dennis_Bieber on October 01, 2016, 05:36:19 PM
-
Does monokote have a shelf life? And what would you consider to be the best iron on covering these days? Electric power is making me rethink it usefulness.
-
I've used Monocoat that was so old the plastic was yellowed, and it still stuck and shrunk just fine.
Monocoat went downhill several years ago -- the new stuff needs higher temperatures and doesn't shrink as sweetly.
Ultracoat is nice to apply, but it's a bit heavy. I've used some of the various budget 'coats to varying degrees of success: I wouldn't warn you away from any in particular. The only thing to stay away from if you're doing a big plane is the really light stuff -- it's not as strong and it sticks to itself like an insane version of Saran-Wrap. OTOH, it's great on a smaller airframe, as long as you learn how to keep it away from itself.
-
I was talking with Charlie baur at a swap meet one time years ago, and he told me he specifically sought out older MonoKote as he was sure it was better. I think Charlie worked for Top Flite and that would put him in the know I think. I think some colors work better than others in the current version. The Cub Yellow I've used seemed to work OK for me and was the same as back in the good old days.
Type at you later,
Dan McEntee
-
I've never noticed any shelf life of Monokote or any difference between my older rolls (at least 30 years old) and stuff I've just bought. I've tried all of the plastic film coverings and have concluded, for me at least, that Monokote is still the best.Good Luck PhillySkip
-
i have spent about 20 years professionally building and covered hundred of planes with monokote and ultracote.
what i can say on both is that they do have shelf life, and they age differently, but mostly they start to be stiff and easyer to crack (moro pronnounced on monokote) and they tend to taut less and to sag much more after final tautening.
monokote used to be the best product but on the last 15 years they started to sag more at the field and to taut less when heated again.for this reason i only use ultracote. monokote have better colors, shine more, itīs lighter and thinner than ultracote, showing a better final result, but then start to sag at the sun and never came back properly
the red on the wing of this plane is ultracote, have been left in the sun and nothing changed.
about shelf life, unles you have a vintage 60īs roll, go with yours as i have used 10 years old stuff and had no problem
-
I have tried just about everything available in shrink coverings. I always come back to Ultracote.
Mike
-
I use a mix on most of my planes. Most always monokote or econokote. This example is econokote and microlite.
As Tim said, the light stuff is really just for small light planes. It pops a little easier than other films in a crash. I've stuffed this thing twice, and both times required some patch work on the microlite.