Problem: Iron on Trim monocote is starting to peel!

I have an airplane that has the pointed ende of the monocote trim starting to peel due to the exhaust residue lifting it. What is the best way to get it back down and to keep it down?

De

De, it has been my experience that once the adhesive is oily, it's nearly impossible to keep the trim stuck down. On new trim, I had decent luck once with using a very small, maybe a #0000 brush, and running oil base type urethane clear in a tiny bead along the seam. It showed if you looked just so, but wasn't bad to look at otherwise. And I can't recall it peeling over two or three seasons I had the ship.
K

Clean real well with acetone then stick it back down with CA or balsarite. I like Balsarite as the excess goop cleans off easily with acetone.

After you do Bob's thing, seal the edges like K said or better yet some thinned epoxy. I'm afraid even at that your only postponing the inevitable. I've had striping tape come off after actually being Hobby Poxied (HP sprayed over the entire model)into a finish, and it was right at the pointed ends.

Randy

I have had the same problems with both striping tape and trim monokote and have concluded that there is no way to keep it down for sure. One trim method that shows promise is cut your trim with new single edge blade on glass from regular monokote or ultracoat, wet new surface never exposed to fuel with windex, place the trim where you want it, let it dry and seal with minimum heat, when stuck, go back with higher heat to seal,puncture bubbles with a pin. Jury is still out on this method but looks like it may stick permanently. If you want to try this trim method on airplane that has been exposed to fuel, clean surface with denatured alcohol real well to remove all traces of oil, etc. then go with the windex spray. This trimming method only works over kote naturally.

De: I've been fighting this problem from day one. When a stripe gets bad enough, I peel it off, clean the base monokote with alcohol (not drinking or rubbin), cut a new stripe and reapply, then press using light heat. A few months later, I might have to do it again. Scotch has an adhesive spray I bought to try, but haven't tried it yet. Many of my ideas like that turn out to be a bigger mess than there worth. Good luck
Mitch

Consider putting a small radius on the ends of those stripes, like 1/16". You could also cut a disc of clear film (I think Monokote comes in clear, as well as Fas-Cal), and put the disc over the points. I don't know how visible it would be, but when you use films, you have to be ready to give up some perfection up close. Maybe Scotch tape would be less noticeable, but cutting the disc would probably be more difficult. Steve

I've never had much luck sticking something like this down with the original adhesive once it starts to peel. I have used Scotch Brand Crystal Clear tape to "fix" this sort of thing. It doesn't show too bad if you're careful not to get fingerprints on the tape glue. The best ways I've found to avoid this problem is to first- (like Steve said) avoid any trim with sharp points, & second, when you very first put on the trim & get it ironed down as best you can, BEFORE you ever put fuel in the tank, use a small brush & some "No-Heat" or equivalent around all the edges. The No-Heat stuff is for applying film trim without heat. You're supposed to float the trim on over the No-Heat, press it in place & let it dry over night. It actually dissolves the glue on the film & makes the bond that way. When you brush it on the edges (use plenty, the excess will evaporate) it crawls up under the edge & dissolves the glue & makes a good tight edge. I used this method on the lettering on my Shark (Ultracote over Ultracote) & it stayed stuck for an entire season so far.
Nils

Acetone is a good substitute for No Heat or MonoKote Trim Solvent aannd you can buy a gallon of acetone for the price of a 4 oz bottle of the other stuff.

Hey Nils,

Who makes this "No Heat" stuff?

Randy- The little bottle I have I got at a swap meet for a buck. It was made by

LDM Industries,
Inc P.O. Box 292396
Tampa, FL
33687-2396

Ph # 813-985-5616

It smells a little like acetone, but not exactly.

If you cover with silk, silkspan, or tissue and use colored tissue for trim, all doped on, you won't have this problem.

I'm glad you said it. I was thinking it through all the messages.