Iron on Films

I have used Monokote since it made it first appearance in the mid 60's. However, since the Great Planes takeover something has changed. The Monokote now just doesn't shrink very well and it makes covering large parts diffcult and small parts enraging! It also does not negotiate around curved edges like it use to, I used to be able to feel it expand as I heated it, but its minimal now. It also takes so much concentrated heat now, I'm afraid I'll melt the foam cares in my wing and still have loose areas. I've used a few other products, but Monokote always worked for me so I never made a permanent change, I need something new now!

Please, no "how to's", I've been contracted to cover 1/3 scale aerobatics models for other flyers, the quality of my work and experience level are not the issue.

What is the best film available now? I know, pretty general question, but I'd like to know what others are experiencing. I'm talking to you guys that are good with films and have used allot of the competitive brands. Is Ultracoat the way to go now?

Thanks,


Randy Ryan <><
AMA 8500
SAM 36
BO all my own M's

I am personally a big fan of Ultracote. The only thing is that it isnt quite as glossy as Monokote. Though I personally like the sheen of Ultracote better than the plastic gloss of monokote

Welcome to made in China

The stuff Brodak sells works great.

Randy,
Thanks for the post.

Boy, I thought it was me, or the age of the monokote, etc. I am not nearly as experienced as you seem to be, but I have done my share of ironing and it has gotten more difficult in the past two models to get a wrinkle free plane than before.

I'm going back to silk and dope because the convenience and cost between silk and monokote is diminishing.

Randy,
I have switched to Ultracote for the same reasons. The only downside I have found is that it does not seem to bond to itself as well as Monokote.

I have just covered an airplane with the new Sig covering and really like the way it went on. I'm not sure about the long term durability but I'm hopeful that it will hold up as well as Ultracote.

Steve

the best alternative is Oracover
- if you can get it other than that

Sig Aerokcote is pretty good - has a better fuel resistance than Brodaks

I believe Ultracote and Oracover are the same.

>I believe Ultracote and Oracover are the same.
If they aren't now, they once were. Some of my Ultracote has "Oracover" printed on the backing sheet.
Steve

Ultracote!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hmmm...I am just not experiencing the issues Randy notes. And every time I check the MonoKote rack at Local Hobby the labeling still says "Made in the U.S.A." Would it be too much trouble for those claiming it is made in China to first do some very basic and minimal research?

I covered "The World's Best Flite Streak" with UltraCote, although all the (slightly gaudy and highly patriotic!) trim was done with MonoKote. There are some differences between the two coverings, nothing which is a Deal Killer. If MonoKote ceased to exist I would switch with only minor grumbling.

But I still prefer MonoKote over any other film covering.

Dan

I have extremely limited experience with films. Normally, I just defer to Dan. He does film jobs that are almost indistinguishable from paint (and a few have been fooled into believing his film jobs are paint).

I just did my first flim covering in about 15 years. It was done with Coverite Red Baron, mostly because it's what I had laying around. I don't really know if this stuff is typical, good or bad as far as film coverings go. But overall, it worked OK (with my very limited techincal knowledge). Not perfect, but should be serviceable. Heating it and bending around corners seemed fairly easy, though my techique clearly needs work. It did shrink a LOT. So I did two sections that I had to strip off and go again after it shrunk way past the point that I thought it would. But it seem like OK stuff.

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Some days it seems like a coin toss between George Orwell and Monty Python...

Well, I've been working with the Ultracote and its just OK. I've used Monkote for years and always been able to get excellent results until a roll of white I bought just a couple months ago and it was maddening, one bad roll right? Then I bought some Insignia Blue and keeerap!! same thing. The Ultra will have to do, but I sure wish I could use the Monocote. I just don't want to deal with it, it is so hard to shape around a tip, I'm afraid I'll destroy the wing covering it. It will eventually tighten and look good, but it takes me 3 times as long as it used to.

Randy Ryan <><
AMA 8500
SAM 36
BO all my own M's

Well I'm not sure what to say or think. The 7 or 8 rolls of Monokote I purchased in the past year have worked perfect. I could pull the heck out of it and around what ever I wanted. The Ultracote I got last year to give it a try was by far and away the worst covering I've ever used and I've used several. It wouldn't stick down, would shrink around the wing tip. It was really bad. I tore it off and covered with Monokote and the plane still looks nice.

Quality control maybe?

Update: By the way, when did Great Planes take over TF and Monokote? I toured Hobbico in 1993 and say huge rolls being turned onto smaller rolls for retail sale back then so Monokote has been with GP for at least 16 years.

Guess I'll try Ultracote.

I've been using Monocote since I retreaded five years back. Easy enough to make it tight and smooth on open bays, crinkles some on wingtips. Takes some work to get rid of the bubbles and make it shrink up. It never seems to be a systematic process, when getting the mono to look good. Heat gun, heat gun, sealing iron, sealing iron etc. etc. Eventually I'm satisfied. It stays put, is fuel proof, and looks good for years. I use silkspan and dope on solid wood.

All ARF coverings I've experienced lift. Even Sig's stuff. Towerkote was a bargain that turned into a waste for me. The stickum pulls when I put the heat to it. So. Also it'll hole a lot easier than Monocote. I also understand that it's not fuel proof. Give me a break. Same problem with ARF cotes. What is the point of covering your bird with something that lifts when exposed to glow fuel?

I've also found Monocote to be tough and puncture resistant.