propjobbill

I have covered a number of planes with iron on film. But I have never so far been able to cover to where the film did not come lose after 30 to 50 flights. Is there any thing that can be done to stop the creep of fuel that will last for years? I cover most of my planes now days with cloth and paint. They take longer to do that way, and it’s a lot more work. But once they are covered they last for life.
If you have been able to get the plastic film to hold up after many flights without coming loose would you please tell me the secret?

Thanks

ANZAC

Why don't you search for the Holy Grail or something easy! If you find out let me know. Regards Colin Mitchell

Don41

I have yet to test it long term but I found out the hard way that monokote adheres to Lustrekote primer VERY well. Like you though I'm switching over to cloth (Sig Koverall) and paint so I doubt I'll ever have a chance to try it.

alan0899

G'day Mate,
When it's new, go over it with a sealing iron, at the right temperature, then go over all the joints that may come in contact with fuel, with clear nail polish.
Works a treat.

jetmech05

after the sanding is done, and the dust cleaned from the aircraft. give it a coat of hair spray now apply the covering as usual...
sounds to me like you're not using enough heat on your iron at the seams...(shrink with a gun)
don't clean monokote with a cleaner that has ammonia in it.

propjobbill

Hair Spray, now that is very interesting. Any brand or just hair spray in general? Why do you think it makes a difference ? Not to question your word, it 's just that this is realy a new twist to me. How much longer does in stay down with a hair spray base coat. Thanks for the tip

MinnFlyer

My Feedback: (4)

IF you use MonoKote, go over the seams with acetone. Just add a drop and let it run down the seam. Unfortunately this won't work with Ultracote, but with MonoKote it will really stick down those edges.

da Rock

Overlapping the seams in highstress areas (leading edges for example) an extra width is worthwhile. Overlap them all, but some places need a bit more overlap.

Also, make the overlap so it's with the wind, not into the wind. If the wind can get under the seam it will. If it can't get under it because the seam is pointing away from the windflow, the wind will help keep the seam down.

Going over the seams as a final step works great. It's faster than doing an extra glue step and I've got models I covered in the 70s with covering that's never lifted on any seam.

Enough heat, and move the iron along steady. Don't have to be slow, but don't go fast.

da Rock

Oh yeah, the cheap films, the ones whose advertising emphasizes how much money you save using them, are cheap in more ways than one.

jetmech05

the cheapie hairspray works best..suave I think it is..cause all it is, is a light coat of lacquer. It helps the monocoat adhere to the wood. Don't use it to try and adhere monocoat to monocoat....I've hair sprayed all my aircraft since. I learned this trick from a guy that was flying in the Nats a few years back..worked for him ..works for me too.
hope it helps

KitBuilder

I find the best thing is to watch the direction of the seems.. overlay so that the seem is not facing the windflow over the craft. Makes covering wings tricky but I have veru few issuws with lifting seems. Cover bottom of wing (leaving trailing edge loose... and round covering up a bit over leading edge. the place top piece on and round over to bottom of wing and seal. repeat at rear of wind.. rounding under bottom of trailing edge. With loose bottom piece ... now lay on top and seal down. all seems on wing now face in same directiion of airflow. I also try and and cover fuse on side of exhaust as one piece rounding over top and bottom of fuse
Mike

da Rock

Get a decent overlap that's pointed downwind and iron it well and that'll last for at least 30 years.

Multi-colored Monokote job on the wing in the corner has a date, Jan 1985
OK 20 years..............
Not a seam is loose.

propjobbill

Thanks for all the tips. I will try some of those things stated here. Perhaps the cheep film was part of the problem. I've had problems with every plan I have covered, and I bought a Tower trainer a few years ago only to have the same results. The Tower plane was an ARF. The trim started coming off the first night I flew it. By the time I had about 25 to 30 hours of flying on it the covering had come loose and the wood was getting soaked. I recovered it with clothe and paint never had any more trouble until about 1 month ago when the wing folded up in mid-air. As far as I was concerned that was the end of that plane. It lasted about 4 years. It broke the center spar and fell out of the sky.

I will try some, or all of these tricks. Maybe things will work different. I would love to have confidence in a long term covering job with Film, because it's so quick and easy to do.

Thanks again to everyone that has given me ideas.

da Rock

BTW, the ARFs that advertise they are covered in either MonoKote or UltraCote have been excellent for me. That might be a clue why you've seen problems.

But I have always taken the time at the end of a covering job I did from scratch to go around all the seams. And with ARFs, I've always done the same. It takes way less time and effort than screwing around with glues and such.

BTW, KYOSHO ARFs have a bad reputation for their covering coming off. I built a KYOSHO Calmato Sport over a year ago. Went over all the seams. Lost a strip of striping tape off the stab a month or so ago. Think I didn't go over that. That's it for loose covering. My KYOSHO P40's covering hasn't budged either. Went over all the seams. Of course, that cheap stuff has faded like crazy. As has the Calmato. Sorta wish it would come up.