Monokote help provided!

[Terry Terrenoire]

I am in the same boat as Andre', not an xpert, but I have beeen using the
stuff for 35 years. I used MK for the first time back in 1969 in Viet
Nam!!

I keep hearing about the formation of bubbles! HOW?

If you use a very simple technique, you should NEVER have bubbles.

ONLY attach the monokote at the edges of the structure, or the edge of
the color if it does not extend to the edge of the structure.

Once the entire permiter has been sealed down, then it can be shrunk
using the gun and hot air, OK, now you will have ONE air bubble to get
rid of.

Poke two or three holes in one extreme end of the color you are working,
with a pin, or better yet, a sewing needle. I keep a needle installed in
a pin vise next to my covering board and use it thru-out the covering
process.

Now you can start heating the MK from the end opposite the holes. As the
material gets hot enough to activate the adhesive, go over the material
with a soft cloth. TF also sells a mitten that works very well. Just
continue to work the "bubble" toward the holes. If you happen to trap an
island bubble along the way, just prick one edge and seal it down again.

For those of you who saw my Synergy at the WRAMs show a few weeks ago,
you saw how tight the cover is. This plane was finished about a year ago,
flown all last summer, and I spent about 10 minutes touching up a few
minor wrinkles before taking it tothe show.

If you want to put MK over MK. Cut out the trim piece and lay it on the
base. Use the heat from your hand to get it to stay in position while
working out any trapped air. Then use your iron at a reduced heat
setting, about 200 degrees, and carefully working from one edge to the
other, you should not develop any more bubbles. If you do, reach for the
needle again.

It all goes back to what someone else said about having patience.

I have done my share of Ultrakote coverings, probably 20 or more, along
with over 200 MK, and I really prefer the MK. I cna more easily get good
edges, and I too like the shiny colors. The UK is a little easier to work
around compound curves, but I don't have a problem with MK doing that.

Hope this helps a few of you. If you have any specific questions or
comments you can give me a call, or contact "off Line".

Terry T.


On Wed, 17 Mar 2004 19:54:31 -0900 Andre Bouchard <akfai at gci.net> writes:
As Earl and I had in the past commiserated quite a bit about this issue,
I thought I would chime in.

First, the disclaimer: I am not a Monokote expert, just a long time
sufferer.

Having used Monokote for 33+ years, I can say that it does not stick as
well as it once did.  It was good product 10 years+ ago.  I was able to
Monokote a fiberglass fuselage once and it looked pretty good (Earl will
testify).  No way can I do that today as it does not stick as well.

I can say from personal experience that Earl's recommendation
("micro-channels") works very well.  It probably cuts in half the time
required to lay a piece of Monokote--less chasing of bubbles.  There are
guys out there who can Monokote a glass ball.  I admire them.  Their keys
to success appear to be: a proper temperature iron(s) and patience,
patience and more patience.  For the less patient folks (me), the
sandpaper trick is a good short-cut.

Aside: I got into a real problem once with air trapping on some wings
skinned with polyurethane glue.  The expansion of the glue resulted in
almost zero permeability to air through the wood; I usually find some
permeability with epoxy skinned wings (at least with my work).  Peeled
off a lot of Monokote on that one.

Ultracote: Great product.  It is much easier to use, but I still like the
shine of Monokote next to the PPG.

Regards,

Andre'
----- Original Message ----- 
From: EHaury at aol.com 
To: discussion at nsrca.org 
Sent: Wednesday, March 17, 2004 7:13 AM
Subject: Re: Monokote help required


A disclaimer first - I don't claim to be an expert with Monokote! 

That being said, my experience is that the "polished" super smooth wood
presents a surface akin to MK over MK, no avenues for gasses to escape
and bubbles. The fix is to take a new (sharp) piece of 320 wet/dry and
make one pass over wood span wise and one pass chord wise. The
"micro-channels" cut by the 320 will allow gasses to escape when you to
use just sufficient heat to activate the MK adhesive. The "grooves" cut
by the sanding will not show through the finish. Be sure and clean after
sanding with a vacuum, compressed air, and tack rag. I also find white to
be less tolerant than other colors. 

Earl
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://lists.f3a.us/pipermail/nsrca-discussion/attachments/20040318/f460618f/attachment.html