Scale The Naked Truth of Covering a Plane

[fencelake]

The trim solvent is formulated for monokote, it does not work well with ultracote.

Ah... that stinks.

 

[Mark Harper]

Did you use a tack cloth to get ALL of the dust off before covering? Other then that the only thing I can think of is you didn't use a high enough heat on the iron to fully activate the adheasive.

 

[Bartman]

MattyMatt's dad Steve told me once that Nitro cleans up thin CA fumes allowing you to run CA along covering and trim seams. He didn't tell me if he uses pure Nitro or Nitro-based fuels so I've tried it with some 1/2A fuel I have and it seems to work.

I'll have to try that sealing stuff for monokote that someone mentioned.

Reading all of the posts and looking at the clean line left behind at the leading edge I'd vote that you cut all of the way through the covering when you trimmed the watch decal. If it was just the leading edge of the watch decal that lifted and ripped everything else off then the covering/trim at the leading edge of the wing wouldn't have remained so straight and clean.....I'd bet the orange ultrakote at the leading edge wasn't disturbed at all as the rest of it ripped off.

@SleepyC; what you said is what I do also, sand to a fine grit and then vacuum the crap out of it with a shop vac and the soft brush.

i've gotta check out those other suggestions, the monokote sealer sounds like it's worth trying.

Sorry about your plane @fencelake; !

 

[fencelake]

Did you use a tack cloth to get ALL of the dust off before covering? Other then that the only thing I can think of is you didn't use a high enough heat on the iron to fully activate the adheasive.

I must not have used the iron on it enough.

 

[lakerider8]

The clear I seal edges with is Nason 496-00 with a touch of Nason 483-78 activator. DuPont 7600 clear is good too. just much more costly. Really any good automotive clear will work ,and it is a bit more flexible when dried than clear fingernail polish. I use it on some covering edges and also on the edges of some graphics.

 

[jamesrxx951]

The trim solvent is formulated for monokote, it does not work well with ultracote.

I was told from a well known builder to use polyurethane to seal the edges on Ultracote. I did on my Sukhoi and it seems to blend in very well and dried. Havent flown the plane yet but it looks like it will work very well.

 

[IMAC FANATIC]

Marvellous stuff for monokote. But were talking Ultra.
What happens when used with ultracote?

 

[henry b]

I always use a little compressed air and lightly dampened cloth and go over the entire plane to remove any loose sawdust and debris . After that Igo over all the seam areas with coverite balsa sealer . I started doing this after the same thing happened to me.

 

[henry b]

It has been tight and right ever since and it was ultracote.

 

[Twangmaster]

I had to check to see if it's still available, and it is. I've used Balsarite in the past, and once you've got the covering on there, it's Not coming off.. Period. Do clean the airframe as clean as you possibly can, that does more good than anything.