The Zen of MonoKoting by Joe May

Having crashed and restored my trainer several times, I have some experience covering repairs with MonoKote. Through trial and error, using this iron-on film became easier. Iron on film has a straightforward character about it, and it's fairly predictable. With a little experience, you'll be able to tell where to pull and stretch it and where to shrink it before you seal it. To guarantee successful covering, remember these three important things:
1. If this is your first time covering, PRACTICE on something you won't mind RUINING. Get a scrap piece of balsa and cover it. Cover a solid piece and then a build a simple frame and cover that.
2. DONT RUSH. DON'T SKIMP. Let the heat, not the pressure of the iron, do the work.
3. UNDERSTAND THE CHARACTERISTICS of the material.
The first thing is a good lesson. The second thing is self explanatory. The third thing is what I want to "cover", so to speak.


High Heat Tendencies (300 degrees F. )


Every imperfection in the structure will be magnified when you cover over it.
The film will shrink quickly - probably causing lightweight structures to warp.
The film will stick to new wood with a vengeance, so much so that if you try to pull it off, you pull chunks of wood off with it. Now you must use filler and sand the surface smooth again otherwise your covering job will be wasted.
The film will bond to itself permanently and if you try to pull it apart, you ruin it. Throw it away.
When you pull the film and press it with an iron, you'll seal it to the surface immediately and probably with permanently 'ironed-in' wrinkles.
The film may "suck" into the grain of the wood as you seal it thus showing the grain through the MonoKote. Sand the surfaces so they look and feel polished before you cover.
If you hold a heat gun too close, too long, you'll burn a hole in the film. I have not actually set the airframe on fire - but close to it.
The film will stretch more if you pull it harder. The harder you pull it the more likely it will permanently wrinkle when you put the iron on it.
When you seal along seams or joints some of the adhesive may squeeze out. If you are using a sock on your iron it will get stained, and if you don't use a sock the adhesive gets on the bottom of your iron and won't come off until you use the iron on a different color MonoKote. Then it permanently transfers to the new color. Acetone may get it off if your iron wasn't too hot.
The film will probably wrinkle later even though it looked great when you finished. It can be tightened, or melted, with a heat gun.


Lower Heat Tendencies (200 - 225 degrees F.):
The film shrinks more gradually, and it doesn't adhere permanently, quickly, usually.
You'll be able to smooth it over solid surfaces easier, and it won't bubble or wrinkle as much.
Trim strips are easier though, because with the lower heat, you get a second chance at repositioning them if you didn't get it right.


Other Characteristics:
You can stretch iron-on film without heat, enabling you to tack it into place and smooth out wrinkles before you seal or shrink it.
It's made of plastic and can be easily scratched, especially with paper towels. Use your wife's best linen napkins to properly clean it.
If you press too hard with the iron, you'll dent the surface below the covering. It will show through and you will be mad.
If you remove the backing sheet, and the adhesive sides touch, you'll damage it trying to pull it apart.
Throw it away. Don't be a cheapskate.
MonoKote sticks to the backing film very firmly, but almost never permanently.
MonoKote dulls razor blades, knives and scissors very quickly. Change often to keep your lines crisp and reduce tearing.
Even though the film is hot it can still slip off the structure being covered. It will then land in a sawdust pile on the floor, no matter where that pile is. It will not clean up, throw it away. (Hold it in place for a few seconds as it sets up.)
The color from roll to roll may not match perfectly, especially under fluorescent lights in the hobby shop. Take a few rolls to the nearest window and make sure they match. Then they probably won't match when you get them home.
MonoKote will go over MonoKote without bubbling.


Archie probably already knew all this but unfortunately, I didn't know Archie two years ago.