Monokote Covering Tips

Wing Covering

• When covering model airplane wings with MonoKote, be sure to lay the wing on top of the non-adhesive MonoKote and cut around the wing leaving a 1-inch border all around except for the wing tip where 3 inches of Monokote should be left. Always begin tacking the MonoKote with the heat-sealing tool in the center of the wing. To make a tight seal, move the heat tool from the center to the edge of the short end of the wings, then move diagonally to the long edges of the wing and lastly seal the wing tip. Pull the MonoKote as you seal it to make it as tight and wrinkle-free as possible.

Fuselage Covering

• To cover the fuselage and fin parts of a plane, start with the fillets (the area where the stabilizer and fin connect to the wing). This area should be right-angled or rounded. Cover each fillet with a 1/2- or 3/4-inch strip of MonoKote. Then, cover the fuselage, starting at the bottom, then the sides and finally the top. There should be about 1/8 to 1/4 inch of overlap here, but this will not be noticeable once the MonoKote is shrunk.

Heat Shrinking

• When heat shrinking MonoKote, set the heating iron gently on the MonoKote and very easily glide it across the surface. If a vent was created to allow air to escape (this is not necessary in all cases), start sealing on the area farthest away from the vent, then work toward the vent sealing that area last. Heat shrinking will remove small wrinkles, so don't bother trying to remove and reapply the MonoKote for every little wrinkle. A heat gun is best used if you are sealing MonoKote over a solid surface. If using a sealing iron, you may also want to purchase an iron sock to cover it. This prevents the Teflon from wearing off.

Other Tips

• When placing MonoKote on fiberglass, use as much heat as possible, but be careful not to overheat and warp the fiberglass. You can enhance the look of your craft by placing your own MonoKote designs over the first layer of MonoKote. You can cut out various shapes from another panel of MonoKote, lay these over the craft in a desired pattern and heat-seal these shapes onto the craft. Be sure to use a lower heat setting when doing this; 225 degrees works well.