Covering DTFB with Monocoat

alan0043

Well-known member
Hi Everyone,

I like to scratch build with DTFB ( the white board ). I did a search of the forum and could not find to much info on covering foam board with monocoat. Right now I cover the foam board with packing tape. Has anyone use monocoat to cover foam board ? Or do you think that packing tape would work better ? My thoughts are that monocoat could be lighter in weight then packing tape. Just point me in the right direction please.

Open to all info,
Al
 

Wildthing

Legendary member
I have done a few planes using the cheap HK iron on covering with really no issues , adds strength and color so I don't need to paint it :) . I think the weight would be very close to the same compared to using packing tape .
 

Figure9

Elite member
Hi Everyone,

I like to scratch build with DTFB ( the white board ). I did a search of the forum and could not find to much info on covering foam board with monocoat. Right now I cover the foam board with packing tape. Has anyone use monocoat to cover foam board ? Or do you think that packing tape would work better ? My thoughts are that monocoat could be lighter in weight then packing tape. Just point me in the right direction please.

Open to all info,
Al

I asked the very same question a while back. I was advised to spray paint & I also saw a FT video on how to spray paint DTFB by first coating it with MinWax. Here’s what I found. The MinWax works well for water proofing & foam board resistance to spray paint carrier chemicals. I prefer to seal edges by ironing or hot glue to prevent paper delamination before paint. Paint takes me all day especially if I’m trying to make it look nice. Frequently, the more trouble I’ve gone to trying to make it look nice with paint, the worse the results. Tinted cellophane tape with paper backing on the adhesive side is very easy to apply. I need color contrast for orientation. It doesn’t makes sense for me to spent 2 or 3 days painting for an airplane that might only last less than a minute. :eek::ROFLMAO: My best results, best looking & best flying airplanes have been DTFB, treated with MinWax & then merely trimmed over the white DTFB with contrasting 2” tape. I’ve found that a roll of 2” celophane tape is expensive, 2 rolls will do 2 standard FT designs but I use two colors, so that’s why 2 rolls. I use cheap hobby shop .5” tape for detailing. I don’t cover the entire airplane with the tape, I just tape some high visibility designs on it. Best results.
Finally, what I think might try for easy good looks is to seal edges, paint a solid color to most or all of the model, possibly using a contrast color on easy components to paint before assembly, so as not to require masking, like tail feathers. Then I’ll apply the 2” cellophane contrasting tape in designs as needed over the paint for contrast & visual orientation in flight. My next build will probably be done that way.
I’ve been wanting to try monocoat But have been advised it’s troublesome. Please let me know how it works for you if you try it. Simple & fast is good in my world.
 

Figure9

Elite member
Hahaha, funny you should refer to that because I bought a few sheets of amaterial labeled Monocoat with paper cover over the adhesive backing. The sheets are about 36” long X 5” wide. I got yellow, blue, red, plus black & white checkered. Gotta try it out. I think it might be what @Wildthing called wing tape. Check out my experience today in What Did You Fly Today. I’ll be going to post it right now.
 

Wildthing

Legendary member
Hahaha, funny you should refer to that because I bought a few sheets of amaterial labeled Monocoat with paper cover over the adhesive backing. The sheets are about 36” long X 5” wide. I got yellow, blue, red, plus black & white checkered. Gotta try it out. I think it might be what @Wildthing called wing tape. Check out my experience today in What Did You Fly Today. I’ll be going to post it right now.

No wing tape is very very thin plastic tape, 1" or 2" wide rolls they come in and the roll is a few dollars and mega yards of it.

https://hobbyking.com/en_us/wing-tape-45mic-x-45mm-x-100m-wide-red.html?___store=en_us
 

wilmracer

I build things that fly (sometimes)
Mentor
So I've covered a lot of foam board planes with monokote. Works great if you keep a few things in mind

  • I spray the backside of the monokote with 3M90 and give it a few minutes to out-gas the propellant
  • I tend to apply the monokote before shaping parts
  • I use foam board that doesn't have paper (model airplane foam). You could pull the paper and then lay on the Monokote.
  • w/ 3M 90 you will initially have an orange peel texture. Use a covering iron on low to smooth it out and it will hold fantastic.
  • You WILL get wrinkles eventually, but the plane will hold up incredibly well for long periods of time. IMHO they last a LOT longer than painted DTFB.
 

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Hai-Lee

Old and Bold RC PILOT
A fair while ago I did a FT Spitfire using thin balsa and covering film. See;

https://forum.flitetest.com/index.php?threads/balsa-foamboard-test-build-ft-spitfire.32734/

In places I ironed the film directly to the paperless foam and the adhesion was far better than directly to the Balsa.

I had tried earlier to coat FB with the paper on BUT the heating of the film did bond the film to the paper but loosened the bond between the paper and the foam underneath.

Just my experiences

Have fun!
 

alan0043

Well-known member
Hi Everyone,

Thanks guys for the great info. Sounds like I need to find out what 3M 90 is. Sounds like some kind of spray adhesive.

Please keep the info coming. This is some great stuff.
Al
 

GremlinRC

FT_Nut
In the past I've painted the boards before removing them from the sheet and then covered with clear packing tape before releasing the parts and building the model. You get a really nice glossy and hardwearing waterproof finish. It you are applying iron on covering the trick is to get the iron at just the right temperature to melt the adhesive but not the foam. You need to practice trial and error to establish the correct temperature.