I thought everyone might be able to relate to parts of this.
Ed Jett
----- Original Message ----- From: "Ed Jett" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: "Francis Waller" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Monday, March 07, 2005 5:52 PM
Subject: Re: Aquila Grande
Charlie, every time I have tried to get Monokote off to recover it has been a huge PITA. That's why I am trying to salvage as much of the Monokote that is on the AG as I can and do just the minimum to it that I can to put "my brand" on it.
What I have done in the past (and I really haven't heard of anyone having better success with a "secret" technique) is:
1) Carefully peel as much off as you can trying your best not to let it tear into a lot of pieces. On the top and bottom of the wing, I would try to cut the film spanwise about a half inch or so behind the spar or spoiler structure, just far enough to give me something to grab onto and carefully peel it from there forward and from there to the trailing edge. It will stick and try to tear. No, it will tear. But if it does try to work the tear back toward the other edge of the tear, hopefully leaving some overhanging material to pull back the other way. If you are lucky, it'll all come off. You won't be that lucky.
2) After you get as much off with the careful-as-possible peeling technique as you can, go back an try to work any small tears off in the opposite direction that you were working from in (1). You will get more off, but not all of it.
3) Get the tweezers and Xacto out and carefully worry the remaining small bits off as best you can. You won't get it all. You will find spots where the adhesive has separated from the film and stuck to the wood. If you haven't had a cuss fit yet, you probably will at this point.
4) You can try using some monokote and other film (use small scraps) and sticking the new film to the old adhesive and sometimes it will lift when you pull up the scrap that you ironed to it. All of it won't.
5) Now, you begin to think thoughts such as "What the heck was I thinking?!!!" and "That metallic brown Monokote looked pretty good and it was unique; I've never seen another one like it."
6) Sometimes I have managed to get some of the adhesive to come loose by scraping with the edge of a knife/xacto blade.
7) You will begin to think about finding some transparent brown covering so that the areas, that you missed won't show so badly. You check and nobody makes a transparent brown.
8) Try getting the balance off with judicious use of suitable solvent. Acetone or MEK. Some of it will soak into the wood and stain it. Do this as a last resort because you can't get the stains out.
9) It's finally off. You will now swear that you'll never do this again. It is easier to build a new plane.
10) Your work area looks like a bomb went off in it due to all the little bits of brown monokote all over the place.
11) Recover, in your choice of transparent Monokote.
Let me know if your experience is better. If you find that "secret" technique, please let me in on it.
Ed
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