Has anyone ever used Monokote to "tape" a center wing joint?

mrittinger · Jun 21, 2011, 06:54 PM

I'm curious if anyone has ever used monokote(or similar) to "tape" a center wing joint instead of nylon or glass cloth and epoxy? I wonder how it would do, as the tensional strength seems like it would hold up in a wing joint fine...it's pretty hard to pull that stuff apart.

Mark

ChillPhatCat · Jun 21, 2011, 07:31 PM

I don't think it would be a good idea on a plane that is designed with fiberglass in the middle, the monokote might not break with a quick tensile test between your hands, but fatigue could weaken it and eventually cause a problem I'd imagine.

BillM · Jun 21, 2011, 07:38 PM

I have my doubts. The impact strength is not so great that a fair impact would cause it to split. Happens all the time if you bump a wing tip hard enough.

BM

mrittinger · Jun 21, 2011, 07:54 PM

I don't know...you still have the panels glued together, and I wonder what it would take to shear the monokote covering....

ChillPhatCat · Jun 21, 2011, 08:53 PM

There are many designs that don't rely on the center being glassed. And I'd imagine that it is overkill on many models, but it's not worth the risk IMO. You can heavily overengineer most planes and suffer little penalty in weight (not saying that this is the purpose of your idea), seems silly to compromise it.

Regardless, I'm quite certain we can say that epoxy and fiberglass far surpasses the tensile strength of Monokote.

mrittinger · Jun 21, 2011, 09:55 PM

It's also a messy PIA...one reason I was thinking of trying something different/easier...

diggerrcdave · Jun 22, 2011, 05:39 PM

Take some 3m77 and mist a coat on the glass cloth. Apply the cloth to the wing. Hold the wing with the leading edge up and start applying thin CA and let it wick down the cloth. Dry in minutes and then I put some spackle over it and sand it smooth. Last step I do is use some Sig Stix-it over the spackle and then cover with the monokote. Dave.

mrittinger · Jun 22, 2011, 07:02 PM

On the last Kingcobra, I misted hair spray through the cloth to stick it down and smooth it out, then put resin on. Worked great, but still messy method. Looking for something neat that doesn't need spackling and mud.....

Mark

sgtdirt · Jun 22, 2011, 09:24 PM

how about a carbon spar?

mrittinger · Jun 22, 2011, 10:10 PM

I'm looking for quick, clean and easy

Maybe I'll have to sheet another wing and try it out....anybody make a heat-activated mesh tape????

Dave Lindsey · Jun 23, 2011, 06:40 AM

"anybody make a heat-activated mesh tape???? "

Mark
Not heat activated, but I got a roll of adhesive backed 2" fibreglass mesh drywall tape from the local hardware store that I used for a home renovation.
It might work. Stick it down, coat with resin, spackle(or not), sand.

Hope this helps.
D.

Jun 21, 2011, 06:54 PM	#1
mrittinger ARFs make me BARF United States, MI, Roseville Joined Dec 2000 7,561 Posts	Has anyone ever used Monokote to "tape" a center wing joint? I'm curious if anyone has ever used monokote(or similar) to "tape" a center wing joint instead of nylon or glass cloth and epoxy? I wonder how it would do, as the tensional strength seems like it would hold up in a wing joint fine...it's pretty hard to pull that stuff apart. Mark

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Jun 21, 2011, 07:31 PM	#2
ChillPhatCat Fueled by Arabica Beans United States, NY, Syracuse Joined Oct 2008 2,998 Posts	I don't think it would be a good idea on a plane that is designed with fiberglass in the middle, the monokote might not break with a quick tensile test between your hands, but fatigue could weaken it and eventually cause a problem I'd imagine.

Jun 21, 2011, 07:38 PM	#3
BillM Registered User Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, Pennsylvania, United States Joined Nov 2000 6,146 Posts	I have my doubts. The impact strength is not so great that a fair impact would cause it to split. Happens all the time if you bump a wing tip hard enough. BM

Jun 21, 2011, 07:54 PM	#4
mrittinger ARFs make me BARF United States, MI, Roseville Joined Dec 2000 7,561 Posts	I don't know...you still have the panels glued together, and I wonder what it would take to shear the monokote covering....

Jun 21, 2011, 08:53 PM	#5
ChillPhatCat Fueled by Arabica Beans United States, NY, Syracuse Joined Oct 2008 2,998 Posts	There are many designs that don't rely on the center being glassed. And I'd imagine that it is overkill on many models, but it's not worth the risk IMO. You can heavily overengineer most planes and suffer little penalty in weight (not saying that this is the purpose of your idea), seems silly to compromise it. Regardless, I'm quite certain we can say that epoxy and fiberglass far surpasses the tensile strength of Monokote.

Jun 21, 2011, 09:55 PM	#6
mrittinger ARFs make me BARF United States, MI, Roseville Joined Dec 2000 7,561 Posts	It's also a messy PIA...one reason I was thinking of trying something different/easier...

Jun 22, 2011, 05:39 PM	#7
diggerrcdave Registered User Spring Hill, Tn. Joined Apr 2009 46 Posts	Take some 3m77 and mist a coat on the glass cloth. Apply the cloth to the wing. Hold the wing with the leading edge up and start applying thin CA and let it wick down the cloth. Dry in minutes and then I put some spackle over it and sand it smooth. Last step I do is use some Sig Stix-it over the spackle and then cover with the monokote. Dave.

Jun 22, 2011, 07:02 PM	#8
mrittinger ARFs make me BARF United States, MI, Roseville Joined Dec 2000 7,561 Posts	On the last Kingcobra, I misted hair spray through the cloth to stick it down and smooth it out, then put resin on. Worked great, but still messy method. Looking for something neat that doesn't need spackling and mud..... Mark

Jun 22, 2011, 09:24 PM	#9
sgtdirt Suspended Account Mentor, OH Joined Dec 2004 8,437 Posts	how about a carbon spar?

Jun 22, 2011, 10:10 PM	#10
mrittinger ARFs make me BARF United States, MI, Roseville Joined Dec 2000 7,561 Posts	I'm looking for quick, clean and easy Maybe I'll have to sheet another wing and try it out....anybody make a heat-activated mesh tape????

Jun 23, 2011, 06:40 AM	#11
Dave Lindsey Registered User Brighton Ont. Canada Joined Jan 2001 621 Posts	"anybody make a heat-activated mesh tape???? " Mark Not heat activated, but I got a roll of adhesive backed 2" fibreglass mesh drywall tape from the local hardware store that I used for a home renovation. It might work. Stick it down, coat with resin, spackle(or not), sand. Hope this helps. D.