Old Iron new tricks, Monokote RC Plane covering iron repair.

While covering my plane with Monokote. my old Thunder Tiger iron handle broke off after over 30 years of use. I tried to buy a new one but unfortunately these irons are hard to find. So I decided to just try to fix it.
I have been building, flying, crashing, modifying, and repairing radio control planes (RC Planes) for many years and enjoy sharing what I do with the radio control plane community, so I started RC Plane Tech channel for fun. I am not an expert, there are many different techniques to building radio control planes. A good way to learn about flying and building rc planes is to see what others are doing, that's what I do and that's why I like to share what I do. Thanks for watching my channel. Have fun!

[@haroldneely9253]

Probably fell a few times weakened the spot welds, but looks good👍

[@JamesRCPlaneTech]

Yup, its been through a lot! Thanks

[@mikeslayer5926]

if those screws give ya trouble perhaps some pop rivits maybe some soft maleable aluminum can side cut out to fit around the knob to keep the dust off the heating elements Mike

[@JamesRCPlaneTech]

Pop riveting is a great tip. So is the aluminum. Ya I think the innards are a little long in the tooth. But she’s hanging on. Thanks for the tips.

[@IamBlackdragon]

Covering looking good

[@JamesRCPlaneTech]

Thanks. Full video on the way.. maybe too much video haha.

[@williamhoenstine5057]

Nice repair but what if you needed a new heating element? No one seems to stock them so when that happens you're finished with that iron!

[@JamesRCPlaneTech]

Yep, things only last so long, but can be fun if you can tinker with them to make them last a little longer.

[@Darryl603]

Way to keep the old iron going, Mike! search for LCD Display Veneer Edge Banding Sealing Iron - Tacking Iron for Comics and more There's a nice one there

[@JamesRCPlaneTech]

Thanks.

[@EdMarbach]

My ironing trim tool will sometimes get a little of the adhesive side of the monokote smeared onto it. This can cause that adhesive residue to get transferred to the finish side of the monokote, gunking up the nice finish. How can I clean that residue off the finished side of the monokote?

[@JamesRCPlaneTech]

I generally use acetone or alcohol to clean off the Monokote. The acetone can be a little harsh but works well. I use rubber gloves and put a very small amount on a paper towel or cloth or q-tip. You don’t need much. Just keep it away from stickers or decals, and things like clear canopy etc. obviously its good to have well ventilation and eye protection and gloves etc when using chemicals.

[@stevebarr9604]

I've got a few extras in case you don't find one but I'm sure you can order one! I know they still sale them but you have to order it! I've had one to quit getting hot before but I took it apart and found what was wrong and fixed it and it worked better than ever! I've got about 4 different brands of those!

[@JamesRCPlaneTech]

Thanks. I was able to find a used tower Hobbies one on ebay for 20 bucks. So now I have two myself! Cool that you fixed yours. A little tinkering goes a long way sometimes.

[@Recovery12Life]

You can just solder it also

[@JamesRCPlaneTech]

Didn’t think about that, good tip.

[@christopherknee5756]

Those self tapping screws are going to work loose. If there is enough force to snap the welds, then your fix won't hold up well. I would use 4 metal screws with washers and nuts and a dab of Loctite as well.

[@JamesRCPlaneTech]

Thanks for the comment. The original connection were tiny spot welds that wore out after many years. Not that much force, more like long term use. The screws I used are probably stronger than the original connection. they were not self tapping, just a few screws that I had in my stash, they are pretty tight. If they loosen up I’ll tighten them again or try something else like a rivet or something. There is not enough room inside for too much more than the two I used. It was just a simple fix that appears to work for now. Im keeping my eye out for new one. Thanks for the insight.

[@stevebarr9604]

I've got one just like yours but it was sold by Royal instead of thunder tiger! Those are the only ones I've seen with the gray coating on the hot part!

[@JamesRCPlaneTech]

I bought a used top Flite off ebay. So now I have two old beat up ones, haha

[@lawrenceessard4086]

Just weld should work good stuff. Fixed my lathe spindle.cover.

[@JamesRCPlaneTech]

Hm. Have to consider that if if falls apart a again. Thanks for the tip.

[@skyediamonds5654]

I have an old iron that i accidentally touched some painted surfaces while ironing on film. The contaminated paint could not be removed despite all efforts: paint thinner, EMK, steel wool, etc. It heats up but it’s irregular & the film doesn’t take. Any suggestions?

[@JamesRCPlaneTech]

Thats interesting. I would say while the iron is cold, NOT plugged in and heating, try to clean it with lacquer thinner or acetone (used properly and safely per instructions ), but if you cant get it off using steel wool or a physical abrasive like that, then Im not anything would work. I know in my video I fixed the handle connection, but on yours if the element is worn out and not heating evenly or getting hot enough, it may be time to get a new one.

[@lawrenceessard4086]

That's JB weld.