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Yellowing BMF


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I've been shuffling around some of my older models the last few days, and I've noticed that the BMF trim on many of them has begun to turn yellow. Is there anything I can do to minimize this, or eliminate it altogether, or is it just something I have to learn to live with? These builds are all from 3 or 4 (or more) years ago, the other, more recent builds seem to be faring much better, but are still starting to turn.

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I have never seen it turn yellow and have been using it for nearly 30 years. Are they left out or in cases? Smoke free house?

Might be a bad batch of BMF? I hope you didn't clearcoat over it...if so, it's likely the clear that has yellowed. If it wasn't cleared, take a little compound like Novus #2, Meguiars Scratch X, Tamiya Coarse or Fine, and polish the foil. Being aluminum, it will take off any of the tarnished/oxidized material, and should turn the polishing rag black...and should make the foil look like new.

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Some are in cases, but most are not. The ones in cases are faring much better than the others, but a few in the cases are yellowing as well.

I thought about the clearcoat yellowing, and that may be the case on many of them, but it's yellowed on a few models that have no clearcoat over the foil. I usually clearcoat over BMF to help it stay in place, and give it a little extra shine.

Nobody smokes in the house, so I can pretty much rule that one out. On the other hand, the house was built in 1903, so who really knows what's lurking around in the air?

I'll try polishing the foil on the non-clearcoated models and seeing if that helps. I've always got Meguiar's Scratch X at the ready! Thanks for the info Bob! And you aren't the first person who's told me they've never seen yellowing BMF before!

Edited by Chuck Most
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Some of it appears to be dust buildup, but I peeled it off on a few models and it's yellowed underneath, as well. I was thinking it could be the adhesive, but how could it get through the foil? Or could that yellowing on the 'sticky' side just be yellowing clearcoat pulling off? I usually don't apply a clearcoat, then add the foil, then clear over that.

The yellowing underneath is kind of what's bugging me now, since the non-clearcoated foil cleaned up pretty well. Maybe my house is built on cursed land? ;)

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