Bare Metal Foil Substitute?

[Berk765]

Is there a substitute for bare metal foil? Right now I'm using silver paint for the window trim in muscle cars, but it's just not bright enough.

[diymirage]

if im not mistaking people wrap it in regular house hold alumimun foil ?

[MrObsessive]

Is your trouble knowing how to apply BMF?

'Cuz I know of no paint that can match BMF for brightness.......although Alclad "chrome" paint comes close, but a little troublesome for small areas such as window trim.

BMF requires practice and a brand new #11 Exacto knife. A steady hand comes in handy here too------but as I mentioned, practice makes perfect.

If you have a model that has trim that's not very well defined, you may try lightly (and carefully) scribing the area with your blade before painting. This will leave a bit of "tread" so that when you paint and get down to final detail, it'll be easier to do this area with BMF.

Also when cutting BMF, let the weight of the knife cut the foil...............don't press down on the knife as your sure to get a slip and cut into the body, or slice across the trim itself.

BMF is NO substitute for bad or sloppy paint or shoddy body work!

Whatever is under the surface of the BMF, will show through when it's burnished down. So you want to make sure your paint is top notch with no orange peel, and if there's body work------it's done super clean and smooth.

If you check here, there's an excellent slideshow by Dennis Doty on applying BMF.

Hope all this helps!

[crispy]

One thing to add to Bill's sentiments. Make sure the BMF is brand new fresh.

I just opened up a brand new sealed package and already have to cut around the wrinkles, which if you don't they tear.

There are a few other companies with their own style bmf too. Just have to look for them.

Chris

[Harry P.]

Bare Metal Foil has had a BIG problem lately...it's all too common for the sheet of foil to be totally criss-crossed with cracks, making it impossible to cut a large piece of foil. The reason for the cracking has been discussed here many times, but basically BMF these days is pretty much a "hit or miss" proposition as far as getting a useable sheet.

If you can manage to find a good sheet of BMF, without the cracks, it's the best way to simulate "chrome" trim.

[mageckman]

Is there a substitute for bare metal foil? Right now I'm using silver paint for the window trim in muscle cars, but it's just not bright enough.

Berk, I use household aluminum foil like reynolds wrap for my chrome work. I don't order online and my LHS doesn't stock BMF and won't. I use a clear enamel as the glue. carefully paint it on and let it get tacky, about five to ten minutes or so(longer depending on the humidity in the air). I carefully lay the foil over the part I want chromed and burnish it down. I use a Q-tip to burnish it down followed by dragging a toothpick carefully over it. Don't push the toothpick as it will grab and rip your foil. I let it dry for approximately 30 minutes to an hour. Then, using a fresh blade I carefully cut around the spots I want chromed. I carefully pull the excess away from the body after it is cut, using a toothpick to push down on the foil I want to keep in place. To me it is far cheaper to go this route, and with a little practice it looks quite nice. I hope this helps.

[Berk765]

Berk, I use household aluminum foil like reynolds wrap for my chrome work. I don't order online and my LHS doesn't stock BMF and won't. I use a clear enamel as the glue. carefully paint it on and let it get tacky, about five to ten minutes or so(longer depending on the humidity in the air). I carefully lay the foil over the part I want chromed and burnish it down. I use a Q-tip to burnish it down followed by dragging a toothpick carefully over it. Don't push the toothpick as it will grab and rip your foil. I let it dry for approximately 30 minutes to an hour. Then, using a fresh blade I carefully cut around the spots I want chromed. I carefully pull the excess away from the body after it is cut, using a toothpick to push down on the foil I want to keep in place. To me it is far cheaper to go this route, and with a little practice it looks quite nice. I hope this helps.

What type of clear enamal are you talking about? Is it like clear coat from a rattle can?

[larrygre]

BMF is great stuff, always was, always has been. However, most times, I find it not bright enough, or I need a satin aluminum finish.

If I don't use BMF, I use the cheapest household aluminum foil I can get, usually from a discount or "dollar store". The cheap foil is very thin, unlike the name brands such as Reynolds Wrap, and is easier to work with. I apply one or two THIN coats of Micro Metal Foil Adhesive to the back side, let it THOROUGHLY dry, and apply it in the normal manner.

The caveat here is that you MUST use a BRAND NEW blade in your hobby knife when you use this method. Dull blades tend to "rip" the foil.

Hope that helps, y'all.

Edited August 17, 2008 by larrygre

[Lownslow]

i use dollar store tin foil with BMF glue it lays down better but not as flexible

[Eshaver]

I agree with everyne as to the trouble with B M F. I tryed Chrome Paint that ######- N -Blaque sugjested for something else. I really does have a brushed look about it and could pass for stainless trim tha General Motors used on their cars in the 1950's so look for Duplicolor Chrome , O K ? Ed Shaver

[mageckman]

What type of clear enamal are you talking about? Is it like clear coat from a rattle can?

Berk, while I have used clear coat out of a rattle can(accidently), I picked up a 1/2 oz bottle of clear enamel at hobby lobby.The one I have is labeled with Colors by Boyd but I think testors also makes small bottles of clear. I just use a small brush with the small bottles to apply it. Hope this helps.

[kerc]

BMF is great stuff, always was, always has been. However, most times, I find it not bright enough, or I need a satin aluminum finish.

If I don't use BMF, I use the cheapest household aluminum foil I can get, usually from a discount or "dollar store". The cheap foil is very thin, unlike the name brands such as Reynolds Wrap, and is easier to work with. I apply one or two THIN coats of Micro Metal Foil Adhesive to the back side, let it THOROUGHLY dry, and apply it in the normal manner.

The caveat here is that you MUST use a BRAND NEW blade in your hobby knife when you use this method. Dull blades tend to "rip" the foil.

Hope that helps, y'all.

This Johan Rambler was done with that procedure Larrygre describes. All the chrome you see is plain cheap aluminum foil:

It was my first time doing something like that, and the results were rather nice, although not perfect. I did get some "scrunching", but not more so than when dealing with BMF. And BTW, that is not paint--it's polished plastic.

Edited August 18, 2008 by kerc