Making Your own Bare Metal Foil (BMF)

[MoparWoman Jamie]

Hi you all, I thought I would add a trick of mine today here to show you where I get my BMF at. In case some of you all couldn't find real model car bare metal foil(BMF) or didn't like how it looks.. with this tip of mine you can make your own and in two styles. The shiny stuff or the dull looking stuff very easy.

All you need is a flat area to work in, some new papers.

The tools:

sisors, alumium foil, emlers spray glue, a q-tip, a axcto knife with a #11 blade, and your model shell or what ever your foiling. (I'm using an old shell of mine that I'm working on weathering)

Now I cut two (2) pieces of alumium foil. One is the dull side and the other is the shiny side.

Before I sprayed them

After I sprayed them.

Now here is the thing, if your building a junker model and want the chrome to look dull spray the glue on the shiny of the foil. Now if your doing a street model or daily driver model and you want the foil to have that chrome look, spray the dull side with glue.

Now the down side is that after so long after you spray the foil and if you don't use it in like say 6 minutes, the tackness kinda some what fades but all you do is just it another spray of the glue and wam your back in business again. But it all depends on you and the waiting time for the spray and it tackyness to set up. I mean if you just spray it and jump to using it you could end up having some glue reisdue on your finish from the excess foil that you cut away. I mostly wait around 1 to 3 minutes before using as for me it gives the foil and glue a good bite grip to the foil area and it sticks well for me.

Anways, back to foiling here. Now after I sprayed the foil down and waited alittle time here I am with the first cut piece getting ready to fix it to the junk shell that I am only using to show you all how to make your own BMF. The shell is rough but to show the trick it is good enough for the job to show you how to do it.

Now after I applied the foil to the area with my finger and got it rub in place enough to start working it on.

Just remember this shell is rough, show I'm just using it as show how to tool.

Now after you get the foil in place and all worked out in the areas, you can then start to trim away the excess with the xacto knife and #11 blade. But I want to add here the work isn't over yet with the q-tip. Because after you trim the excess away you can go back and varnish the foil down with the q-tip or your finger.. You decide.

But there is more to this tut that will be posted in afew minutes here.

[MoparWoman Jamie]

Okay, here I am trying to show how to trim and hold the camera at the same time LOL.

had to move the shell to get the camera to focus more right on it and was still yet having some focus issues.

Here is is with the excess all removed.

Now here is where I went back and redid the foiling stuff indoors due to the camera having focus issues out door.

This is the shinny side of the foil.

I think the reason I was having focus issues with the camera was due to the how the alumium foil hits the lense during the photo taken as it's like a mirror with the flash.. because when I pull way way back from the model the photos comes out good.

But I wanted to share my own way of making my own kind of BMF that I use all the time on my projects. Oh knows maybe this tut will help some of you out that can't find the model bare metal foil or can't get the stuff to stick good enough. I know ran into the kind that didn't want to stick at all and that was when I started to make my own. LOL

[B_rad88]

wow, very cool, thank you! i can't get BMF to stick to badges and scripts on the bodies, hopefully this will work. thank you for the tip!

[MoparWoman Jamie]

wow, very cool, thank you! i can't get BMF to stick to badges and scripts on the bodies, hopefully this will work. thank you for the tip!

Your welcome man, you can even use your finger nail lightly to trace the trim line and what not on the model with using alumium foil, just start at the high spot area and work out wards like you would on a decal.

The thing about this kind of BMF is you can conrol the tackness and add more if you need to. The longer the foil sets out with the glue on it the less tacky it will become though. But each of us has our own tacky like ness that we like to work with so it's up to you the builder to chose the tackyness level you like to work with. All I can say is time your sprays and see what time frame works best for you is all.

Good luck man.

[B_rad88]

Your welcome man, you can even use your finger nail lightly to trace the trim line and what not on the model with using alumium foil, just start at the high spot area and work out wards like you would on a decal.

The thing about this kind of BMF is you can conrol the tackness and add more if you need to. The longer the foil sets out with the glue on it the less tacky it will become though. But each of us has our own tacky like ness that we like to work with so it's up to you the builder to chose the tackyness level you like to work with. All I can say is time your sprays and see what time frame works best for you is all.

Good luck man.

ok, cool. yeah, i haven't tried the elmer's spray glue yet, but i have used the automotive interior spray glue before, it gets very tacky, well i guess my BMF is old then, cause when it comes to the fine lines, scripts, and badges it doesn't stick. but when i do the head light buckets and tail lights with it, it sticks just fine, go figure i will deff give this a try.

thank you!

[highway]

Wonderful tip, Jim! I actually stumbled across this about 4 years ago when I wanted to make a stainless steel style trailer for a truck and, of all people, my better half suggested this while I was working on the trailer while she just so happened to be putting foil in a pan she was putting in the oven. I thought and even told her she was crazy and it would never work, but I was glad and surprised when I tried it to humor her. It made the trailer look just the way I wanted it to and was much cheaper than doing the same thing with BMF. I even did the flip trick and used the dull side up on the roof to replicate the not as shiny aluminum roof. I guess even a blind squirrel finds a nut every now and then, as a friend of mine always says!! Here's a pic of that trailer.

[oldcars]

Cool idea. If you are doing this on a painted body will any left over glue come off okay with a damp cloth, or what do you do? Richard

[Romell R]

Excellent job with this tutorial Jim! I never thought of that before. Keep up the good work bro!

[MoparWoman Jamie]

Cool idea. If you are doing this on a painted body will any left over glue come off okay with a damp cloth, or what do you do? Richard

That is a very good question, and I will note that I did not address that issue yet, so I will now.

It depends how when you spray the foil with the spray glue, if you spray the foil and wait like 10 seconds yes the glue will stick to the paint and when you remove the foil it will leave a chunk of glue on the finish more likely. Now I also notice if I wait alittle while for the glue to set up before using but doesn't loose that nice tacky grib that 50/50 chance it will leave a chunk of glue on the car an then it again it might not. But if I wait alittle while like 5 minutes for the glue on the foil to set up after I spray it I mostly have good results and no glue remaining on the shell. It's mostly when you first spray the foil and jump right to using it is when you have the glue stick so well that it comes off the foil and onto the shell. A damp cloth will not remove it, you have to use something for removing glue that won't hurt the paint though. I use mostly Prep-All but very very lightly though on a wet paper towel as if I'm not careful or watching and rubbing to hard I can rub through the paint.

For the stuff to really grab you have to start working with the foil about 1 to 3 minutes after you spray the glue on it. And when I say grab I mean grab as it will grab dang well as the glue hasn't set up yet. This is when you have chunks come off onto the shell. Now if you wait 12 minutes to start using the stuff the tackyness by this time is some what starting to fade and you will have to respray the foil again over.

Also I even use this trick on the engine of the Project JB666 for the hemi head detailing

and the lower fins are made from BMF and then added to the lower part as there was no fins in that area at all until I added them. The name I was cutting out also at the time when it came how nice (you'll see in later on either on the work beanch or the under glass area).

[MoparWoman Jamie]

Excellent job with this tutorial Jim! I never thought of that before. Keep up the good work bro!

Thanks Romell! I'm kinda surprise how ever that you hadn't ever thought of that trick. As you are a very good builder as well. I'll try to keep up the good work and you do the same bro!

[MILD]

Excellent- I'll be giving this method a try to complete the foiling on my Impala. I tried applying the glue to the areas to be trimmed and then the foil and the result was less than stellar (most likely my fault more than anything though ).

[roadhawg]

A guy in our club used a method similar to this on an F-84 jet a couple of years ago, using both the shiny side and the dull side to represent different panels, and it was awesome.

Question....how does the Elmers spray glue hold up over time? Any "loosening"?

[MoparWoman Jamie]

A guy in our club used a method similar to this on an F-84 jet a couple of years ago, using both the shiny side and the dull side to represent different panels, and it was awesome.

Question....how does the Elmers spray glue hold up over time? Any "loosening"?

Well, put it this way, to me and to what all I have use the trick on, the stuff was hard getting back off. If you work in a close time range after you spray the foil and apply it. Once the glue bonds it's tuff mostly to get back off . If you rub the foil on I can almost say it's not coming back off without a fight. LOL

The longer it sets the better it holds it seems to me. I have a cab over I build for Mark a friend of mine (the same Mark I'm doing the australian build for) and I covered a custom grill in the foil back around 4 years ago and still today yet that foil has yet to lift by itself

[highway]

Question....how does the Elmers spray glue hold up over time? Any "loosening"?

....and I covered a custom grill in the foil back around 4 years ago and still today yet that foil has yet to lift by itself

I agree with Jim 100%, the trailer I posted the pic of was also done around 4 years ago and the foil hasn't lifted at all. The only place I did have a problem with that was on the roof, it has lifted slightly, but that was not the glues fault, it was mine! I didn't quite put enough glue on it to hold it, OOPS!

[Jim Gibbons]

Great tutorial. I've been doing something similar for years on aircraft, but instead of using spray adhesive, I use Micro Metal Foil Adhesive from Microscale. It's a brush on adhesive (latex based, I guess,) and remains tacky for a very long time. I've never had it lift. Another tip is to go to your local Dollar type store and buy the cheapest, thinnest foil you can find. Reynolds is a bit thick to work with from past experience.

[B_rad88]

Great tutorial. I've been doing something similar for years on aircraft, but instead of using spray adhesive, I use Micro Metal Foil Adhesive from Microscale. It's a brush on adhesive (latex based, I guess,) and remains tacky for a very long time. I've never had it lift. Another tip is to go to your local Dollar type store and buy the cheapest, thinnest foil you can find. Reynolds is a bit thick to work with from past experience.

yes, finally a reason to buy crappy foil, lol. the cheaper the foil, the thinner the foil, the better it is for this application and not for cooking.

[MoparWoman Jamie]

Great tutorial. I've been doing something similar for years on aircraft, but instead of using spray adhesive, I use Micro Metal Foil Adhesive from Microscale. It's a brush on adhesive (latex based, I guess,) and remains tacky for a very long time. I've never had it lift. Another tip is to go to your local Dollar type store and buy the cheapest, thinnest foil you can find. Reynolds is a bit thick to work with from past experience.

I use the Reynolds stuff and I love it man.. it brings out the detail on the model not to mention it also have that trim thickness also like real trim is. But the kind I showed above was the stuff I just grab on my out of the house was all LOL. The reason why I use spray adhesive is because I am more in control of the tackyness then anything.. which is what I like. Plus I don't hardly go with big brand name stuff anyways because all your buying is the name mostly. That tip about one of places to get the foil at is also a good tip as I also get my foil from Dollar General Dollar Tree, Trader Horn or gorcery stores like Sharp Shopper.

The reason why I started making my own foil was because I didn't have a hobby shop around long time ago as the closes was one was that was a hour away and they wanted a dang arm and leg for there stuff. So I thought why not make my own.. then back over a year ago I had boughten a pack of real model chrome foil from Floyd (a relative) to see how the work and looked. You now to give it a try at least.. and it was around 10inches long and by maybe 6 inches wide sheet for around six dollars . Well I notice soon as I removed it from the pack it didn't have that real trim look effect to it at all but I wanted to try it anyways. I was using the chrome version.. well after trying to apply it to a window trim edge and the stuff not sticking very well at all. I decided to yank the stuff back off and get out the foil and make my own LOL. I paid six dollars you can say for a 10x6 sheet of paper like chrome that hardly sticks. I put out around maybe $3.50 to 4.00 for foil and spray glue when I have to reload my stash and yet I get more for less and I get the choice or two sides as in Dull or Chrome to use at any given time. And if I get a wrickle in the foil I can work it out easy LOL. Not to mention I also don't have to worry about the foil having a shelf life (I heard the real model foil has a shelf life).

[Guest Gramps-xrds]

I've never tried the elmers stuff, but I have tried other spray adhesives. The problem I've ran across with sprays is they leave an uneven surface when sprayed and usually will show up in the foil. I found a solution to this. I used oil base gold size. You just brush it on and forget it. It will level it's self out to a smooth even finish. The down side is, you have to wait 1 to 3 hrs before you can use it. When using any kitchen foils there's a problem in the cutting. Aluminum needs a lubricant to be able to make clean cuts. I use lamp oil for this and if there's any adhesive that sticks to the model, lamp oil on an old tee shirt and your finger will take it right off and won't hurt any paint. Here's the stuff I use.

[Jim Gibbons]

I've never tried the elmers stuff, but I have tried other spray adhesives. The problem I've ran across with sprays is they leave an uneven surface when sprayed and usually will show up in the foil. I found a solution to this. I used oil base gold size. You just brush it on and forget it. It will level it's self out to a smooth even finish. The down side is, you have to wait 1 to 3 hrs before you can use it. When using any kitchen foils there's a problem in the cutting. Aluminum needs a lubricant to be able to make clean cuts. I use lamp oil for this and if there's any adhesive that sticks to the model, lamp oil on an old tee shirt and your finger will take it right off and won't hurt any paint. Here's the stuff I use.

Hmmm...you must be a gilder; great tip. I never considered the lubricant factor on the foil (sheesh, and I was an engineer! ) when cutting. That might even help the blades last a little longer. Do you dip your knife blade in it as you cut, or run a small bead along the foil? The reason I ask is that when I do aircraft, I work with many separate pieces, and would have to clean all oil traces off before I work on the next area. I will try this, but think I'll experiment with vegetable oil as it'd be a bit easier to ensure all oil is gone using Dawn and water.

[Guest Gramps-xrds]

Hmmm...you must be a gilder; great tip. I never considered the lubricant factor on the foil (sheesh, and I was an engineer! ) when cutting. That might even help the blades last a little longer. Do you dip your knife blade in it as you cut, or run a small bead along the foil? The reason I ask is that when I do aircraft, I work with many separate pieces, and would have to clean all oil traces off before I work on the next area. I will try this, but think I'll experiment with vegetable oil as it'd be a bit easier to ensure all oil is gone using Dawn and water.

Jim, I just dip a brush in it and wipe a little along where I plan on cutting. I don't even use a new blade, I resharpen mine and they work very well. As for clean up with dawn and water, I'd say use the lamp oil. It's a kerosene and disperses easily in soapy water. From doing a lot of dishes I've found that vegetable oils don't clean very well in soapy water. So you were an engineer huh. That's ok, I was a mechanic in a chemical plant for 29 yrs so I'm used to solving problems that engineers couldn't get to work. :lol:

Edited August 29, 2010 by Gramps-xrds

[MoparWoman Jamie]

I don't use no oil or anything like that at all. Matter of fact I haven't had a issue at all with cutting through foil. I can do maybe 5 jobs (builds) with the sigle blade before changing it. I have no idea what you all issues are with the blades though and cutting through foil. When I spray the glue on I also haven't a build up issue either as all the stuff I use was always all level out. And above what I posted photos of is all the stuff I use. I think the reason why some of you are having issues with the stuff is because of the brand type you are using maybe. Different brands different effects I think.

But when I get stuff, I always try to stay away from the name brand items as me and that stuff doesn't kinda hit it off if you know what I mean. So instead of me getting the $$ stuff I got the other way and go for less and for some reason or another I have better luck with the cheaper stuff then the higher stuff. I have tried the 3M spray glues and no luck with them as there spraying was bad so I went back to the lower cost stuff and had better luck with those.

[Jim Gibbons]

Jim, I just dip a brush in it and wipe a little along where I plan on cutting. I don't even use a new blade, I resharpen mine and they work very well. As for clean up with dawn and water, I'd say use the lamp oil. It's a kerosene and disperses easily in soapy water. From doing a lot of dishes I've found that vegetable oils don't clean very well in soapy water. So you were an engineer huh. That's ok, I was a mechanic in a chemical plant for 29 yrs so I'm used to solving problems that engineers couldn't get to work. :o

Thanks for the info; I'll take a mechanics advice! I was a lighting applications and design engineer, but I had the advantage of having worked as an electrician along with other construction before I worked in the lighting engineering field, so I had a bit of an advantage of having been a "grunt." (Not my term; that's what my electrician buddies would call themselves after they applauded me for being white collar; yet they made much more $ than me!) I guess that's why upper management would cringe at meetings when I was asked to come, as I had a habit of popping their fanciful balloons when it came to practical design factors and installation issues. Again, I will heed your advice, and thanks!

[Dr. Cranky]

Cool tutorial. I always thought aluminum foil would be too thick, but you made it look good.

[MoparWoman Jamie]

Cool tutorial. I always thought aluminum foil would be too thick, but you made it look good.

Thanks man! the foil isn't to thick, you just half to know how to work it

The thing is, and this is how I look at it. Look at the trim thickness on any trim piece. Look at how thick it is. now to me model car foil is way to thin where as alumium foil kinda has the right thickness when scaled down.

Edited August 30, 2010 by m0parman

[Guest Gramps-xrds]

Jim, I tried that Elmers adhesive and I have to admit it works better than any other spray adhesive I have tried so far. I did notice that the chrome had a slightly rougher pebbled texture to it than my system has, but that may be due to not holding the spray close enough to allow it to flow out. I will have to do further experiments on that. I like the fact that I don't have to wait 2 to 3 hrs before I can use mine. You're never to old to learn and if this works out, then Ive learned something. I still have to use the lamp oil to remove the adhesive it left behind and I still use it for a lubricant. It says on the can its acetone based but lamp oil still dissolves it easily..