Painted trim vs. BMF

[chunkypeanutbutter]

I notice a lot of people use BMF. I haven't ever touched the stuff. I don't build a lot with chrome, but when I do, I have a silver paint marker I use to do trim. It doesn't look super shiny, more like brightly polished aluminum trim.

Something I notice with even the best builders' BMF jobs is that it looks wrinkly. Real chrome doesn't have wrinkles in it! Is that something that can be avoided, or do people just not want to flatten the stuff onto the body to get the air pockets out?

How easy does it cut? Do you need a dedicated knife for it?

Why do you use BMF?

[StevenGuthmiller]

I use it because it is without question the closest you will get to the actual look of chrome trim. A Sharpie is fine, but it will never look like chrome. If done correctly, there should be no "wrinkles". take your time, be patient & you'll avoid those wrinkles. The weight of the knife itself is more than sufficient to cut the foil. I use a fresh X-acto blade for each project, possibly 2 if it's a big job.

Steve

[chunkypeanutbutter]

It does look nice! Question: what paint color is that?

[DeeCee]

I think BMF is by far the best thing invented for chrome trim, and as a lot of us are older fella's,

the hand is getting way too wobbly to ever contemplate doing chrome with a sharpie or paint.

[dieseldawg142]

.....

Edited May 11, 2018 by dieseldawg142

[slusher]

Your young so it will be easy to learn. I use a burnishing tool to get the wrinkles out. You have to remember everyone has their own skill level and many have stiff fingers and disabilities. You should have no problems getting the hang of it....

[Snake45]

I don't build a lot with chrome, but when I do, I have a silver paint marker I use to do trim. It doesn't look super shiny, more like brightly polished aluminum trim.

Keep in mind that a lot of what we call "chrome" trim on real cars wasn't chrome at all, but brushed or polished aluminum or stainless steel.

[JohnU]

I've found that with bare metal foil if the surface under it isn't clean and smooth, then those imperfections will transfer thru because its so thin. No amount of burnishing will remove those bump and grooves!

[935k3]

Another reason BMF is better it can be touched and handled. The silver paint in markers cannot. BMF is very sensitive to how smooth the surface it's being applied to is.

[Fat Brian]

BMF is just another tool in the arsenal to replicate the look of a real vehicle. As others have said, the surface it's going has to be very smooth to get the best look. Another thing is you have to careful where the foil overlaps because it's so thin it always shows a crease where the piece underneath ends, it can be useful to look at how the trim pieces are broken down on the real car so you can plan out where to put your joints. Something else that contributes to the poor results seen sometimes is that they let a bad batch get out a few years ago that wrinkled really bad when you removed it from the paper backing and you could never quite them out no matter how much you burnished it. I don't use it on every build but it's nice to know how to use it when you need that look.

[chunkypeanutbutter]

Another reason BMF is better it can be touched and handled. The silver paint in markers cannot.

When I said "paint marker," I meant marker that contained paint, as in it dries like paint, but it's in a marker. I know it dries because I did it on the Scout I'm working on a few days ago, and it hasn't come off with heavy handling yet.

Also, I noticed Tulio's tutorial on making your own BMF substitute. Is it better than BMF?

[cobraman]

I don't care for doing BMF at all. That being said I do use it wherever I feel it is called for. I think it gives the best look hands down. I use a Q-tip to get it down well and sometimes a rounded toothpick to get it into tight places. Some people like to do the clear over the BMF but I foil after the clear coat. Not sure if there is an advantage to either way. As said above you need to use a new blade each time you foil. You can avoid a bunch of trouble if you do.

[Daddyfink]

If you have the time and patience, Alclad will look much better than BMF or silver paint.

[Atmobil]

Alclad II Chrome, that is the best. But it also requires skills and and an airbrush. I use BMF because it looks very good but I do think it is very fiddly and will many times postpone the applying job or do it in part over several days. Silver or aluminium paint is ok if you don't want the shiny look that the BMF gives.

I use q-tips to burnish it to the body and a sharp knife to cut it. I don't know what q-tips you guys in the states have in stores but I have found that the best type for this kind of work here is made by Johnsons and has a dark blue stem that is quite stiff. There is some cheaper brands in stores with either a babyblue or white stem but they don't work very well because the stem is to soft and flexible.

Edited April 25, 2015 by Atmobil

[pharoah]

If it wasn't for BMF , I probably wouldn't build models. I hated trying to paint the trim on cars. It never looked right,and I wasn't very good at it. BMF can be a pain sometimes,but the results are worth it.

[StevenGuthmiller]

It does look nice! Question: what paint color is that?

This is MCW #6758 1967 Mopar "Dark Turquoise Metallic".

Steve

[Tom Geiger]

BMF is hands down the very best way to get chrome onto a model car.

I will say that those who criticize BMF either are afraid to try it, to cheap to use it correctly or won't invest the small amount of time it takes to learn how to use it. There is no excuse for wrinkled BMF on a model, that's usually someone who has placed and lifted the same piece a couple of times before settling it down. That's one way to wrinkle it. And then they don't care enough to lift it off, throw it away and use another piece. BMF is very forgiving in the way that you can have infinite do overs... that's right. If you don't like the way it looks, take it off and try again with a fresh piece.

[fseva]

I use it because it is without question the closest you will get to the actual look of chrome trim. A Sharpie is fine, but it will never look like chrome. If done correctly, there should be no "wrinkles". take your time, be patient & you'll avoid those wrinkles. The weight of the knife itself is more than sufficient to cut the foil. I use a fresh X-acto blade for each project, possibly 2 if it's a big job.

My main problem with BMF is removing it from the waxed backer - I have yet to find a way to do so without the tiny wrinkles appearing during removal... what do you do?

[fseva]

I think BMF is by far the best thing invented for chrome trim, and as a lot of us are older fella's,

the hand is getting way too wobbly to ever contemplate doing chrome with a sharpie or paint.

Actually, it's just the opposite - if your hand is wobbly, think of the gashes you could put in your beautiful paint job using a knife!

Using a marker is a lot easier because you just lay it on top of the trim piece and follow it until you reach the end of the line. If this single swipe doesn't highlight enough of the trim, just do it again, with the marker at a smaller angle to the trim. I can do an entire car in about 15 minutes, where it takes several frustrating hours with BMF, and like you, I'm too old to be spending so much time on one phase of the hobby!

[fseva]

Something else that contributes to the poor results seen sometimes is that they let a bad batch get out a few years ago that wrinkled really bad when you removed it from the paper backing and you could never quite them out no matter how much you burnished it.

Seems to me, the problem just never went away - I can't seem to get it off a sheet without all of those wrinkles already formed before it's applied!

[Lovefordgalaxie]

There are two says I firmly believe in:

There is no substitute for cubic inches;

There is no substitute for real metal.

Knowing that, foil is metal, like the real trim is. Polished stainless, chrome plated steel, chrome plated die cast trim, they are all metal. Don't want all that shine, make your own foil, and apply the glue to the shiny side of the foil, leaving the dull side up.

BMF used to be super great. The last ones I got, well, not so great. Like I learned to foil without BMF (didn't even know such thing existed) for me what gives best result so far is candy bar wrap. As thin as BMF, without the orange peel the newer BMF has, and you can do it in bright chrome or using the dull side, simulate anodized aluminum.

[Tom Geiger]

Actually, it's just the opposite - if your hand is wobbly, think of the gashes you could put in your beautiful paint job using a knife!

Using a marker is a lot easier because you just lay it on top of the trim piece and follow it until you reach the end of the line. If this single swipe doesn't highlight enough of the trim, just do it again, with the marker at a smaller angle to the trim. I can do an entire car in about 15 minutes, where it takes several frustrating hours with BMF, and like you, I'm too old to be spending so much time on one phase of the hobby!

Frank, I have never left a knife mark in my paint jobs. If you are pressing enough to leave a mark then you are pressing too hard! Once you have put the BMF onto your model body and have it pressed down well enough to remove the excess, just trace along the trim line as if you are tracing with a pencil. Tracing like you want to leave a very light pencil mark you are going to erase later. Very, very light. The foil is so thin, that's all you need. Try that!

Getting the foil off the backing sheet... I always start at the side edge. The very edge of the foil doesn't have glue on it. I will use my exacto blade and try to get under it just enough to get it to stick up a tiny bit. Then I grab it with tweezers and pull.

[fseva]

If you have the time and patience, Alclad will look much better than BMF or silver paint.

I tried Alclad lots of times, and I never got the durability you would get with BMF. It just will rub right off during handling. And consider the time spent in prepping the surface, as well as masking. Neither is a big time-saver.

[Lovefordgalaxie]

Seems to me, the problem just never went away - I can't seem to get it off a sheet without all of those wrinkles already formed before it's applied!

I think you are pulling it like you would pull a sticker from it's backing paper. letting the foil almost at 90 degrees from the paper. That will wrinkle it pretty bad. Iy you lift the tip, and pull it trying to keep the foil parallel to the paper, it won't wrinkle. To do so, you have to slightly push it forward while lifting.

[fseva]

Alclad II Chrome, that is the best. But it also requires skills and and an airbrush. I use BMF because it looks very good but I do think it is very fiddly and will many times postpone the applying job or do it in part over several days. Silver or aluminium paint is ok if you don't want the shiny look that the BMF gives.

I use q-tips to burnish it to the body and a sharp knife to cut it. I don't know what q-tips you guys in the states have in stores but I have found that the best type for this kind of work here is made by Johnsons and has a dark blue stem that is quite stiff. There is some cheaper brands in stores with either a babyblue or white stem but they don't work very well because the stem is to soft and flexible.

I personally prefer Tamiya's cotton swabs - the medium size with the tight pointed tip is great for getting into corners, etc.