StevenGuthmiller

I haven't painted window trim in more than 20 years Charlie. Most everybody uses "Bare Metal Foil" or something similar for their chrome trim these days. Steve

Welcome Charlie! From a fellow Minnesotan! Steve

I don't know what to tell you Steve. I don't mess with that kind of stuff anymore. I buy pre-wired distributers now. Saves a lot of messing around on something I don't want to spend time messing around on. Steve

I'm sure there are a million ways to do it. I just use Testors #3515 "Clear Parts Cement". Works well for me. I also use it for a lot of small detail parts on the body where I'm worried about getting glue on the finish such as antennas, mirrors, photo etched parts, etc. If you over do it, you can rub the glue off of the paint while it's still a little soft. I suppose good old "Elmers" would work as well. Steve

Looks perfect for clear coat now Niko! A coat or two of good gloss coat will really shine it up. Your color coats don't need to be shiny to produce a good finished product. Most lacquers will leave you with a dull finish too. Steve

That's a good question James. I have no idea what the actual thickness of BMF is, but I'm pretty confident it's thinner than aluminum foil if that helps at all. BTW, I've been using BMF for many years & have always had good luck with it. That is as long as it was the good old fashioned original chrome version. As far as I'm concerned the rest of the colors are mostly useless. Steve

Now you're talkin' my language!! Steve

I've been pretty much living on ugly built-ups recently. I just love taking something that looks like it belongs in the trash & turning it into a nice display piece. Steve

My guess is it would be way too thick to use in place of BMF. It can be difficult enough to get BMF to conform to some contours. I don't think I'd even want to try this on a vent wndow! Steve

I didn't have to do a whole lot to the top to make it resemble a correct '59 Merc top Roger. Just cut the back to the right angle & then add a strip to the back to give it more length. Also had to add a little to the bottom to bring it up in the back a little. Other than that, it's all '59 Chevy. Steve

Sounds to me like you're just getting side tracked because you're trying to get too detailed. I used to have that problem myself. I would concentrate on heavy detailing & never finish anything. Some guys can spend 3 or 4 years on a build with no problem at all. But if you're like me & have the attention span of a hamster, you just keep jumping from project to project never finishing anything because you lose interest. What I've done for the past few years is to just concentrate on simple builds. Curbside or simpler builds of more unusual subjects keeps my interest long enough to finish them up. At least that seems to have helped my production. I used to finish 1 or 2 kits in a good year, now I average 1 per month. I understand, it's not a race, but unless I can keep my attention piqued, I just as well give it up or I'll have a whole shop full of unfinished projects that I'll just have to get rid of someday. Steve

Finally finished the polishing & got a start on the foil. The photos are pretty bad, but you get the idea. Steve

That's it Yuri! I am no longer looking at your builds! You make the rest of us look like a bunch of chimps!! Seriously, another beauty! & I think you're even a better photographer than a builder! It's no fair that you should be that good at 2 things! I hate you!! Steve

Snow tires on a Vette....I love it!! Steve

I've heard of the baking soda thing but have never tried it. Do you apply it the same as flocking? Steve

That makes sense too Tom. Luckily, I've never really gotten into the flocking thing. But I do have a couple of projects on the horizon that I may try it on. I'll take your suggestion to heart. Steve

Looks like it would have required some work Tom. But all in all, it looks pretty solid. Steve

Very nice Chuck!! What are the wheel covers off of? Obviously not '61 Ford pieces. Steve

I got ya Roger. I do the same thing. I get the foil layed down just tight enough to trim it before I start burnishing. But I still get a little adhesive surounding it. Any place that the foil makes contact with the paint it will leave a tiny amount of adhesive behind. Then as you rub it down, it will gather in corners, recessed areas around scripts etc. Depending on paint color, you'll never see it, but I always find a few areas on pretty much every build. Maybe I'm rubbing more or I could be just getting foil with too much adhesive on it, but either way, it needs to be cleaned off & the WD-40 has always worked well for me. Steve

Understandible Pete. I don't keep WD in the aerosol can in my shop either. I keep a small container for cleaning with a q-tip. The only thing that I spray in my shop is primer & paint. Steve

Thanks for all of the kind words everyone! I'm a little surprised this thread is still alive. Not even one of my better builds! I guess '59 Buicks are quite popular. Thanks again!! Steve

Wow! Looks like you have your work cut out for you! But it looks like you're getting somewhere. If you had been in the right place at the right time a few months ago, I gave a very nice original '60 Buick convertible body & top boot to a fellow modeler on a different forum. I built a hardtop using most of the parts from the convertible so I had no use for the spare body. Good luck with the "59!! Steve

I've got a million different things in my shop that would screw up a paint job Pete, including Super clean, oven cleaner, paint thinners, airbrush cleaners, brake fluid, a hundred different kinds of solvents & cleaners etc. I just refrain from spraying down my work bench with them before I paint. I never discriminate against a useful tool because of what it might do. I just use precautions. Steve

Yeah....it's kind of a toss up between '58 & '59 isn't it. Although I think the designers of the cars in '59 must have been on something. Only someone who's tripping a little could possibly come up with a '59 Caddy or Buick! Steve

I would definately at least try the WD-40. It might be the answer you're looking for. Steve