Foiling over large curves

[Pete J.]

I agree with the other posters on BMF and would add a couple of bits.  First is that BMF is metal foil and will stretch a little like any metal.  This is important to consider when doing such things as windscreen frames and wheel arches.  If you start on the inside and use your finger to carefully rub along the arch, you can works the foil around to the outside and it will look very smooth and wrinkle free.  You get wrinkles when the foil is wider than the area you are covering and it is trying to shrink to fit the area  Once you get the piece stretched in place then you can burnish it down.  Be careful and work it slowly and you won't have a problem.  Another interesting thing I picked up a bit ago is that BMF likes to be cut best with a curved blade that is pushed rather than pulled.  I use a scalpel because they are very sharp and the blades are far cheaper than x-acto blades.  Here is the video that I got these tips from.  It is about aircraft but it applies to models in general. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WHJmxKKxsew  I think you may find it interesting. 

[Roadrunner]

Thanks for the input, Pete. For the most part I think I'll be able to work it out. I may (rather shamelessly) start building more '30's cars of the type that just don't have much chrome to begin with.

[peteski]

  On 3/8/2016 at 12:09 AM, Pete J. said:

I agree with the other posters on BMF and would add a couple of bits.  First is that BMF is metal foil and will stretch a little like any metal.  This is important to consider when doing such things as windscreen frames and wheel arches.

I will go one step further and say that BMF (original chrome only) stretches much more and much easier than any other plain aluminum metal foil (like their bright chrome foil for example).  The BMF original chrome is not aluminum foil - it is some sort of an alloy which is much heavier than aluminum.  Just crumple some waste pieces together into a ball and you'll be surprised how  heavy it feels. Also, unlike aluminum, it melts using regular soldering iron, so I suspect there is some tin or lead in the alloy (or some other low-temperature metal).  For those reasons, BMF chrome is the best foil for complex-curved surfaces. No aluminum foil even comes close.

[Roadrunner]

Thanks, Peteski. The last car I used BMF on, was built over 15 years ago, perhaps 20, and the foil used at that time had gone weird after all this time, so I bought some new stuff. It arrived still sealed (naturally), but with numerous wrinkles in the product. Anyway, I'll keep on doing the best I can, and just learn to live with what imperfections I'm experiencing, hopefully getting better at it as I go along.

[AC Norton]

  On 3/8/2016 at 8:33 PM, Roadrunner said:

Thanks, Peteski. The last car I used BMF on, was built over 15 years ago, perhaps 20, and the foil used at that time had gone weird after all this time, so I bought some new stuff. It arrived still sealed (naturally), but with numerous wrinkles in the product. Anyway, I'll keep on doing the best I can, and just learn to live with what imperfections I'm experiencing, hopefully getting better at it as I go along.

.....talking bare metal foil, I agree that the regular chrome is the best all round to work with.  BTW, Kevin,,,hows your  69 GTX build coming along, as I mentioned a couple of weeks ago my 68 RR build is going slowly, but surely....just thought I'd ask...the Ace...

[Roadrunner]

The '69 is nearing completion, Ace, hopefully just a few more days now. is your Roadrunner posted here anywhere? I don't recall seeing it.

[Roadrunner]

OK, I finally opened the new package of BMF (for an airliner I'm working on) and the sheet is perfectly without flaws, so I guess the chrome I purchased was just a bad batch or something. It's my luck to get one that's messed up.

[gtx6970]

  On 3/7/2016 at 10:38 PM, Roadrunner said:

Well, I was finally able to summon the courage to attack a wheel well this afternoon. I realize this is far from stellar, but I'm OK with it. (I also had to patch a small piece, but it doesn't hardly show.) My single biggest problem seems to be that I shake like crazy (too much coffeine) and have a heck of a time, starting and stopping, then starting again where I think I left off, leaving cuts that frequently do not match. The fact that the trim is not sharply defined on this kit certainly doesn't help matters either.

Keep in mind, once you start , don't lift the blade until your at the end of where you want to be.

 

ps, love the finish

[Roadrunner]

 

  On 3/9/2016 at 3:52 PM, gtx6970 said:

Keep in mind, once you start , don't lift the blade until your at the end of where you want to be.

ps, love the finish

While I agree that would be best, it's not at all easy for me to do, though I think I'm getting a little better/more confident. And thanks, the color did seem to work out OK.

[Tom Geiger]

  On 3/9/2016 at 3:52 PM, gtx6970 said:

Keep in mind, once you start , don't lift the blade until your at the end of where you want to be.

And you don't always need to move the knife.  I've found myself holding the knife steady and moving the model to trace the score line

[Roadrunner]

  On 3/10/2016 at 1:20 AM, Tom Geiger said:

And you don't always need to move the knife.  I've found myself holding the knife steady and moving the model to trace the score line

I found myself doing that once or twice too, Tom. Seems easier under certain conditions to control the car instead of the knife.

[gtx6970]

I use an aluminum bodied Xacto retractable cutter pen , the one with the really small blade. And I put a brand new blade in every time before trimming BMF. For me it works better than the larger blades do, as it makes it easier to make turns ,,especially sharp ones. At least if does for me,,,,but everyone is different

Just let the weight of the knife do the work and just trace it along the trim to be cut ,,works great for me

[Roadrunner]

If you're referring to a swivel knife, Bill, and It seems that you are, I have never, ever had good control with one of those, and I have a really good one. It may work really well for some, but certainly not for me. Thanks for the suggestion anyway, I appreciate the thought.

[gtx6970]

The blade on mine does NOT swivel .

Will see if I can find  picture 

This one

http://www.ebay.com/itm/X-ACTO-Retractable-Blade-Knife-carded-/191809843412?hash=item2ca8c1f0d4:g:RNkAAOSwWTRWx5ha

Edited March 13, 2016 by gtx6970

[Roadrunner]

Yep, that's not what I thought it was at all, Bill. That's a bit of a specialty tool that I may well consider getting. Thanks,

[gtx6970]

  On 3/13/2016 at 10:25 PM, Roadrunner said:

Yep, that's not what I thought it was at all, Bill. That's a bit of a specialty tool that I may well consider getting. Thanks,

Hobby Lobby carries it, and the replacement blades.

I just picked up a new one at my local HL   last weekend.

 

Edited March 14, 2016 by gtx6970

[StevenGuthmiller]

  On 3/14/2016 at 12:10 AM, gtx6970 said:

Hobby Lobby carries it, and the replacement blades

Funny, I've never noticed that one @ Hobby Lobby.

If I had, I'd already have one!

I'll have to give it my attention next time I'm there.

 

Steve

[Roadrunner]

  On 3/14/2016 at 12:10 AM, gtx6970 said:

Hobby Lobby carries it, and the replacement blades.

I just picked up a new one at my local HL   last weekend.

 

Good timing, as I'll probably be headed over there Saturday. Thanks.

  On 3/14/2016 at 12:27 AM, StevenGuthmiller said:

Funny, I've never noticed that one @ Hobby Lobby.

If I had, I'd already have one!

I'll have to give it my attention next time I'm there.

 

Steve

Me too.