BARE METAL FOIL

[RAT-T]

HI GUYS,

I WAS JUST WONDERING IF ANYONE HAS TRIED THE ULTRA CHROME FOIL? IS IT ANY BETTER THAN THE REGULAR CHROME FOIL?

[Dragline]

It is indeed better IMHO.

[Mike Chernecki]

Anyone else have problems with the Ultra Chrome sticking? I haven't tried it recently, but the sheet I bought would fall off after being applied.

Edited July 21, 2016 by Mike Chernecki

[Jantrix]

Anyone else have problems with the Ultra Chrome sticking? I haven't tried it recently, but the sheet I bought would fall off being applied.

That was my experience several years ago, I haven't tried it since.

[Chuckyg1]

Same here, I stick with the regular foil. It may have been improved. Anyone try it recently?

[XJ6]

I don't care for it seems to be a little more thick then the regular BMF 

yes I do recall it would not adhere well to the subject ?

[Pete J.]

Yes, I go some of the "improved" and complained to the company about a coating in the foil.  They said that it wasn't coated.  Don't know what they did, but it doesn't burnish down well as the old and it doesn't hide the seams as well.  I don't know what the "Improvement " is but I would rather have the old stuff. 

[Yenkocamaro]

Hey Tom, I just did this test. I purchased the Ultra Bright Chrome about 5 years ago, but never tried it. In this test, it stuck fine for me. Although it seems hard to capture in photos, the Ultra bright is brighter, than the regular chrome foil. In the pics, the Ultra Bright is on the left, regular foil on the right. Please forgive the rough cuts, as I didn't change the exacto blade.

 

Cheers,

Lance

[Mr Stock]

I've used the ultra bright chrome for a few years now, I've never had an issue with it to be honest even though others have. 

[Harry P.]

Over the years, BMF has had all sorts of problems with their foils not sticking, especially the "black chrome," which would literally not stick at all and just fall off. I assume they have worked out those problems by now... so besides the product sticking or not sticking, the basic difference between the "regular" chrome foil and the "Ultra" is that the ultra is shinier and looks more like chrome.

[Art Anderson]

Over the years, BMF has had all sorts of problems with their foils not sticking, especially the "black chrome," which would literally not stick at all and just fall off. I assume they have worked out those problems by now... so besides the product sticking or not sticking, the basic difference between the "regular" chrome foil and the "Ultra" is that the ultra is shinier and looks more like chrome.

However,the "Ultra Chrome" is a completely different animal than the regular BMF--MUCH thicker,  nearly impossible to work down into the often suble, small details found in model car kit chrome trim details.  As a consequence, it doesn't stick down quite as well--and being thicker, it's a good deal more difficult to trim, even with the sharpest of #11 blades.   I suspect it works much better for flat surfaces, such as mirrors and the like--but for the chrome trim on bodies--the original BMF works far, FAR better.

Art

[von Zipper]

I've tried the 'Ultra Chrome' and didn't like it too much , same goes for the 'Gold Chrome' and the 'Black Chrome' . I like the regular chrome just fine though . It helps to keep it stored in a dark cool place , my wife came up with this for me-

she just cut the end off of a manilla envelope and taped it to the inside of the fridge , it stays fresh and out of the way.

[om617]

Had problems with the ultra chrome,stick too much or not at all,also it`s like it was a bit thicker to cut. 

I went back to the "new improved" regular and it was miles better to work with. 

[Burnout]

I purchased and used the Ultra-bright version about three years ago.  Did an AMT '62 Catalina with it.

I never noticed any issues with the adhesive and it didn't seem any thicker.

However, when I was finished, I didn't like the results.  The "brightness" of the Ultra-bright chrome seemed out of scale if that makes any sense.

I have since completely redone the Cat's body (paint & foil) but sorry, no pics yet.

[RAT-T]

THANKS SO MUCH FOR ALL THE INPUT GUYS

[StevenGuthmiller]

Don't care for the "Ultra Bright" at all myself.

It's thicker so it's much more difficult to get it to conform well to compound curves, & that thickness also makes it more difficult to cut.

The nice thing about the original, or "New Improved" foil, was that simply the weight of the blade was adequate pressure to cut through.

The more pressure required to cut through the foil, the more apt you are to cut through the paint, which could cause other issues.

I have also had adhesion problems with the Ultra Bright.

 

Steve 

[Roadrunner]

I just received a brand new package Friday, and it went into the trash yesterday afternoon. It would not stick to anything, and was, as has already been pointed out, considerably thicker than the normal chrome foil. It seems highly doubtful that I'll ever buy it again. 

[peteski]

Except for the original chrome foil, all of BMF's other foils are simply aluminum foil with adhesive. Gold and black are coated with some sort of dye or ink, but they are still all aluminum (just look at the adhesive side).  However, it is thinner that the standard kitchen aluminum foil, but it is quite stiff compared to the original chrome foil.

Like I wrote in this post I say 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.

And here is another one of my posts you might find useful.

[charlie8575]

I still have reports of people having problems with Ultra-Bright at the store.

I've been trying to convince the boss to stock more of the New & Improved...no soap; One or two sheets isn't enough. We could go with 6-10 sheets of the original thin stuff and solve most of our sales problems.

Charlie Larkin

[Jon Cole]

The "Original", or "regular" foil seems to work as far as adhesion goes. Perhaps a little NOVUS 3 stage polish right to the film, still on the backer sheet would bring out the shine even more so than regular foil?
Likewise, for aluminum, a super fine grit steel wool to the film still on the backer sheet. Perhaps Dullcote sprayed.

For Matt black, steel wool chrome, then spray with matt black spray.

[slusher]

I never had any problems with  Ultra Bright sticking but it is thicker ans a little harder to cut..

[Edsel-Dan]

I have had ONE Ultra Bright

It did Not feel any different than regular.

 

The only sheet I have they will Not stick is a Gold I go

t in Cranberry, Pa, SEVERAL Years ago!!

That one would Not stick to itself tacky side to tacky side!!!!!!

 

Been Looking for their Adhesive to try to re-activate the gold sheet.

NO Luck so far.

 

Tried ONE time to order direct. They wanted #12.oo Shipping for ONE Sheet!!!!

 

If you want thicker foil, tr\y Model Master!

GARBAGE there.

That one felt like Plastic Food Wrap, covered by Double face tape (BOTH sides

with Kitchen foil on one side for the effect!

No matter how well you burnished it down

You could NOT prevent leaving a mark in it every time you touched it

ESPECIALLY with your fingernail!!

 

Detail Master was Good And a little larger than BMF, But stuck Quickly

it would Not stretch like BMF!