Markalister Posted July 20, 2017 Posted July 20, 2017 So I'm building the engine for the AMT '72 Blazer and I figured I wanted the valve covers to be chrome. Since chrome valve covers don't come with this kit my first stop was to the parts box. Of all the models of different brands and scales and glue bombs in the closet I had nothing that would fit this engine. Not wanting to chrome/silver paint the white ones from the kit and not wanting to wait for getting alclad painting figured out I decided I would have a go at BMF on them... So I had picked up a couple of sheets of chrome bmf at a hobby shop nearby a while back. He had them reduced in price to $3 cdn/sheet as they were probably old stock that he was trying to blow out. They seemed a bit crinkled so I tried to pick a spot that was still smooth as this was my first time with bmf I figured I didn't want to have to burnish out the wrinkles too. So aside from the stuff being almost impossible to get the backing off of it without destroying it, the whole process went relatively well and was more or less pleased with the result. So I glued them onto the engine and finished assembling the rest of the motor. I didn't notice it until after it was all together, but the color of the bmf seems yellow-y. I checked the sheet and it was the same color as the valve covers so it didn't discolor somewhere in the building process. So I opened the other sealed package of the same color bmf and it also has that yellow-y tint to it. Is this normal? Has anyone seen/experienced this before? Is it just old? Is it a bad batch? Did I get/use the wrong color bmf? The color on the package is listed as "chrome". It really stands out next to the other chrome pieces on the motor. Any other thoughts on this??? Since everything is all assembled I really don't want to try to take it apart as I have a tendency to glue things really well. Re-bmf-ing them attached to the engine is probably (not necessarily impossible) an extremely difficult task so I think I may just order up one of the molotow pens I have been reading about here. Don't get me wrong, this has not discouraged me at all from trying bmf again. Just not with the sheets that I have got right now.
peteski Posted July 20, 2017 Posted July 20, 2017 (edited) The Chrome BMF (not the Ultra-Chrome) has a warm tone to it. It always has. It is normal. The color of BMF chrome foil in your photo is what I would expect to see (when compared to a kit's "chromed" part).That is because it is neither chrome nor aluminum - it is some sort of custom alloy of soft and pliable metals. There might be some tin in that alloy because, unlike aluminum foil it can be melted with a regular soldering iron. But because it is a special alloy, it is very easy to work with and it conforms (stretches and compresses) over curved surfaces.If you really want the chrome-like cool tone then you would have to use the Ultra-Bright foil. That one seems to be made from aluminum which has a more chrome-like color, but it is much stiffer and harder to get to conform to curved surfaces. Another alternative would be to use the Alclad II Chrome paint method, Spaz Stix or a Molotov chrome pen. Or if you are really building a contest-quality model then you could sent those parts to be "chromed" (which is the same method of vacuum aluminizing used by the model companies for their "chromed" parts). Edited July 20, 2017 by peteski
Art Anderson Posted July 20, 2017 Posted July 20, 2017 Different metals, different but subtle shades of silver. The plating used on model car parts at the factory is actually vaporized aluminum, and aluminum is a very "whitish"silver in color, but has been accepted for decades for replicating the chromium plating on real cars. FWIW, chromium plating isn't a pure silver color either, but rather it has just a hint of blue to it, when compared side-by-side with real silver (which of course is true silver in color). Place a piece of polished aluminum next to clean and polished chrome plating, the difference is quite visible indeed. BMF is right in there--it's bright metal for sure, but it's definitely not chromium--chromium is too hard, too springy to ever be used as we use BMF.Virtually all automobile body side trim, from the late 1930's onward (save for some cars in the era 1958 to about 1962) were fitted with anodized aluminum side spears (Chevrolet 1958-60 was a prime example) which is not only a bit dull in sheen, but very whitish in sheen as well. Polished stainless steel, with its 10%or more nickel content, is actually slightly "brownish" in shade--if you compare a mint-uncirulated US Nickel to any silver coin (or sterling silver even) you can readily see that difference.Most of these subtle shade differences aren't all that noticeable--most all of us have come to accept them, if we even ever knew the differences--sorta loke "brightwork is brightwork" if you will. Frankly, IMHO, when you've finished your model, and that engine is in the engine bay, with a raised hood shading it from direct light--the slight difference in shades probably won't be all that easily noticed.Art
Markalister Posted July 21, 2017 Author Posted July 21, 2017 Thanks guys.I may well just leave it then. The model is going to be part of a diorama I'm building and will be displayed with the hood down, so it probably wont be seen much, if ever, anyway - hence not going to bother with wiring it either. I know some choose the curbside route in these situations, but I just cant bring myself to not doing the whole model as good as I can, even if I'm the only one who would ever know - and that's the problem - I know, and those things bug me!Mark.
peteski Posted August 2, 2017 Posted August 2, 2017 Different metals, different but subtle shades of silver. The plating used on model car parts at the factory is actually vaporized aluminum, and aluminum is a very "whitish"silver in color, but has been accepted for decades for replicating the chromium plating on real cars. FWIW, chromium plating isn't a pure silver color either, but rather it has just a hint of blue to it, when compared side-by-side with real silver (which of course is true silver in color). Place a piece of polished aluminum next to clean and polished chrome plating, the difference is quite visible indeed. BMF is right in there--it's bright metal for sure, but it's definitely not chromium--chromium is too hard, too springy to ever be used as we use BMF.Virtually all automobile body side trim, from the late 1930's onward (save for some cars in the era 1958 to about 1962) were fitted with anodized aluminum side spears (Chevrolet 1958-60 was a prime example) which is not only a bit dull in sheen, but very whitish in sheen as well. Polished stainless steel, with its 10%or more nickel content, is actually slightly "brownish" in shade--if you compare a mint-uncirulated US Nickel to any silver coin (or sterling silver even) you can readily see that difference.Actually Art, BMF's original chrome foil has a warm (slightly yellow or brown) tone. It reminds me of nickel plating more than chrome (which as you said is slightly blue). I think that some early car manufacturers started using nickel plating at the end of the brass era.
Chariots of Fire Posted August 3, 2017 Posted August 3, 2017 BMF does has an off bright tone to some extent but not to the extent that shows in your photo. Did you happen to coat it with clear afterward? I have not seen in the new BMF anything near that color. But others are right in saying it is not going to be really shiny like chrome plating. The new BMF is much more forgiving when you work with it and is much brighter than what you show. If it were me (and it is not) I'd pull off the old stuff and get a new supply and try again. I think the results would be more to your liking
Markalister Posted August 5, 2017 Author Posted August 5, 2017 BMF does has an off bright tone to some extent but not to the extent that shows in your photo. Did you happen to coat it with clear afterward? I have not seen in the new BMF anything near that color. But others are right in saying it is not going to be really shiny like chrome plating. The new BMF is much more forgiving when you work with it and is much brighter than what you show. If it were me (and it is not) I'd pull off the old stuff and get a new supply and try again. I think the results would be more to your likingSo to answer your question, no, I did not clear coat it or coat it with anything, the rest of the sheet has the same slightly yellowed color/tone to it as well. If I had bought it previously opened/used (which it wasn't, it was a brand new sheet I opened for this project) I would have thought it to have been in the house of a smoker for a number of years. It's not the "shininess" like real or kit chrome that bothers me, but rather the color or tone between the kit chrome and the BMF. If the valve covers weren't glued on I might consider trying again with some new ultra bright chrome BMF, but I really don't want to attempt removing them (I glued 'em on real good!), and they space is just to tight with them (and everything else) attached to the motor to burnish the BMF. As I am using the model for a diorama I am building and it will be displayed with the hood down, I am inclined to leave it as is and chalk it up to a learning experience and knowledge gained (this time). I am modifying other things under the hood too that bothered me about the way the kit came even though they probably won't be seen much either ,if at all. I'm just that way. Thanks everyone for your thoughts and knowledge. I feel better knowing it's not just me sniffing too much glue!Mark.
Art Anderson Posted August 7, 2017 Posted August 7, 2017 Actually Art, BMF's original chrome foil has a warm (slightly yellow or brown) tone. It reminds me of nickel plating more than chrome (which as you said is slightly blue). I think that some early car manufacturers started using nickel plating at the end of the brass era.Peter, you are correct: Nickel was the first metal used for plating automobile radiator shells and what were originally polished brass headlights & other accessories. Nickel-plated steel parts were the standard until the late 1920's, when Oldsmobile pioneered the use of chromium for plating. Ford Motor Company pioneered the automotive use of stainless steel (which closely resembles nickel in shade of color when polished) on radiator shells, as well as on door handles, bumper escutheon bolts in 1930--with the bumper bars themseves being chrome plated.As for the slight "tint" of color from each of the various forms of automobile brightwork, most of that is noticeable in natural sunlight, far more than it is under artificial light indoors.Art
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