Bare Metal Foil

[promoman]

So I am back building models after many years. I have one question regarding bare metal foil, it seems no matter how I try I cannot get the wheel opening molding done correctly. I cannot get one piece of foil to bend to the contour of the opening, and if I use two or more pieces, I can see a seam. Since many of you build such beautiful models, I know there must be a trick I am missing.

Thanks in advance for the help.

[Ken]

For wheel well molding, I use one large piece. You can either cut it to fit the radius (the piece will look like a large upside down U) or you can just cut out a large square to cover the entire wheel well and then trim the excess. The easiest is to just trim off the molding and build only baseline trim models

[Zoom Zoom]

I can usually bend one precut strip of BMF carefully around a wheel opening molding w/o creating seams or visible wrinkles, but it's kind of tricky/painstaking to ease it around and get it to seat using both hands/fingers and a QTip. If that simply won't work for you, you'll have to cut one large piece that covers the whole area, and trim very carefully.

Since the foil burnishes/polishes so well, small imperfections can usually be less noticeable w/careful burnishing/polishing of the area, you may need a QTip to apply the polish and then carefully buff/remove the excess.

All depends how comfortable you are w/the materials involved, and how picky you are w/any imperfections. Over time my BMF skills have improved tremendously, from prep work to application to trimming and polishing. It's time-consuming but worth the effort.

[Jairus]

So I am back building models after many years. I have one question regarding bare metal foil, it seems no matter how I try I cannot get the wheel opening molding done correctly. I cannot get one piece of foil to bend to the contour of the opening, and if I use two or more pieces, I can see a seam. Since many of you build such beautiful models, I know there must be a trick I am missing.

Thanks in advance for the help.

[Bill Coulter]

Hi Bob...

Haven't heard much from you since we saw you in Atlanta last November. Looks like the short bald-headed guy is going to talk me into coming back this year. He puts this guilt trip thing on me, getting a bit teary-eyed in the process. Something about being forced to make that long trip alone. I've always been a sucker for a heart-wrenching sob story.

On the BMF topic...I may be the one guy you know who loves to BMF. I take every chance I can to keep my BMF skills up including volunteering to BMF other people's stuff. It's not an impossible task learning to use BMF but as you said you do have to get comfortable with the material. (I call it getting in the zone) You need to be willing to stick with it and on ocassion repeat the process until you get it right. I'm not saying I don't ocassionally utter an expletive under my breath...okay, maybe I shout it.

How you keep BMF stored and being aware of its condition have a lot to do with how it performs. I always keep mine in the frig. Once the material begins to get those little fissures in it, you're already on borrowed time or better put...it's time to get a fresh sheet. Never...and I emphasis this very strongly, buy a sheet of BMF without eye-balling it for a smooth surface. It's a rare retailer who keeps the stuff in a cool dry place.

Sorry to get preachy but all these things make the BMF job easier and head-off anymore frustration than is necessary.

BC

[Billy Kingsley]

Bill, you volunteer to BMF other people's stuff? Wow! I've got a 59 Caddy project planned I can bring to Toledo

It's funny...BMF is all in the mindset I believe. Sometimes I enjoy BMFing. Sometimes I want to take a big old sledgehammer and whack whatever I am working on. The calmer I am when I do BMF, the better it comes out. When I started the 59 Rambler wagon, it was ok and I was calm. Cool. The whole deal. The longer I worked at it, the more frustrated I got and the worse it looked. Then I bubbled the clearcoat on the car and messed it all up. Luckily it's not too bad on both sides.

What I do is cover the entire area with BMF and them trim away what shouldn't be there. I ALWAYS make sure it's down properly over the area before I trim it. The aforementioned 59 Rambler wagon was tough. The entire length of the side of the car was one big BMF panel. I learned to make the breaks at doorlines, which I did on the 57 Chevys and the left side of the Rambler.

Fender rims are especially tough. I think I wasted a full 3rd of a BMF sheet on the 70 Bonneville I did, and it didn't even come out great.

The hardest thing I ever BMFd was a full 1/64 car. The car ran a chrome body, so I had to BMF it. It took 35 pieces of BMF to cover the entire car body.

I'd post a picture of both the Rambler and the Ted Musgrave car, but Fotki is having some issues today. Maybe a little later it will work.

[Zoom Zoom]

Hi Bob...

Haven't heard much from you since we saw you in Atlanta last November. Looks like the short bald-headed guy is going to talk me into coming back this year. He puts this guilt trip thing on me, getting a bit teary-eyed in the process. Something about being forced to make that long trip alone. I've always been a sucker for a heart-wrenching sob story.

On the BMF topic...I may be the one guy you know who loves to BMF. I take every chance I can to keep my BMF skills up including volunteering to BMF other people's stuff. It's not an impossible task learning to use BMF but as you said you do have to get comfortable with the material. (I call it getting in the zone) You need to be willing to stick with it and on ocassion repeat the process until you get it right. I'm not saying I don't ocassionally utter an expletive under my breath...okay, maybe I shout it.

How you keep BMF stored and being aware of its condition have a lot to do with how it performs. I always keep mine in the frig. Once the material begins to get those little fissures in it, you're already on borrowed time or better put...it's time to get a fresh sheet. Never...and I emphasis this very strongly, buy a sheet of BMF without eye-balling it for a smooth surface. It's a rare retailer who keeps the stuff in a cool dry place.

Sorry to get preachy but all these things make the BMF job easier and head-off anymore frustration than is necessary.

BC

Hey Bill, I'm looking forward to the show! It's going to be a lot of fun as usual. I wonder what sort of hybrid we'll see from the guy who hates to travel alone :wink:

As for BMF, I'll consider putting it in the fridge...it does always tend to dry out and crack over time, also losing adhesive quality. I don't use a lot of it, but can't live w/o it

[Billy Kingsley]

Why must Fotki do updates when I wanna post? Body is covered in BMF...

[Bill Coulter]

Sorry Billy for being tardy in replying to your post.

I guess you called me out on that one. I'll admit there is a limit to my generosity when it comes to volunteering to BMF somebody's model. If we lived closer I might be tempted to take up your offer. Since we have so little time when we're in Maumee, I'm afraid I'll have to pass this time.

Certainly your skilsl have improved considerably since you first started posting on the various discussion boards. In the early years of my hobby career, I lived on a farm and though some of my friends were builders we were not in a position to have much influence on each other. Once I started attending model related shows etc. a few years later, I saw my skills begin to improve rapidlly. I think today electronic interaction like this Forum allows for the same kind of synergy that helped my building skills.

If you keep growing skill wise, it won't be long before you'll be teaching us old dogs a lesson or two.

[Bill Coulter]

Hi Bob...

The old Shel said he was going in November with or without me. So much for nearly 50 years of friendship and do you think he needs to work on his diplomacy?

Without coming across as to warm and fuzzy, you are one of the builders who I envy and I know you've had an influence on my building. I always judge people's work by the "would I like to say that's my model" factor. Downie, Willits, Arter, Jessee, Handmore, Anderson, Farhne, Derr and a few others I've forgotten to mention have profoundlly affected my building subjects and skill levels. I'll never build to the level many of you do. I'll never have time to build some of the neat things you all do so well. But, I can't avoid being influenced by your constant striving to raise the bar by creating unique works of art.

Thanks for keeping me motivated...(and that's saying a lot when you've been in this hobby for nearly 60 years)

[Eric C]

Add me to the list of BMF lovers. I really enjoy building muscle cars and using BMF for the window trim, scripts, etc...

It also makes a good masking "tape" and will get into some of those tight spaces and compound curves that even Tamiya tape has a hard time with.

[Billy Kingsley]

Hah hah Bill, I wasn't being serious...I don't even plan to start my Caddy this year, it took me about 4 months to decide what color to paint it!

Thank you for the compliment...Much appreciated!

[Bill Coulter]

I'm not taking that as a valid excuse. There's plenty of time between now and the Toledo show to get that Caddy into the system.

[Billy Kingsley]

Hmm, do I detect a challenge? Heh heh I'll see what I can do...(Maybe I'll fix that up to pull the boat for the sub theme???)