Question and help with BMF....

[abedooley]

I just bought some BMF for the first time and am having problems already!!! I can't get it to stick very well. I've scraped the paint off where I need it and washed it with soap and water, rubbed it with alcohol, scruffed up the surface and it still wont stick well enough to stay in place while I burnish it.... MAKING....ME....ANGRY!!! Please, some one tell me what I'm doing wrong??????

[MrObsessive]

You've probably seen my rant in my last post of my '55 Ford buildup where I had some not so nice things to say about BMF!

You're doing nothing wrong except BMF seems to stick better to a painted surface than not.

If your sheet has little cracks and fissures in it I would certainly take it back! That means it is OLD and you should get a replacement.

You've done all that can be done..........save for getting some Micro Scale Foil Adhesive which I don't know if they still sell it or not. If the BMF has been sitting for a long period of time (it has a shelf life I think of 6 months IMO) the adhesive may be dried out and simply unusable.

If they carry it at the hobby shop Abe, you may want to see if they have Detail Master Foil. I used this for the first time in years and I had no problem with non adhesion or lifting. It's a little more labor intensive to get off the backing without curling, but they give you info on the package on how this can be avoided.

Plus it's cheaper than BMF........($4.99 vs. BMF's $8.99 in my LHS!)

I was at my LHS the other day and I did get a new sheet of BMF.............I know this one is new and hadn't been sitting because I was there the other day and they didn't have the regular chrome. They got new stock in when I returned a few days later and I bought it.

I wrote the date on the envelope as I want to see exactly how long it lasts this time. We'll see.

[Zoom Zoom]

You've done all that can be done..........save for getting some Micro Scale Foil Adhesive which I don't know if they still sell it or not. If the BMF has been sitting for a long period of time (it has a shelf life I think of 6 months IMO) the adhesive may be dried out and simply unusable.

I was at my LHS the other day and I did get a new sheet of BMF.............I know this one is new and hadn't been sitting because I was there the other day and they didn't have the regular chrome. They got new stock in when I returned a few days later and I bought it.

I wrote the date on the envelope as I want to see exactly how long it lasts this time. We'll see.

Microscale still sells their Micro Metal Foil Adhesive. It's good stuff. I wish I could find some thinner foil than the stuff I have. Kitchen foil works, but it's not as forgiving as good BMF...the kitchen foil is thicker and thus harder to cut and manipulate.

BMF suggests refrigerating their product for longevity. I don't know how well this works; I did get a nice fresh sheet about 6 mos. ago, and rarely use BMF, so it's still in the fridge (in a plastic bag). I never opened the package, but after a quick check through the window it still looks perfect. We shall see...

[Clay]

I usually dont remove the paint and all the other stuff whe I have put on BMF.

And I have had no problems

[MrObsessive]

BMF suggests refrigerating their product for longevity. I don't know how well this works; I did get a nice fresh sheet about 6 mos. ago, and rarely use BMF, so it's still in the fridge (in a plastic bag). I never opened the package, but after a quick check through the window it still looks perfect. We shall see...

I do see on the package Bob about refrigerating it so I'm gonna give that a try. I have a fridge in the basement.............I don't think it'll last too long in the kitchen fridge with shuffling food around and whatnot!

Still, one shouldn't have to go through all of that! I don't remember this being a problem 20 years ago when I started using it. It may have been a spread of at least a year or more between sheets and it was good up to the last bit on the backing.

[Harry P.]

I do see on the package Bob about refrigerating it so I'm gonna give that a try. I have a fridge in the basement.............I don't think it'll last too long in the kitchen fridge with shuffling food around and whatnot!

Still, one shouldn't have to go through all of that! I don't remember this being a problem 20 years ago when I started using it. It may have been a spread of at least a year or more between sheets and it was good up to the last bit on the backing.

Exactly. These problems with cracking and bad adhesion never happened years ago. Obviously the people at BMF changed their manufacturing process, their adhesive, or something...but whatever they did, it was for the worse, and now they seem to shift the blame for the product not working correctly to the consumer!

Years ago there was no warning that BMF needed refrigeration, the sheets didn't crack even after years... is this progress?

[Zoom Zoom]

Exactly. These problems with cracking and bad adhesion never happened years ago. Obviously the people at BMF changed their manufacturing process, their adhesive, or something...but whatever they did, it was for the worse, and now they seem to shift the blame for the product not working correctly to the consumer!

Years ago there was no warning that BMF needed refrigeration, the sheets didn't crack even after years... is this progress?

Actually BMF has always had a problem with the adhesive getting less effective over time. I had that problem in the '80's and '90's when I was building a lot of chrome-laden subjects.

The cracking is a problem in the last 8 years or so; older sheets started getting very fine cracks and occasional wrinkles...nowadays not only do they get the fine cracks, but practically fissures in the sheets; hold it up to light and see how bad it is.

I have no idea what in the world has changed w/their manufacturing, and I hope the figure it out, or put a mfg. date on the package.

I use very little of it, it's not particularly economical to buy a big sheet that's not getting anywhere near used before it's unusable. Keeping in the fridge is a big of a PITA.

[abedooley]

The first time I put it on I still had the paint, so I took the paint off and laid down a nice frsh new coat, waited a few hours for my ACRYLIC (will this make a differance???) to dry, and then it still wouldnt stick. That's when I did all of the above. I saw the refrigeration and before I posted this I wondered if it was an old package.... I got it because they had it for $5.75 compared to the usual $8 to $10 I've seen for it on the net so I grabbed it up... It appears to be an original price tag and not a mark down tag as if they were trying to get rid of it. They should put an expiration date if it has a shelf life and that way THEY will lose money for the crappy quality!!!

[62SS]

The refrigeration thing seems to help. Ive been doing that for about 4 or 5 years. The only problem Ive ever had with BMF was on a new sheet fresh from my LHS. It had cracks all over it. I returned it and they replaced it without a problem. Now I open it up and look at it before I buy it. I keep it in the basement fridge in a gallon size Ziplock bag and have had no further problems.

Ed

[Harry P.]

This whole refrigeration thing seems kind of useless. After all, BMF isn't shipped in refrigerated trucks, and it's certainly not displayed in your LHS's refrigerator case! It's not packed in an airtight envelope, plus, there's no way to tell how long the stuff has been on the display rack...maybe a few days, maybe a few months. Maybe a year or more! That's a lot of unrefrigerated time the foil has already been through, before you bought it!

If the product deteriorates under room temp conditions, isn't refrigerating the stuff after you buy it sort of like closing the barn door after the horse got away? Seems to me that refrigerating it after you buy it can only slow the deterioration that's already occured before you bought it. Not a good situation.

Better they should identify and correct the problem. Or at least print an expiration date on the package.

Edited July 19, 2008 by harrypri

[CAL]

I don't know I am currently using a sheet I bought in 1998 and haven't had any trouble with it.

It hasn't been refrigerated and it’s been two years in the humid Midwest climate and eight in the arid-planes or high-planes-desert.

Still works.

[my80malibu]

I have had this same problem Abe. I switched over to the Testors brand. It has been very good to me.

Gabriel

[abedooley]

I don't know I am currently using a sheet I bought in 1998 and haven't had any trouble with it.

It hasn't been refrigerated and it’s been two years in the humid Midwest climate and eight in the arid-planes or high-planes-desert.

Still works.

You must have just gotten lucky and ran across one of the older styles that everyone's been talking about.... LUCKY YOU!!!

I have had this same problem Abe. I switched over to the Testors brand. It has been very good to me.

Gabriel

I was eyeballin the testors foil myself the other day. Does it shine and conform as good as BMF??

[Eshaver]

Harry, Bill and Abe I too have had more than my fair share with "Bare Metal, especially their ULTRA BRIGHT that ###### only sticks to me or the blade that cuts it nothing else! If I didnt worry so much about giving info on the phone or the puter, I'd go with Detail Master I beleive Norman sells it now. Ed Shaver

[CAL]

You must have just gotten lucky and ran across one of the older styles that everyone's been talking about.... LUCKY YOU!!!

I was eyeballin the testors foil myself the other day. Does it shine and conform as good as BMF??

Good thing I am all bailed up. The 1/2 sheet I am still using, three more still unopened, a Ultra, a gold and a black sheet.

I looked at Testors, It sure doesn't look as shinny.

[sjordan]

Seems to me that if refrigeration is necessary and longevity is a problem, it might be better to order online from BMF for better assurance of getting a reasonably new product.

[sdrodder]

Microscale still sells their Micro Metal Foil Adhesive. It's good stuff. I wish I could find some thinner foil than the stuff I have. Kitchen foil works, but it's not as forgiving as good BMF...the kitchen foil is thicker and thus harder to cut and manipulate.

BMF suggests refrigerating their product for longevity. I don't know how well this works; I did get a nice fresh sheet about 6 mos. ago, and rarely use BMF, so it's still in the fridge (in a plastic bag). I never opened the package, but after a quick check through the window it still looks perfect. We shall see...

I have had this same problem Abe. I switched over to the Testors brand. It has been very good to me.

Gabriel

Were could i get this micro scale foil or testors foil. Anyone have a link to were i could get it. Reason i ask is i got no good hobby shop. Just basic shop with paint and kits Any help would be great.

[Zoom Zoom]

Were could i get this micro scale foil or testors foil. Anyone have a link to were i could get it. Reason i ask is i got no good hobby shop. Just basic shop with paint and kits Any help would be great.

While hobby shops are generally lousy around here, they all carry Microscale products.

Google Microscale Foil Adhesive and you'll find plenty of vendors.

Same for Testors foil.

[abedooley]

Were could i get this micro scale foil or testors foil. Anyone have a link to were i could get it. Reason i ask is i got no good hobby shop. Just basic shop with paint and kits Any help would be great.

Do you have a Hobby Lobby near you??? If so, thats one thing they do carry is the testors foil.... They also carry a different companies foil adhesive, while I dont know if it is any good, it couldn't hurt anything but a few bucks to try. Plus they have ALLLLLL kinds of different chrome, aluminum, gold, copper, and brass leafing from quit a few different companies in the aisle with the krylon rattle paints.

[abedooley]

I took the BMF back to Hobby Town and decided to get the Testors tomorrow from Hobby Lobby seeins how its cheaper there. Once I try it I'll let you guys know if I like it or not.