Bare Metal Foil

[Erock]

For those of you who use BMF for chrome trim and clear coat, Do you clear over BMF or foil after clearing?

[Sidney Schwartz]

I usually sand and polish the clear coat and lay the BMF on top of that.

[ctruss53]

I apply some clear. Then BMF, then apply more clear.

EDIT: I should be more specific.  If the color coat is not glossy, I apply some clear, then BMF, then apply the final clearcoat. The the paint is glossy, I paint, then BMF, then clear.

Edited May 13, 2023 by ctruss53

[StevenGuthmiller]

Clear coat then foil.

There’s really no advantage to clearing over the foil.

 

 

Steve

[Bugatti Fan]

As BMF is very thin aluminium I would guess, there is a very small possibility of some form of oxidisation after a period of time but never experienced it on any of my much older models. It is just a matter of personal choice as to whether to clear coat after application of not. 

The main thing is to lay the foil down onto an absolutely blemish free surface. A coat of smooth gloss clear or colour (it doesn't matter) will be better for the foil to adhere to, much like a decal goes down better on a gloss surface.

Edited May 13, 2023 by Bugatti Fan

[Bills72sj]

After dealing with some BMF with poor adhesion, I have taken to clear over BMF not for aesthetics but simply to seal it down (with any decals and or PE).

[Bainford]

On 5/13/2023 at 5:35 AM, Bugatti Fan said:

As BMF is very thin aluminium...

Cue Peteski...?

Edited May 15, 2023 by Bainford

[peteski]

1 hour ago, Bainford said:

Cue Peteski...?

LOL, no kidding!  I should  just keep a save a copy of my explanation, and paste it when needed to educate people that it is *NOT* just aluminum foil.

BMF Chrome (or now Improved Chrome) is *NOT* just aluminum foil.  It is made for some sort of secret (or not so secret) alloy of soft metals.  It is much softer and more stretchy than aluminum foil, and if you compare it side by side to Al foil, the metal has a warmer color (sliht hint of orange orange hue). The fact that is it *NOT* just aluminum foil is what makes it so useful for areas with complex curves, or deep depressions we often have to "chrome" on model cars.

To convince yourself that I'm not just blowing smoke, take a soldering iron, then put its tip to a piece of foil. It will melt instantly (like it was solder).  Do the same with Al, foil and nothing will happen.  I hope this will teach all the skeptics or uninformed modelers that BMF is not just another Al foil.

[Dpate]

On 5/13/2023 at 10:05 PM, Bills72sj said:

After dealing with some BMF with poor adhesion, I have taken to clear over BMF not for aesthetics but simply to seal it down (with any decals and or PE).

Must of had some of the old stuff. They got the hood stuff back new improved chrome, and it work’s fantastic. Great to work with ??

[Bugatti Fan]

Pete took me to take about referring to BMF as very thin aluminium.

There are many grades of aluminium alloys with differing properties from being very soft and malleable to bring quite tough. If it isn't an aluminium alloy then what is it then?  Soft metals include silver, gold, white metal, pewter and lead that I can think of. You can write off precious metals silver and gold for a start. So do any of the others feature in BMF?

Edited May 16, 2023 by Bugatti Fan

[peteski]

3 hours ago, Bugatti Fan said:

Pete took me to take about referring to BMF as very thin aluminium.

There are many grades of aluminium alloys with differing properties from being very soft and malleable to bring quite tough. It it isn't an aluminium alloy then what is it then?  Soft metals include silver, gold, white metal, pewter and lead that I can think of. You can write off precious metals silver and gold for a start. So do any of the others feature in BMF?

Well, I have never encountered any aluminum alloy (inducing Zamak, aka. "white metal" of"pot metal") which would melt at such low temperature.  I have no idea what the BMF Chrome foil alloy consists of as I don't have any way to analyze its chemical composition. Due to BMF's foil low melting temperature I speculate that there is some tin or maybe other low-melt temperature metals.  Pewter itself is a alloy.  Silver and gold are not only too expensive, but they have rather high melting temperature.  I doubt there is any silver in it either.  Lead would be a good candidate as it is very soft, malleable and has a low melting temperature, but in today's world (where lead is one of those bad 4-letter words), if there was lead in BMF, I would expect all sorts of warnings on the package.

It would be really interesting if some member here has access to spectroscopy equipment to find out what the foil is made of.

Of course if one wants plain (but thin)  aluminum foil, BMF makes that Ultra Bright Chrome, which seems to be just aluminum foil.

[Bugatti Fan]

Interesting conjecture Pete.

My guess is that BMF is some form of aluminium alloy that would not contain any traces of metals considered toxic.

Like you say, without analysis, who knows what the mix is as long as it does what it is supposed to?

Some previous posters referred to batches of BMF that would not adhere properly, but I would suspect that the foil itself was probably OK and the problem was with its adhesive backing.

Edited May 16, 2023 by Bugatti Fan

[Tcoat]

On 5/12/2023 at 10:13 PM, Erock said:

For those of you who use BMF for chrome trim and clear coat, Do you clear over BMF or foil after clearing?

Both. Use it as a smooth base and then as a sealer afterward.

[Bainford]

17 hours ago, peteski said:

It would be really interesting if some member here has access to spectroscopy equipment to find out what the foil is made of.

I may have access to such equipment. I try to get an analysis done, but it may take a while. My guess is it contains a significant percentage of tin.

Edited May 16, 2023 by Bainford