Bad Chrome Bare Metal Foil?

[matador88]

well,

i`ve received two packs of chrome bmf. i tried to use it but this is the way how it goes from sheet (breaking)

and its full of "spider cracks?"

and on some places removed pieces leave glue

decent job is nearly impossible

is it bad sheet, or do i something wrong?

[djway3474]

It is just a bad sheet. I have had several of those. I was only able to do very short pieces with them. I don't know why it occures but they do happen too often.

Dwayne

[Zoom Zoom]

That's an old sheet, a fresh sheet shouldn't do that. Some people claim that keeping the foil on a hanger and inside the fridge (sealed in a plastic bag) will keep it fresh longer. Happens to all my BMF, I don't use a heck of a lot so I rarely use up a whole sheet before it starts cracking.

[Jairus]

Yup, I agree with Bob, that is an old sheet.

I don't do a major modeling job until I buy a fresh sheet.

However, I have NEVER stored mine in the frig... but it makes sense...

[Brendan]

When I worked at a hobby shop, we would get returns like this all the time. When we talked to the manufacturer, they gave two reasons why this could occur. The product was either at the beginning or the end of the roll for manufacturing and did not get cut off. They remove the first yard and the last yard of the roll. The other reason that was given was that in the shipping process it went from hot to cold and hot to cold which they said would affect the glue which holds the BMF to the backing paper. I think that they were just giving excuses. I think they had manufacturing problems sometimes.

[Olle F]

I doubt that it's because it's old. I bought a big bunch of BMF sheets on sale about 15 years ago, and they have been stored in a desk drawer (i.e. room temperature) ever since. I'm still using them, and the only problem I have had is that some have been shuffled around in the drawer and have cracked where they got bent. I have seen them looking like that in the stores, so I would think that it's either a manufacturing flaw, or changes in temperature during shipping and/or storage.

[Gregg]

I have had the same problem

Maybe this could be a great door-opening question for Ask G&J?

Maybe a letter to BMF?

I'll ask the boss

Heh dummy, you da boss!!!!!!

[fireguy14]

Hello all. I also have a sheet that has done this. Full of cracks, does not come off like I want it, and does not stick real good. I have been told that it is due to temperature extremes. Makes sense to me, as most of my building is done during down time at the firehouse. All my stuff is stored to be portable, but my notes binder where I keep my BMF has been addidentally left in the cab of my truck before. Just wanted to add my 2 cents here. Sully

[camaroman]

I keep mine in a sheet protector secured

in an old three ring binder that I keep on

my bookshelf. Stops the curling and damage.

The protector does seal out some moisture.

glenn

[Harry P.]

I had the exact same problem...the entire sheet was full of those little cracks, and it was impossible to take a big piece of foil off the sheet because it all fell apart. I bought my sheet at a large LHS, so if the problem was that the sheet was old, maybe BMF should print expiration dates on the package, like food products have. Otherwise how is the customer supposed to know if the foil is old and cracked until he gets home and opens the package?

I called BMF and they told me they are looking at various combinations of adhesive/backing papers (apparently they're aware of the problems). They told me to mail them the bad sheet and they would replace it with a new sheet, which they did.

[Jairus]

Another thing to consider is when you buy a sheet at the Hobby Shop, it is not necessarly FRESH. That sheet could have been made a long while ago and simply stored prior to shipping. Not to mention how long it has been hanging on the hook.

I believe that what Harry found by calling BMF may be the answer. That the problem is not so much age, although that is a factor, but humidity! The backing sheet is paper and paper expands and contracts with changes in humidity. The foil cannot expand with the backing so it cracks!

Maybe the answer is keeping it sealed in a ziplock gallon sized bag during storage?

[drnitrus]

I currently have a sheet with the spider cracks. Id say about 2/3 of the sheet will probably end up in the trash because i can barely pull a piece longer then maybe 1/4 inch without some kind of tear or imperfection.

I would tend to think the trouble is due to the constant change of temperature affecting the adhesive because I found a sheet of foil from a few years back (before I took a model break) and it was fine and I still used it up years later.

[bobss396]

I had the exact same problem...the entire sheet was full of those little cracks, and it was impossible to take a big piece of foil off the sheet because it all fell apart. I bought my sheet at a large LHS, so if the problem was that the sheet was old, maybe BMF should print expiration dates on the package, like food products have. Otherwise how is the customer supposed to know if the foil is old and cracked until he gets home and opens the package?

I called BMF and they told me they are looking at various combinations of adhesive/backing papers (apparently they're aware of the problems). They told me to mail them the bad sheet and they would replace it with a new sheet, which they did.

I like the idea of a "born on" date on every package of BMF, but will it happen? I find that I get better quality of sheets from model shows and not my LHS, where they might get manhandled and who knows how old they are.

I usually buy a sheet and split it with my brother, by the time it starts giving us trouble, we're done with it!

Bob

[Brian_R]

At the local Hobby Shops, the foil comes in from the distributors cracked. I figured it was all the handling to the west coast. I did contact Bare Metal a few weeks ago. Their reply:

The problem of the 'spider-webbed' cracks is typically caused by age. The shelf-life for the foil is 6 months. For optimum results, I recommend storing the foil flat, in a zip-lock bag, in the refrigerator. However, this will not prevent the cracking when the foil has aged. I recommend not purchasing any more at one time than you can use within 6 months of the purchase.

When the foil leaves here it is definitely fresh stock. We usually are just keeping up with demand from customers & hobby shops so the foil generally doesn't have a chance to 'age'. Once the hobby shops receive the foil, we really have no idea of how they store it or how long they have had it in stock before they sell it. If you want to ensure that the foil you receive is fresh, you are welcome to purchase it directly from us. Thank you for contacting Bare-Metal Foil Co.

Regards,

Eldred P. Mason

800-628-7296

www.bare-metal.com

[Fisher61]

I've had one sheet that was cracked like that, all others had been fine, it's stored in my basement were the temp is almost the same year round. However, the last sheet I bought just would not stick, I think I'm going to send it back for replacement. This is the only brand of foil I will consider using as I've tried the other stuff and just don't like it.

[matador88]

thanks, its solved, bad foil. BMF co. will replace it.