As requested by Bill H., here's a quick down and dirty on foiling details with Bare Metal foil.

First off, put in a new blade (#11) in your Xacto. Cut a piece of foil slighty larger than the area you're foiling. Apply the foil to the area and burnish down and around the area. I use a qtip, toothpick and a rubber cuticle thingy I borrowed from the TM to burnish with. Once you get it snugged in place, get your Xacto and trim the excess aroung the area you've foiled. Use light pressure because BMF will cut realtively easy. Once you cleaned off the excess, burnish the foil once again and voila, head to the next section. This stuff can be clearcoated as well as dipped in Future. If you haven't tried it, give it a go. It looks better than the "silver" paint trick. ;) rr

Is the BMF something you buy at your LHS or do you just use standard issue aluminum foil?

Doba,
BMF is purchasaed at your finer Hobby shops and online as well. It's actually a very thin foil material with an adhesive applied on the backside. Once you start using it, you'll wonder why you didn't start using it earlier. :) rr

Here's a link to their site.

http://www.bare-metal.com/bare-metal-foil.html

I got it at HobbyTown USA in the past

OK -- Cool. Had heard of it but never used it, and really, don't think I have ever seen it for sale locally.

Learn new stuff every day here. :)

I use bare metal foil all of the time , it is easy to use and looks great. I have used it on some of the older t jets where the headlight silver paint is wearing off.

Great subject!! :thumbsup: Got a question or two regarding the BMF.. How well does it adapt to contours like a bent bumper, or around the ends of a bumper?? And will it embed itself into fine detail work such as an AFX peterbuilt grill..


Joe

Slotcar man ! Yes it will I have done it on 1/25,24 scale car models. The best advise I can give you is to experiment with it. If you work slowly and carefully you can coax it into and onto about anything. Use a q-tip, toothpick that has been sanded, that little rubber quticle thingy that was mentioned and burnish it one direction increasing the lenght of the strokes slowly. It wiil stretch and give some what but you have to be carefull. Ok Buddy ? LOL ! Lmk how it works for you.

Thanx OFD!

Sorry to put ya on the spot like that, but inquiring minds needed to know. Ya make it sound easy...sounds like I'm headed for a trainwreck ...LOL!

Slotcar man ! Yes it will I have done it on 1/25,24 scale car models. The best advise I can give you is to experiment with it. If you work slowly and carefully you can coax it into and onto about anything. Use a q-tip, toothpick that has been sanded, that little rubber quticle thingy that was mentioned and burnish it one direction increasing the lenght of the strokes slowly. It wiil stretch and give some what but you have to be carefull. Ok Buddy ? LOL ! Lmk how it works for you.

Scott,
Exactly! One other thing, have some patience.

Bill,
Go for it. Once you get the feel for it, it will be a piece of cake. Also, BMF comes in differrent colors as well. Ultra Chrome, Chrome (looks more like brushed aluminum), Gold and Black. have fun! :thumbsup::thumbsup: rr

I have had good luck with it until I tried to use it on some old vibe wheels. It will only stretch so far.

Old Blue

Thanx OFD!

Sorry to put ya on the spot like that, but inquiring minds needed to know. Ya make it sound easy...sounds like I'm headed for a trainwreck ...LOL!

HA HA Bill I have used BMF for years so I am very comfortable with it. It is hard to explain but if you get some try chroming somethings with it and you will develop a "Feel " for it. Just take your time with it and I think you will like it alot. Heck a guy with your repair talents ,this stuff should be right up your alley . RR is right , it also comes in other colors I used some gold on a Tyco black Trans Am .
When you use it you will get a "feel" for how far you can go with as far as the stretching goes , before it begins to tear.