Foil?

[Rob]

First off. You can call me FNG. If you need an explanation of the initials just ask a Vietnam vet. Okay. I'm fairly new to this detailing of kits and weathering and making it look real. So I built Shirley muldowney's funny car. I thought the kit itself was cheap but what do you expect? So you learn a few things along the way and I learned that you take Chrome off the parts with super clean. And I'm thinking to myself yeah that makes sense because now you can paint it any color you want and I've always thought those chrome parts look like they dipped it in wax. I never really did like chrome parts except for the wheels. And now I'm learning that you guys use foil? So what is the trend now? You buy these inexpensive car kits and throw all the chrome in a simple clean bath and then use foil or paint? Do you use some of the chrome parts? Input appreciated. Thanks.

 

[the Baron]

I wouldn't call using Bare Metal Foil or similar products a trend, necessarily, because it's been around for years. Stripping the kit chrome is probably the newer technique. In any case, I prefer to strip kit chrome and then paint the pieces. For example, I built the Monogram Tom Daniel's Red Baron Hot Rod and stripped the chromed parts. Like you say, the kit chrome just doesn't look right. But I did it primarily because I needed to clean up the parts, as with any build-mostly, the sprue gates and seams. When I was ten, I wouldn't have, but today, yeah, I need a clean build. That was easier, to me, than applying foil. But many of my car modeler friends like using it.

Some airplane modelers used Bare Metal Foil for natural metal finishes, too. Though today, there are those who will use aluminum kitchen foil for that purpose.

 

[Rob]

I wouldn't call using Bare Metal Foil or similar products a trend, necessarily, because it's been around for years. Stripping the kit chrome is probably the newer technique. In any case, I prefer to strip kit chrome and then paint the pieces. For example, I built the Monogram Tom Daniel's Red Baron Hot Rod and stripped the chromed parts. Like you say, the kit chrome just doesn't look right. But I did it primarily because I needed to clean up the parts, as with any build-mostly, the sprue gates and seams. When I was ten, I wouldn't have, but today, yeah, I need a clean build. That was easier, to me, than applying foil. But many of my car modeler friends like using it.

Some airplane modelers used Bare Metal Foil for natural metal finishes, too. Though today, there are those who will use aluminum kitchen foil for that purpose.

Yeah I guess Trend was a bad word. What I should have said, maybe, is back when I was 8 years old I thought the Chrome pieces were so cool. Look how cool it makes that engine look! Of course now if you looked at that engine all you would see is testers glue fingerprints. God that was some awful stuff. I still got a tube and a half. But nowadays you look at the Chrome pieces and they look like they dip them in a vat and hang them to dry. How did we think those models looked good back in the day. But, that's what firecrackers are for. I just didn't want to build that 55 Chevy Street Machine and you guys would look at all the Chrome pieces and I wouldn't hear the end of it. You should have painted those Chrome pieces. Just use super clean. You should have foiled those bumpers you foolish child. Like i said. F n g

 

[BlackSheepTwoOneFour]

BMF I use on auto kits. I’ve heard BMF changed their formula for tackiness and folks complained it wasn’t the same as the old ones. I haven’t noticed it myself. Not sure if they’re still good or not since I still have a bit of them left.

Molotow chome pens are great but they’re pretty delicate during handling and tend to leave behind fingerprints. I usually let them cure untouched for 2 weeks for auto chrome parts.

I like to spray a light coat of flat clearcoat on Funny cars rims just to tone down the chrome shine a bit. Test it on spare chrome rims and experiment with it. Maybe you’ll fine the look you’re looking for.

I once experimented spraying a light coat of flat and liked what I achieved.

I still have a bottle of Model Master Chrome Silver and use it occasionally.

Aside from Alclad, they’re lacquer paints for airbrushing - I believe Mr. Color has their own metallic color line (Super Metallic 2) as well as Vallejo (Hobby Lobby has them).

 

[BlackSheepTwoOneFour]

Some airplane modelers used Bare Metal Foil for natural metal finishes, too. Though today, there are those who will use aluminum kitchen foil for that purpose.

I’ve seen some hobbyist use BMF on some WW2 aircraft kits as well and never liked them. They’re fine as restored warbirds but during wartime, it’s impossible for them to maintain that new shiny look.

When doing WW2 wartime birds, I’ll use various shade of silver on different panels throughout. Gives it a better realistic look I’m looking for.

 

[Rob]

Thanks for the input guys. I still have a lot of model Master paints left. That Chrome silver actually comes out pretty darn good and I have a lot of buffing metalizers from model master still hanging around.