Chrome Accent Strip Metal Tape vs Paint

Hi you can apply the Bare metal foil prior to primer and paint and simply polish off the paint afterwards to reveal perfect body trims and scripts etc.
like this.

http://www.peter-lepold.de/vorchrom.php

I've never tried the above method, but HAVE used this one.  Paint and polish the body as you would normally.  Armed with several new #11 blades, cotton swabs (get the ones from Japan or Thailand if you can, they don't shed lint like QTips), toothpicks, tweezers and some good lighting, we can cut a strip of foil a little wider and longer than the piece we want to cover, I like to use a straight edge.  It doesn't take much pressure to cut thru the foil, so go easy.  Lift the edge of the foil and carefully pull it from the backer.  Align the strip over the area you want to cover and slowly burnish the foil along the line.  Making the piece wider than the strip helps if you didn't start it straight!  When the strip is where you want it, polish the strip with the cotton swab until you can see the detail underneath.  Take a toothpick and make sure all the edges are tightly rubbed down, you can adjust the point with some sandpaper to make the pick fit the contours.  Looking good so far?  Here's the tricky part...  Put in a NEW #11 blade, yes now, take a Sharpie marker and blacken the edge of the blade's edge.  This makes it easier to see where the blade is, it tends to blend with the foil (if you're old like me).  Put the blade at the point of the trim strip, I like to start at the narrowest end and tip the knife down so you have a very low angle.  Carefully and without too much pressure (we want to cut the foil but not the paint) pull the blade along the moulding.  When you get to a corner or rounded end, make the knife more vertical and follow the contour around.  Work slowly and carefully, take a break too, this is stressful!  Hopefully, by now you are all around the moulding, take the toothpick and burnish the cut edges again, being careful not to tear the foil.  Lift the foil from around the moulding with your tweezers, sit back and enjoy.  You've just mastered the foil!

Sorry for the lack of pictures, it's early AM and I have to be at work soon. 

Tiki Kat-

 

Thanks for the detailed post as I tried your method and it worked fairly well for my first attempt.  The metal foil is not that bad to work with on a small scale once you get used to it.

Sorry it took so long for me to reply but frankly I have been busy and unmotivated to contine on the kit lately so it sat on the bench for months.  Adding to my frustration was the fact that I sprayed the car in enamel and was not happy with it at all (green pearl), so i stripped the whole thing (a separate thread in and of itself) and finally got around to repainting in acrylic.

I will post a few pics as I finished the car a few weeks ago just in time for my father's visit from out of State.  He loved the gift even though it had a few flaws.

My hats off to you auto guys and those of you gifted with an ab.  I am a novice with an ab and spraying flat paints hides a lot of little things.  Working with a gloss pearl paint on a car that does not have a single flat surface and is all curves - WHAT A PITA.  I resprayed the hood about 5 times and it still had a flaw in it.

I will post some pics in a separate thread but all you auto guys can rest easy - I'm going back to aircraft.  LOL!!!

Swede