Hi;
In reply to a post on this subject I was rudely interrupted by a computer shutdown due to a power outage .So the post reply went bye-bye . So I thought , " Well I'll share it with everyone" So there! Anyway the question was why do folks do chrome removal and what purpose does it serve ?
The answers were well thought out and basically correct .I did get a zing from a poster about foil chrome which prompted the the writing of the disappeared post . Basically I said that I had used foil Chrome for years and had no problem with it ,and that I made my own. And had done so for more years than the " Bare Metal " brand was around.
Now that in mind ,hear this. I am in no way opposed to ALCLAD and their many colors of metal you spray on with an airbrush . If you follow the directions it does an admirable job . To my eyes ,though , it does not even come close to real chrome .
That said here's what I suggest . Listen to all sides before making your decision . I use home - made " Foil Chrome " That way I have a stock of at least five base colors of foil ready to use . I have found through experimenting, that you Can use foil Chrome on Valve covers and other parts that most have no success with . If you are going to spend money on aftermarket brass dress-up goodies,then why not spend the time handling Foil Chrome the same way .
I can't seem to get folks to understand this ." Bare Metal " is a darned good product , but it does have limitations .( it doesn't like tight corners or small grooves and ridges like say " Ribbed Valve Covers" .) Now when you stop by family Dollar or Dollar General, to buy the foil for home use ,you will many times get the end or beginning of a foil run .This means it's going to be thicker or thinner than the same brand at Albertson's for instance .
This is not bad for us however .If it's very thin and tears easily, this is what you actually want . using Micro Metal Foil adhesive on the back side ( whichever side you want out ) you apply it to clean foil with a very fine soft wide brush on a piece of clean glass . Let it dry. It'll go from milky white to a dull clear . Now take this foil and apply it to the backing sheet from " Bumper Stickers or Office Labels sticky side down to the shiny side of the backing material.
( I like the Bumper Sticker stuff better , because it's stiffer and thicker ) Smooth it out and make sure you have no bubbles or wrinkles .You now have a supply of say six or eight pieces that cost less than two sheets of the well known product . I found out accidently, if you keep them in a big old flat book they will last for years, yes, years . I am still using some I made nine years ago . The biggest trick. never let the book sit in direct heat or sunlight . If any foil product gets hot ,Theirs or yours, it is all over !
I have carefully applied foil chrome to the end of bumpers and plane wing roots and before burnishing them down for good I lightly overlay darts at the curves . Ask grandmother or mom what darts are . Anyone that sews can tell you . I then carefully burnish the foil where the surfaces meet with the tip of a toothpick. .
Now pay real close attention . You must , Notice, I said Must ! use a brand new X-Acto number 11 blade here . Carefully, using blade weight only , well almost, cut away the loose material . Burnish the rest down till the surface is smooth and tight, Do not rub so hard you tear the foil ! . Now for the trick , using a NEW number 0ne X-Acto handle .of aluminum, I discovered the foil will get so shiny as you finish with this burnish that, number one- you will have no seams and number - two,it's as shiny as plating !
The choice is always up to the modeler and yes ,I am old fashioned to tell the truth .Also I live where spraying is not possible . Because of this I have to use my Bag of tricks from way back when in an office building I couldn't spray anything ! Not everyone has airbrushes either and maybe can't afford that and a compressor right now .
I hope this helps any one of you out there who has need of this information . It took me years to learn it and now I enjoy sharing it . Good Modeling. T.B.