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Would like to learn more about skinning with metal sheets!


BiggTim

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The thing that most people say is that it takes to long to do.  There is no substitute for a great nmf, whether it's foil or paint.

 

Most really nice alclad finishes come down to 1 panel at a time treatment as does using foil. to me it's easier to fix a foil boo-boo

 

then an alclad boo-boo.  I have seen beautiful painted nmf's, but on personal inspection and most photos it still looks like paint

 

Nothing looks like metal than metal, but I kinda hope people keep painting theirs as it makes ours stand out.

 

Ever tried to put a "grain" on a painted panel??   You can also tone down  the shine with clear satin (Micro-Scale).

 

When I got the nerve to try it (21st Century P-47) I gave all my alclad to a friend and will never do a nmf in anything but foil.

 

Mark 31 never did a foil job until about a year ago, and now he is a FOILING FOOL and has done some outstanding work.

 

Brian,  Maybe we should do a couple of foiled Broncos just for fun.

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Its like marauderdriver says.

It  take a long time to do but the finnish is so nice.

Almost a year ago i didt my firt one in the foil and learnd a lot.

Now im doing a B-25 and it will not be the last one to do.

Be patient my friend and you wil love it.

 

Mark

Edited by mark31
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Very good points all around. Foil and metal sheet are wonderful alternatives to paint, and as was pointed out by Jack, the graining that appears on most NMF is impossible to make in paint, and IMHO the graining in foil has a really realistic look to it, that cannot be mistaken for paint.

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I just got through reading through the Dixie Boy build thread, and I really intrigued with this.

 

I should be able to get back onto my Trumpy P-38 soon, and while I had been planning to use Alclad Duraluminum for the heavily oxidized NMF, I am now seriously considering foiling it (after some practice, of course). I am not totally sure how to go about weathering/oxidizing a foil finish, though. Can you guys point me to where I might learn some more about that?

 

Tim

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Mark, 

 

Did you spray a matte clear over it when you were done?

 

 

Im not sure how Mark does it, but thats a no, no for me personally. Clear is great and even preferred in some circumstances, but IMHO it really ruins the look that the foil achieves. Clears over foil look better to me than clears over metallic paints, but it still to my eye, drastically changes the appearance of the foil, and not in a good way. Ive used flat to effect on the type of finishes Mark demonstrates with his Mig-21, but as a rule I try not to clear foil.

 

Paint on the other-hand, is very useful over foil. If you clean and grain the foil right, enamel sticks very well to it. I know this as fact from direct experience. The foil in that situation also works great with chipping, as you can use your favorite technique (read salt method, chipping fluid, mask fluid) to apply directly to the foil, and paint over it, then remove the medium laid down previously and presto! you have a very realistic chipping effect.

PREP, PREP, PREP is everything with foil, and Id have to assume similar with pewter type sheeting.

 

Foiling can indeed be a major challenge. Its definitely not for everyone. With practice, and learning various techniques, you can get a finish unlike any paint that is, or may well ever be..............thats a long time, but as is pointed out foil is in fact metal. Paint in its current form will just never be metal.  

Conforming the said 2D form to those dreaded compound/complex curves is the largest challenge faced IMHO. Learning and practicing with foil and the myriad of techniques for applying everything from the glue to how its applied, to what and how much to lay at any one time, to calculating seems and their shapes................it can get quite involved, but to me is REALLY worth the effort.

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As Mark pointed out, the bleaching solution can be used to "dull" the foil to that dead flat sheen.................but it is effectively removing a few microns of the foil for every x amount of time you leave it in the solution, so be careful (havnt calculated any times yet, just ususally go by feel).

 

The bleach formula that Mark mentioned can be altered with varying amounts of lead from shot gun shot, and/or copper from pennies, and you can get  the rainbow from dead flat titanium looking foil, to bright green, to bright red (there is an "eggwash" piece of foil peaking out from under the multi colored foil in the upper left hand corner) :

 

DSC03143.jpg

 

When you start applying that foil in appropriate areas depending on wheather you want a titanium/gray looking foil or a bright multi-colored look, you can achieve a look that no paint ever IMHO can achieve:

 

DSC03165.jpg

 

DSC03158.jpg

 

DSC03238.jpg

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05.jpgHey Guy's,

  

      I think we have Bigg Tim hooked....just reel him in slowly and he will join us on The Dark Side !! :evil_laugh:

 

      The chemicals are easy, bleach, pennies and lead fishing sinkers in all combinations for various colors.

 

       Boiled with eggshells,  with or without clear, satin, flat coats.

 

       I put the Micro Scale Foil Adhesive on the model panel as opposed to the foil with a slightly damp soft 1/4 in flat brush, minimum strokes,

 

      cleans brush in water while adhesive dries (no white color), place foil on panel and burnish from the center out.  I use the make-up applicators

 

      that look like a Q-Tip with one end that is kinda flat for burnishing the foil down as the wood burnishing tool will mark the foil if you are not REAL careful.

 

       I grain the foil with 0000 steel wool or sometimes 600 to 1200  sandpaper.  Then trim the foil along the panel line and burnish the foil down into

 

       the panel line with a wood tool.  I find a lot less waste of adhesive and foil by applying the adhesive to the model.  I also work one  panel at a time.

 

        Practice is the key and don't be afraid of trying.   You will get the hang of it and wonder why you waited so long. I also bought a 100 count Stanley

 

       Utility Knife Blades because you will go thru quite a few blades then you trim the foil. A dull blade will tear instead of cut the foil.

 

        Welcome the The Dark Side Bigg Tim.

 

       Jack

Edited by marauderdriver
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