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Would like to learn more about skinning with metal sheets!


BiggTim

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I've seen some awesome work displayed here with either metal foil or metal sheet skins, but I haven't really seen it explained in detail. I am really interested in trying this, and would love it if one of you guys who's done this would do a walk-through on it, or point me to a good one that already exists. Thanks!

 

Tim

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Out2gtcha B-25 Build may help to. It helped me.   Mark31 is doing one right now to

 

http://forum.largescaleplanes.com/index.php?showtopic=46079&do=findComment&comment=487451

 

http://forum.largescaleplanes.com/index.php?showtopic=53627

 

     Also to get the Burnt look to the Foil. Cut Tin Foil ( Reynolds )  to fit in a sauce pan. You can do three or four sheets stacked. Add a few Eggs and hard boil them. It will tarnish the Foil to make it look Burnt. The longer you Boil the darker it will get to. You may add salt and see if that may change your out come on the Tarnishing effect.

 

For Glue Micro Metal Foil Adhesive - 1 oz.

http://www.microscale.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=MI-8&Category_Code=FINPROD&Product_Count=7

http://www.staples.com/Speedball-Mona-Lisa-Metal-Leaf-Liquid-Adhesive/product_WYF078276306872

Cheers

Danny

Edited by Vandy 1 VX 4
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I am about to try skinning in litho plate on a 1/24 model so will pass on any learnings and if it works try & put together a tutorial

 

certainly working with micro sheet metal is different to foil and i have picked up valuable lessons fron David Glen's incredible work, ready to put into practice

 

Alan Clark has done many 1/32 models too in this way and how he does it is covered in both the 'Scratchbuilt'  books

 

WIP495_zps6cc3vuiq.jpg

 

 

Peter

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I'm in the process of foiling-over the fuselage of Fisher's Ryan ST-M (a first for me)

 

1. It's not that hard, but it takes time and patience (lots of the latter :rolleyes: )

2. Generally, the thinner (and ergo, good news, the cheaper) the foil, the better

3. There is no better product than Micro Foil adhesive

4. Have brand-new scalpel blades, and do not hesitate to change them often and to use scissors whenever possible.

5. Burnishing tools have to be 'soft', especially if the foil is thin : cocktail sticks, wood dowels (brush handles are great), etc...

6. Avoiding the nasty cringe on compound surfaces is the name of the game, so stretching the foil whilst burnishing requires some learning. But the good news is that you can start again if not happy (although the foil is not THAT easy to peel-off when properly burnished). I went yesterday evening though the third iteration of the nose of the cowling (the most-difficult part because of tight radii and 3D compound curves), and am now satisfied with what I have done, and will start soon the second iteration of the rest of the cowling.

 

Hubert

Edited by MostlyRacers
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2. Generally, the thinner (and ergo, good news, the cheaper) the foil, the better

 

Interestingly, Brian has always maintained that, contrary to what may seem obvious, the thicker foils are more effective, as they're more malleable during working, and can be stretched better and further without tearing.

 

Kev

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Interestingly, Brian has always maintained that, contrary to what may seem obvious, the thicker foils are more effective, as they're more malleable during working, and can be stretched better and further without tearing.

 

Kev

 

I can't say I use BMF that often other than for masking purposes. The pre made adhesive they use is not that great, and it tends to let go way easier than I would ever like for permanent build. I find kitchen foil with sprayed on MS adhesive in a quantity I define seems to work better for me and be way more versitile and permanent.

 

 

I do use both thin and thick kitchen foil in my travels/foil work. From my experience K1 is correct. I do use the really thin/cheaper foil but I relegate it to flat surfaces that do not have any compound or complex curves.

Logic would dictate that Hubert is right, and starting off on my foil career I went with that. I started having in depth conversations with my now foiling mentor Ken Friend (LSP member "foiler"), and started ready some of Kens articles on foiling (see HERE) and quickly figured out the opposite is true.

 

When it comes to things like cowls, wing roots canopy sections and the like I started using the thicker foil by Reynolds Wrap IE, "Extra Strength" and "Heavy Duty" foils. What I found after starting to use these thicker foils on Kens advice, was that the thicker/heavier duty foils (unlike the thinner stuff) actually would stretch during installation. I found with a deft hand, and a light touch you can grab a section of foil and keep in in your opposite hand you burnish with, and can keep most of the wrinkles to a minimum, if not avoid them all together.

 

A good example of using this "stretching" technique on the thicker foil to avoid most wrinkles was the RAAF P-40 I did awhile back.

You can see the three main chin sections on the P-40, the two lower side panels and the front lower panel all had subtle compound/complex curves to them but using the stretching thick foil technique I managed to get the foil on all 3 sections without a single wrinkle:

 

DSC03393.jpg

 

DSC03385.jpg

 

 

Another advantage of the thick foil, is that it takes to the bleach/penny/lead solution that turns foils into brilliant colors way better than the thin stuff. I found the thin stuff basically just falls apart after a while in the solution.

This is Reynolds Wrap Extra Strengh after setting in the chemical solution:

 

WIP_DB_86.jpg

Edited by Out2gtcha
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     Also to get the Burnt look to the Foil. Cut Tin Foil ( Reynolds )  to fit in a sauce pan. You can do three or four sheets stacked. Add a few Eggs and hard boil them. It will tarnish the Foil to make it look Burnt. The longer you Boil the darker it will get to. You may add salt and see if that may change your out come on the Tarnishing effect.
 
You do not need the entire egg. Just use eggshell segments without the innards and get the same darkening effect.
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Also to get the Burnt look to the Foil. Cut Tin Foil ( Reynolds )  to fit in a sauce pan. You can do three or four sheets stacked. Add a few Eggs and hard boil them. It will tarnish the Foil to make it look Burnt. The longer you Boil the darker it will get to. You may add salt and see if that may change your out come on the Tarnishing effect.

 

You do not need the entire egg. Just use eggshell segments without the innards and get the same darkening effect.

Just do NOT rinse the hard boiled eggs after you boil them. The chemical reaction that is created is needed for this effect. This technique is great for all sorts of grays, titaniums and highly weathered more flat looking bare metal finishes.

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Thanks Kev and Brian.

 

Your input is much appreciated. Scratch my thin foil point, it is obviously wrong. One thing I have already found out is that thin foil can stretch some with TLC, but will tear easily ....

 

Hubert

 

 

Your exactly right Hubert. I still use the thin foil and it is a good thing (along with BMF) to keep in the arsenal. You are also right on one point about the thin foil too Hubert............thin foil is MUCH better than the thick stuff to get detail to show through the foil...............especially raised detail.  The thinner cheapie stuff works great for this, but as Im sure you have found, can tear, and be a total PITA when trying to wrangle it around those confounded complex curves.

Edited by Out2gtcha
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