LSP_Kevin Posted September 1, 2011 Author Share Posted September 1, 2011 I've been making my own foil adhesive for more than 10 years, and have sold gallons of the stuff. Although it's water-based (and is brush, or airbrush, able,) I suspect that your postal service would have kittens if I tried to send some (I sent some to the U.S., and it just vanished.) If you P.M. me, I can give you the basics of the formula, and you should be able to find your own ingredients. U.K. residents can get it from Little-Cars (or me.) Edgar Thanks for the offer Edgar. At the moment, I'm finding the Microscale stuff more than adequate in its performance, I just needed some advice about how best to apply it. Brian's awesome tutorial has certainly come through in spades there! (Though I'm yet to try it out.) Kev Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pfuf Posted September 1, 2011 Share Posted September 1, 2011 (edited) I put the micro scale glue in the airbrush and sprayed it on first a very thin layer to get it stick and prevent it from form big drops the water properties tension bla bla. Any brush streaks will show so that's why I use the airbrush and treat it like a paint surface. I cut peaces of 120/120mm and when I stopped my build used tape to stick them to Lid inside of the box and it is still stick to any surface a year later I use bits to make landing gear cylinders. Need to finish this great Hasegawa kit. Johan http://forum.largescaleplanes.com/index.php?showtopic=27100 Edited September 1, 2011 by LSP_Kevin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edgar Brooks Posted September 1, 2011 Share Posted September 1, 2011 One thing that I have found is that a lot of foil has a film of oil, deposited during manufacture, and a wipe down, with white spirit, can work wonders in stopping any tendency to puddling. Edgar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Out2gtcha Posted September 1, 2011 Share Posted September 1, 2011 One thing that I have found is that a lot of foil has a film of oil, deposited during manufacture, and a wipe down, with white spirit, can work wonders in stopping any tendency to puddling. Edgar VERY good point Edgar. The key to foiling weather painting over it, graining it or sticking it to the airframe is just like painting. Its ALL in the prep. Clean, clean, clean. Ive found even 91% alcohol works as well. Plus it gets rid of any films or desbris that get deposited by material being used to grain the foil. Cheers, Brian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSP_Kevin Posted September 1, 2011 Author Share Posted September 1, 2011 I did clean the foil with methylated spirits and a cotton bud, but I'll give white spirits a go too, just in case the metho didn't cut it. Thanks for the tip Edgar. Kev Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neo Posted September 1, 2011 Share Posted September 1, 2011 VERY good point Edgar. The key to foiling weather painting over it, graining it or sticking it to the airframe is just like painting. Its ALL in the prep. Clean, clean, clean. Ive found even 91% alcohol works as well. Plus it gets rid of any films or desbris that get deposited by material being used to grain the foil. Cheers, Brian +1 to the alcohol thats what i use and it also takes away residue glue from previous triming(i.e the section you applied before) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSP_Kevin Posted September 4, 2011 Author Share Posted September 4, 2011 OK experts, a question (or two) for you! How do you recommend I tackle the wing strakes shown in the photo below? My first thought was to airbrush them silver first, and then add foil around them. But can the foil handle it without resorting to paint? Secondly, how should I tackle smaller parts like the horizontal stabilisers (below)? Can I get away with using one large piece, or do I need to do even smaller pieces like this on a panel-by-panel basis? I guess I'm just looking to establish what shortcuts I can get away with, so that I don't invest more labour in the exercise than is necessary. Kev Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSP_Ron Posted September 4, 2011 Share Posted September 4, 2011 I've only foiled a 48scale CF-104 but I'd suggest foiling around the stakes then masking them with Tamiya tape and paint them. The stabs foiled in panels. I don't think there are any short cuts with foil I am afraid, smaller bits is better in this case..... On another note, a great way to tint foil is to boil it with eggs. It gets darker with time and can reach an almost gun metal appearance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSP_Ron Posted September 4, 2011 Share Posted September 4, 2011 I've also noticed that tin foil plates put in our dish washer turn a dark color also. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSP_Kevin Posted September 4, 2011 Author Share Posted September 4, 2011 I've only foiled a 48scale CF-104 but I'd suggest foiling around the stakes then masking them with Tamiya tape and paint them. Thanks Ron. I was going to airbrush the strakes first to avoid having to mask the foil later. I can't imagine a thin coat of airbrushed paint would show up under the foil. I'm much more worried about all the hair and dust that's constantly settling on the model! At this stage I don't plan on tinting the foil, as I just want to concentrate on application on my first outing. Kev Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Out2gtcha Posted September 4, 2011 Share Posted September 4, 2011 OK experts, a question (or two) for you! How do you recommend I tackle the wing strakes shown in the photo below? Id recommend a paper or other foil pattern for the parts around the strakes, then apply that to the permanent piece that will be foiled, but cut a hole in that piece for the strakes to poke through. For the strakes themselves you can use a single piece (or multiple pieces to cover the strake itself) once the wing panels around the strake are applied. This gives it a layered look just like the real thing, since the gusset panel that covers the strake is over the wing panels. You can also foil the wing panels and then use frisket film to mask off the surrounding foil panels and use Alclad or metalizer if you dont feel like foiling the strakes themselves. My Mig 15 was done this way, foiling the strakes: Secondly, how should I tackle smaller parts like the horizontal stabilizers (below)? Can I get away with using one large piece, or do I need to do even smaller pieces like this on a panel-by-panel basis? I guess I'm just looking to establish what shortcuts I can get away with, so that I don't invest more labour in the exercise than is necessary. Kev This is for your sanity benefit........Use a single piece of foil for the elevator itself...........another separate piece for the top and bottom of the stab and a separate piece that you can wrap around the leading edge; you can use one single piece to cover the whole leading edge. Since the outer tips are curved use 1 piece for teh top and once piece for the bottom. ALWAYS start with the bottom....and ALWAYS do the same panel symmetrically on the opposite wing or in this case stab. Your eye will naturally be less attracted to a seem on the wing tip if the top piece covers the bottom one. Im only telling you this as its much easier to get a wrinkle free foil finish this way as apposed to a single piece for the whole stab. If you use a single piece for teh whole stab, getting any wrinkles out is much more difficult. This leading edge doesnt look to have compound curves in it so you may be ok with a single piece that wraps around the leadign edge all the way back to teh elevator. Id suggest taking a piece of foil and "test burnishing" it as a single piece over teh leading edge to see how easy it would be to get a smooth finish. Brian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSP_Kevin Posted September 4, 2011 Author Share Posted September 4, 2011 Thanks Brian. Hopefully I'll get a chance to have a crack at it later today. I'm not confident at all with foiling the strakes, especially as this is a 1/48 kit, rather than 1/32, so sizes and tolerances are that much smaller. So far I haven't even been able to produce a decent result on a flat surface! Kev Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSP_Kevin Posted September 4, 2011 Author Share Posted September 4, 2011 OK, I've had two goes at foiling the elevators, and so far the score is foil 2, Kev 0. First time I tried the wrap-around approach, but just ended with some very skewiff foil which tore when I tried to straighten it out. Then I tried to do the 2 sides separately, but the foil insisted on lifting at the trailing edge. I'll keep plugging away I guess, but I'm fast beginning to believe this foiling stuff is just too temperamental for a ham-fisted butcher like me. Kev Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSP_Ron Posted September 4, 2011 Share Posted September 4, 2011 Start small, panel by panel. Ron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSP_Kevin Posted September 4, 2011 Author Share Posted September 4, 2011 Start small, panel by panel. Ron That's what I'm doing Ron! Which is why I'm so frustrated with it. The elevators are only about 3cm long, and 8mm deep at their deepest. I'm not doing the entire stabiliser, just the elevators. Perhaps this wasn't the best kit to start with, as it has lumps, bumps and protrusions everywhere. Anyway, I'll abandon the elevators for now and try something with a smooth expanse. Still battling visible glue marks though. Kev Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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