Well I used Chrome BMF with no problems on my '56 Nomad as well as my Monogram Devastator

When my BMF was new it went on nice and I was able to smooth it our nicely... Then I put it aside for a few months. When I went to use it I couldn't get it off the backing without tearing. I haven't tried BMF since. Somewhere I have a new sheet of it still in the package. I doubt it's any good, I've had it for a few years now.

I just bought some BMF. I like it, although, its hard to put on in my opinion. Mainly because I have never used it in my life until now and also, I need to sharpen my knife for cleaner cuts.

QUOTE: Originally posted by harry

I agree...there's something wrong with todays BMF BIG TIME!

I've even talked to people at the company, who claim they're working on a solution. Haven't seen it yet!!!

I love it when they admit to having a problem. As for storage....I keep it flat in its original package, still cracks. Thanx, Marcus, for the link.

I am pretty new to bmf, i have used it for about 2 years, i first got some from hobby lobby, i think it was testors, i could not get it to work, it peeled like you have shown, would not stick, i gave up, but then i tried some from the bmf, company, it worked way better, i have used a few different ones, chrome, ultra bright, chrome, aluminum, copper, i think thats the names, but anyway, i now use it on all my builds, it can be difficult at times, but i like the chrome and aluminum, the ultra is way thin, i got a few with a bunch of wrinkles and it was a mess if you needed a long piece, but i have also got a bunch of good ones, smooth, i am still learning, but for me anything other than bmf brand doesn't work very well.(the one with the 57 on it), i got it at my old hobby store, i since moved and i am going to have to buy some from them direct, but i also want to try the way helipilot16 does it. i hate doing it, but it does make a model look better. and i get better the more i use it, thats what i keep telling my self!

The last lhs I bought some from said to rub down the wrinkles with a soft cloth when you need to use that area and it worked perfectly. I do find it will only last for about a year and then it gets the hairline cracks that you can see when you hold it to the light.

One word.  Alclad.  I'll post some pictures.  With all the complaints I here about BMF I would rather just mask and air brush.

Two words.

No Airbrush.

And life is too short to spend time masking the body trim so it can be alcladded.

I have 3 packs of BMF, labelled Good (new, lives in the fridge on top of the salad box), Bad (some cracks but not too bad - can get strips up to 2 inches long from it if I cut in the right place) and Ugly (only good for very details like body scripts or door handles).

I've only just started keeping the Good pack in the fridge so i'll be keen to see how it lasts.

I have been experimenting with brushing on metalisers (I use Mr Metal brand) and have found that acceptable results can be achieved if I prime the parts and then put on a coat of rattle can clear to give a smooth base to brush the metaliser on over.  If polished when dry it's not as shiny as an airbrushed.finish but it's a heck of a ot better than silver paint.

This is Mr Metal Chrome done this way

 

I have used the Chrome and Ultra bright chrome before.  When i first got the chrome, it worked good.  2 years later it is useless.  The ultra bright worked O.K., but it didnt stick as well as the original.  Im sure by now the ultra bright is bad.  They keep cracking as you all may have guessed.  Hopefully, they get this stuff fixed.  Properly working BMF, a smooth surface, and a sharp blade can make for some outstanding trim....

I gave up on the BMF a long time ago - It never seemed to work that well, and the price, in my opinion, was way too high for such a product.  Especially if you're foiling a 1/48 B-29 and DC-3 (yeah, I do aircraft, too).

I've been using the generic/store-brand ultra-cheapo (read: ultra-thin) aluminum foil applied with Microscale adhesive and have been getting superb results.  The store foil is much more robust, easier to work, and still captures every detail.

PB.

harry:

I agree...there's something wrong with todays BMF BIG TIME!

I've even talked to people at the company, who claim they're working on a solution. Haven't seen it yet!!!

 

Thats right on, Harry! I have not had a decent sheet of it in the last two years! This stuff used to be a dream to work with when I started using it. Now if I do find a sheet that isn't wrinkled, the stuff will not stick. I hate it when a company has something tried and true, then they feel the need to screw with it!

I use the Detail Master foil and have no complaints. About two years after purchase it still works fine. I get the sense it's a bit thicker and less sticky than BMF, but it never tears on me. If I'm really having problems with stickiness I put down some foil adhesive on the part I'm chroming, let it go tacky, then foil.

Well I must say I've been experiencing my own headaches with bmf the
last couple of days doing this current project ('51 Bel Air).
Yesterday I tried foiling the windshield frame and absolutely no way
could I get the stuff to stick on the bottom of the frame.
I was seriously starting to tear my hair out, and when you don't have alot
of hair, that isn't good!
So today as I'm digging through the last bag of goodies I came home with from my
lhs looking for something else lo and behold I find the fresh sheet of
bmf I grabbed not more than two weeks ago and had completely forgotten about.
Presto! The stuff went on like a dream. Lay it on, burnish, trim it.
It was that easy. The stuff I had been trying to use wasn't that old either.
So I'd have to say that from what I've read and from what I just went through,
using fresh stuff makes all the difference.
So exactly what is it's lifespan if you keep it in the fridge and do you need
to take it out and let it warm up first before you use it?

                               Regards,
                                 sfd

Don't know about lifespan in the fridge as i've only just started storing it in there.

Probably about 30 seconds after Mrs z finds it!

As for warming up?  Don't know.  I've just managed to paint my first body for about 2 months (it's winter here) so when the paint's fully gassed out i'll have a go and let you know.

 

I too have had said problems. It cracks and then it is useless. I think it was bought from the lhs that way. It sits on their shelf for sometime before it ever sat on mine. I don't know how I'd ever get "fresh stuff". I'm slow enough building that the stuff doesn't get used very often. When it works, it works well. Isn't it annoying when you pay that kind of money for something like that and you only end up using about a third or so that isn't cracked.