Will, I'd like to take a second here and thank you for all the experimenting that you do, I know sometimes it's hard and arduous to do, I always take good stuff away when I watch one of your videos and it saves us all time and energy that we don't have to spend to do it, so thanks again and from us much love.
Hi Will, I foiled a Starfighter F104 1/72 as an experiment and it looks okay to me. The things I did was to pre-paint the edges with a light coat of silver (just in case). I used Scotch PhotoMount spray glue, that sticks really well, it just needs the right amount (too little, it shows over-spray texture, too much it looks nasty). For burnishing, Q-tips paper sticks are really good, either the sides for edges or cutting them at an angle then lightly tapping the pointy edge on the table to soften the compressed paper, it's great for panel lines and recessed details without tearing the foil as a tooth pick would (works great with BMF too). To erase light scratches, a very little bit of Flitz polish on a Q-tip works well (without going too close to the edges as it could mix with the glue and neutralize it). To clean-up the glue I used alcohol, not mineral spirits, for the same reason as Flitz. I don't mean that it's the right way to do it, but it worked for me. Thanks for the video👍🏻. Yves.
Thank you for the video. What might be worth looking into are techniques employed by hand engravers. Both professional firearm and jewelry hand engravers spend much of their time contending with the same problems when it comes to burnishing since the materials they are working with are very much the same. This is particularly true when it comes to scratches and cuts since burnishing is the only means of correcting these mistakes.
Wildman, it's a mule - keep reminding yourself. Frustrating to no end I am sure, but it was and continues to be a learning adventure so that the next the next foil adventure is better than the last. You are honest to show all the trials and tribulations so that others may learn - good on you.
Thank you for your time and effort with this long time aluexperiment. I learn allot. For the edge pilling off problem you my conciser using Tamiya tape as a protective, warped all around the edge.
I am more into shapes and model correcting, but I really like what you do: Interesting subjects, and a great exploration of unusual methods, with all the pitfalls of trial and error: Most only show what they have already mastered, which is basically a useless sanitized version. Every time I see your videos, I am reminded what this hobby is actually like... (BTW, superb discovery, the mineral spirit Eduard decal film removal thing... I will use that. As to the fragility of Eduard colours without the film: Nonsense, as you correctly point out.)
Erik M is correct about removing the film with masking tape. I usually wait about 35 to 45 minutes after the Microsol has done it's work to remove the film. Eduard decales are the best and the result is amazing. Like you, I don't use softness during the application. Foiling the 48 scale p51 is pure torture. I did one and it looked wrong for the scale of the model. Turned out ok but just looked wrong. Cudos for your attempts at foiling that little ........ Like you I have moved back to painting for a while as foiling has become a drugery. I've always loved your videos and they have made me a better modeler. Keep them coming.
FYI, That dental instrument is primarily a carver. You are using the back as a burnisher, which works fine. It was used to carve silver amalgam; a filling material not in major use anymore.
Take a piece of masking tape and put it across the painted surface of aluminum that was etched and pull it off. True test to see if the paint is really going to hold up there. Kermie's P51 has this problem on the George Pretty name on the canopy. Maybe you can send him a shout out about it.
Will, can you detail how you applied your test decal? It wasn’t clear to me if you used the Mark Setter or your standard decal water mix. And I completely agree that from a customer relations standpoint, Eduard completely failed on explaining to customer how to get predictable results with their new product.
