Removing BMF adhesive after it's been burnished down

I really dig BMF and have gotten better through the years of applying in correctly. I normally wash the model after applying it, but inevitably there seems to always be some leftover adhesive from the foil right under and over the burnished down foil.

I've taken Q-tips and tried to rub it out, but that takes forever and sometimes still doesn't remove it completely. I've considered using alcohol but I don't want to take a chance on it reacting with metallics or a any freshly applied paint for that matter.

Any suggestions on how to safely remove the leftover adhesive from the foil?

I once didn't clean it off very well at all and after I cleared the car, there was a distinctive white speckled area where the adhesive was not cleaned.

Bummer:iceslolan

What are you using for paint?

I'm using Tamiya Laquers most of the time and ocassionally House of Kolor Urethanes (2 & 4 oz.)

A household window cleaner like windex will do it easily. You're right to avoid alcohol as you don't want anything that would damage the paint, but lacquers and urethanes are rather resilient. Mild household cleaners are pretty safe (but test to be sure!).

I use automotive wax on the entire body once the BMF has been applied and it takes off any residual adhesive without any problems. Typically, I use Meguiars Gold Class wax because that's what I use on my real cars.

I've used BMF for 27 years :uhoh: , and find that it looks best when applied over a polished surface (after clearcoat), and then polished out further. The polish cleans any residue and makes the BMF come alive. I hear about builders clearing over it, and I wonder why do something so risky? The process of applying foil and cleaning up any contamination before clearing introduces a lot of risk for paint problems that won't be seen until too far into the paint session. It is so easy to screw up the clear at this phase, and you are so far along that it could easily ruin all your paintwork beforehand. Speaking for myself, when I'm applying clear I want it applied over a color coat that's had little or no touching of the surface. Every fingerprint or chemical in between can cause havoc.

When I hear people say they clearcoat BMF because it keeps it from falling off, I wonder why all the vintage American cars I built in the 80's don't have a pile of dull/tarnished BMF lying next to them. They look exactly the same as the day they were finished.

I don't subscribe to the "bury foil in clear" mentality. Perhaps for decals, but foil looks better polished out and w/o any clear over it, and I know from decades of experience it doesn't tarnish up and fall off over time. All my paint issues are dealt with long before the tedious job of foiling. I understand modelers are creatures of habit, so if clearing BMF works, that's great! I'm not about to change my foiling habits, other than the fact I'm now building mostly modern cars that don't need much, if any :biggrin:

That's some real sound advice and I'm going to try the windex first! I'll test it out on a plastic spoon and see what happens.

I'm a bit apprehensive about the waxing it off, because I normally do clear over the foil and I don't want to take a chance of not getting it clean enough after washing it and risk any silicone in the wax causing fisheyes.

Zoom, I've recently started clearing over the foil but I've had great success with bodies being foiled after clear also!

I do appreciate the help!

That's some real sound advice and I'm going to try the windex first! I'll test it out on a plastic spoon and see what happens.

I'm a bit apprehensive about the waxing it off, because I normally do clear over the foil and I don't want to take a chance of not getting it clean enough after washing it and risk any silicone in the wax causing fisheyes.

Zoom, I've recently started clearing over the foil but I've had great success with bodies being foiled after clear also!

I do appreciate the help!

Hi

I'm using WD-40 on a Q-tip.

Flemming

Hi

I'm using WD-40 on a Q-tip.

Flemming

I don't doubt it works, but it has to be the worst tip ever on a thread for a builder who wants to remove residue before clearcoating over his BMF afterwards.

WD40 is a silicone based product. Silicone contamination will destroy a paint job. Even a tiny amount will cause the paint to fisheye.

Because WD40 is silicone I won't even consider using it anywhere near my model bench. It stays outside in the garage. BMF residue is easily removed with paint-safe methods.

I don't doubt it works, but it has to be the worst tip ever on a thread for a builder who wants to remove residue before clearcoating over his BMF afterwards.

WD40 is a silicone based product. Silicone contamination will destroy a paint job. Even a tiny amount will cause the paint to fisheye.

Because WD40 is silicone I won't even consider using it anywhere near my model bench. It stays outside in the garage. BMF residue is easily removed with paint-safe methods.

Maybe you should check your can of WD-40 again... I don't know if there are any differences around the world but my can clearly says 'indeholder ikke silkone' which translates into 'does not contain silicone'. It does not destroy paintwork. The tip comes originally from Hyperscale and I have used it with no sideeffects. As the question was how to remove BMF adhesive after burnishing I have not taken into account if anyone would clearcoat afterwards. WD-40 is an oil and therefore poses the same problems as a releaseagent and should be removed accordingly.

Flemming

Maybe you should check your can of WD-40 again... I don't know if there are any differences around the world but my can clearly says 'indeholder ikke silkone' which translates into 'does not contain silicone'. It does not destroy paintwork. The tip comes originally from Hyperscale and I have used it with no sideeffects. As the question was how to remove BMF adhesive after burnishing I have not taken into account if anyone would clearcoat afterwards. WD-40 is an oil and therefore poses the same problems as a releaseagent and should be removed accordingly.

Flemming

WD40 is a lubricant. It has no business being anywhere near surfaces that may see paint applied after the lubricant. I read that Hyperscale article, the context of that tutorial is so far removed from how model car builders use BMF that it's of no real value to this thread. It also completely ignores the hazards of using WD40 anywhere near a model bench, and the potential contamination it can cause to an entire model or workspace. Your advice gleaned from the Hyperscale tutorial is condensed into such vague brevity that it's bad advice due to the context.

Read the last sentence of Sixx's original post. That's where the context of giving advice on this subject is important. Not just answering the question in the subject line. Rather than splitting hairs about why WD40 works to remove residue from a finished model, why not consider those who read these threads and don't know any better? They need good advice to follow, not vague references that without careful consideration could ruin their success.

An inexperienced builder could read your reply and think it's okay to use WD40 to clean off residue "because they read it on the internet", and then when they spray clear over their model they're going to have a big mess because the residue from the WD40 will ruin any chance of a successful clearcoat. Residue from WD40 is mostly invisible and harder to remove than BMF residue. They might think it's clean. And end up with a body covered in fisheyes, or worse.

I do not keep WD40 anywhere near my model workbench. Doesn't matter if it has silicone or just oil. My can doesn't list ingredients other than a vague sentence that says "contains petroleum distillates". There are a myriad of ways to remove BMF residue without the inherent danger of introducing WD40 or any lubricant into the modeler's environment, especially directly on a surface that may see paint!

WD40 is a lubricant. snip

Exactly - it is a lubricant and has a 1000 household uses - one of which - it can remove residue left by BMF.

You think otherwise. I have absolutely no problem with that.

Flemming

The polish cleans any residue and makes the BMF come alive. I hear about builders clearing over it, and I wonder why do something so risky? The process of applying foil and cleaning up any contamination before clearing introduces a lot of risk for paint problems that won't be seen until too far into the paint session. It is so easy to screw up the clear at this phase, and you are so far along that it could easily ruin all your paintwork beforehand.


foil looks better polished out and w/o any clear over it

Zoom~

I am going to try foiling after the clear and polishing the residue out! I didn't know that the foil would come alive after polishing! It does make sense though~ I work very hard at keeping my workbench safe from Silicone, as I have had fisheye problems in the past, prior to be aware of what was 'causing' them.

Exactly - it is a lubricant and has a 1000 household uses - one of which - it can remove residue left by BMF.

You think otherwise. I have absolutely no problem with that.

Flemming

Knowing Zoomzoom personally, and having seen his work, I can assure you he knows what he's talking about when it comes to these things.

I, on the other hand, am easily confused :icon16:

Zoom~

I am going to try foiling after the clear and polishing the residue out! I didn't know that the foil would come alive after polishing! It does make sense though~ I work very hard at keeping my workbench safe from Silicone, as I have had fisheye problems in the past, prior to be aware of what was 'causing' them.

Be prepared to be amazed! You'll be surprised how black the polishing rag gets from polishing the foil. A small dab of polish goes a long way-you don't need much; polish the paint (not wax, just polish) before applying foil. I've polished the foil like this to shine it up, clean up residue and fingerprints from final assembly, for ages. Tamiya wax is a good final "detailer".

Well, I've tried both ideas. Starting with cleaning the BMF adhesive with the glass cleaner as Andy had suggested and i'm here to report it works very well~ thanks for that advice :grinyes:

I also decided to take Zooms advice and apply the BMF after the clear and polish it out, and it really shines up very well.

Zoom, the amount of black s*** that rubbed out on the cloth was amazing!

Thanks for the advice!

Sixx