You can buy the tape from Model Expo: www.modelexpoonline.com . The bigger sheets of thinner, adhesive-backed foil are sold by Bare Metal Foil: www.bare-metal.com .
I honestly don’t know whether it would be possible to cover the bottom of a hull like the Constitution’s with big sheets, as opposed to scale plates. I’m inclined to think it might not. The hull of a ship is a complicated compound curve. Bare Metal Foil has the reputation of being extremely flexible and a little stretchy, but it’s hard for me to believe it would stretch enough to cover a shape like that without wrinkles. This is one reason why the old-timers used relatively small sheets: they eliminated the problem of compound curves.
The tape can be peeled off with little difficulty if you make a mistake and notice it fairly quickly. I peeled more than one plate off that little Phantom model (my one experience with the stuff) while I was working on it. The last step of the application process was to give the whole thing a good, thorough burnishing. Whether the plates would come loose after being burnished - and whether they’d peel off now, a couple of years later - I confess I don’t know.
I also don’t know how easy it is to remove Bare Metal Foil. I understand the aircraft modelers sometimes use it as a masking substance for painting canopies; that implies that it’s possible to peel it off bare plastic. I suspect it would stick more firmly to wood - but I haven’t had any experience with it.
If I were working on a kit like this I’m not sure what approach I’d take. The copper-colored paint approach does seem to have a lot to recommend it.
I’m afraid I’m not being much help. Maybe another member who has more experience with Bare Metal Foil can contribute.
You can buy the tape from Model Expo: www.modelexpoonline.com . The bigger sheets of thinner, adhesive-backed foil are sold by Bare Metal Foil: www.bare-metal.com .
I honestly don’t know whether it would be possible to cover the bottom of a hull like the Constitution’s with big sheets, as opposed to scale plates. I’m inclined to think it might not. The hull of a ship is a complicated compound curve. Bare Metal Foil has the reputation of being extremely flexible and a little stretchy, but it’s hard for me to believe it would stretch enough to cover a shape like that without wrinkles. This is one reason why the old-timers used relatively small sheets: they eliminated the problem of compound curves.
The tape can be peeled off with little difficulty if you make a mistake and notice it fairly quickly. I peeled more than one plate off that little Phantom model (my one experience with the stuff) while I was working on it. The last step of the application process was to give the whole thing a good, thorough burnishing. Whether the plates would come loose after being burnished - and whether they’d peel off now, a couple of years later - I confess I don’t know.
I also don’t know how easy it is to remove Bare Metal Foil. I understand the aircraft modelers sometimes use it as a masking substance for painting canopies; that implies that it’s possible to peel it off bare plastic. I suspect it would stick more firmly to wood - but I haven’t had any experience with it.
If I were working on a kit like this I’m not sure what approach I’d take. The copper-colored paint approach does seem to have a lot to recommend it.
I’m afraid I’m not being much help. Maybe another member who has more experience with Bare Metal Foil can contribute.
This is one of the more interesting discussions I’ve had the fortune to read.
jtilley, thanks for the link to photos of your “phantom”. Very nicely done!
I do like the choice of sails brailled up/furled. I have two of these kits (one pre-built,and damaged), that I’ll be building(re-building). I intend to do a full hull, with boltropes, instead of sails, and a waterline (probably the pre-built) with sails brailled up. The latter to be part of a model railroad module.
Pete
There is a wooden ship company in South Africa near me that uses the copper tape for stained glass hobby work. Then they dimple from behind using a dress makers pin wheel to simulate the rivets and the effect is fantastic with practice it looks perfect and is relatively quick. Their stuff commands huge prices internationally so they spent a lot of time coming up with this method.
The best copper paint I’ve ever used is Floquil airbrushed on. The little Testors bottles are very nice a bright, but require a protective coat…Floquil does not. And…as to the reason copper was used, anyone who raises tropical fish (salt aquariums) knows that copper is deadly to crustaceans, arthropods, and cephalopods. Copper actually kept barnacles OFF. That’s why it was used…barnacles slow ships down (simple friction resistance). Where copper plates went missing, barnacles attached themselves to the wood. Then the barnacles acquired seaweed, then ships had to be careened to be cleaned and replacement copper sheets were attached.
There is also a decopage hobby paint kit called “Patina-it” that can be sprayed lightly over the Floquil copper and the result is awesome. By the way…if you want to get a good look at copper on an old ship, Boston or San Francisco are the places to go…to see the real thing.
I really don’t have much interest in building sailing ships (too many strings and fiddly bits) but after reading all this (or maybe from playing lots of Sid Miers Pirates lately) you have developed an interest, I may look around for something to build this winter.
Regarding the BMF, I’ve only used the chrome but it is fairly easy to use, for a large curved surface I think I would cut smaller sections and apply it, it is not highly visible where the edge is so if you laid the section lines along some change in detail like along plank lines it would not show without a very close exam. I have not used their other colors but would assume it is similar, although I have heard you need to be careful with the black as you can rub the color off, don’t know if other metalics would share this problem. It is self stick, and can be peeled off and reapplied if you goof most of the time. It is not usually a problem to peel it off if you make a mistake or don’t like the look, it tends to tear easily so it may take awhile to get it all off but it will come off without damaging the underlaying surface or leaving a sticky residue. It is very thin so is rarely a problem as far as covering detail, I would recommend a burnishing tool made for the job instead of the back of a tool handle, the tool I got was pretty cheap, $10 or so IIRC.