Real Metal Finish 

by Alex Popojan 
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Here's a small article on how I do bare metal finishes using regular kitchen aluminum foil. I'll be using a spare F-111 fuselage half for this demonstration.

Click on images below to see larger images

1. The first thing I do is cut out a piece of foil roughly the size of the area I want to cover.

2. Next I smooth out all the wrinkles with a Q-tip.

3. Lay the foil dull side up and apply a thin even coat of Micro Scale Metal Foil Adhesive.

4. Once the adhesive becomes transparent it is ready to be applied.

5. When you apply the foil make sure you start burnishing from the center and slowly work your way towards the edges. Keep burnishing the foil with a Q-tip until the panel lines become visible. Trim away the excess foil along the panel lines with a hobby knife. You will then need to burnish the foil into the panel lines by lightly tracing them with a toothpick or a needle.

6. The last step is to polish the foil with 3M Rubbing Compound to get the shine you see here, or you can use a fine-grit steel wool that will dull the foil and give it a realistic metal sheen.

Alex