Adventures in Foiling

[Wayupnorth36]

Dean

Great beer commercial reference. It emboldened me to go up to the cooks and ask for the foil and the manufacturer. But when I got up to the counter, the cook couldn't hear me, so I grabbed a piece of foil, grabbed my skirt so I wouldn't trip, and ran.

Anyhow, here's a couple pics of the stuff. It comes in 8" x 10" sheets, appx. It is the same toughness and reflectivity as aluminum foil. It's folded in the middle, has diamond impressions throughout, but also some diagonal-running marks that are less desirable, and some fold marks as well, but it may serve some purpose, especially with the ingenuity and creativity that I've seen displayed on this site already.

The manufacturer is Sysco out of Houston, TX.

Hope this helps.

Alex

[yankee jigger]

Mylar is everywhere! Or almost; I've use candy wrappers, the inside of potato chip bags (degreased), and it is especially prominent in gift-wrapping and/or craft shops. Candy-making suppliers are a particularly good source. It is not too difficult to accumulate many different colors if you consume some candy and chips.

Mosaic Gems Tiles These folks care a product called BriteBak Tape, that will ease your foiling pains. It is an adhesive backed foil tape (not mylar) that is aproximately half the thickness and weight of the hardware store HVAC foil tape. It is also available in gold. I'll never go back to HVAC tape as long as they make this stuff!

Dean

Dean

How easy is the Brite Bak tape to use.

When i use the HVAC Tape,i have to use two different pieces and hope they are the same.

I need an alternative.Ill give it a shot.

Oh yeah,does it wrinkle easy and if it does can they be smoothed out easily????

Thanks.

[Lure--Prof]

Yank,

Being about half as thick as the H-VAC tape makes it much easier to deal with, and yes, it does smooth much easier too.

Here's how I foil: Cut two pieces of tape just a bit longer than the bait, and leave them rectangular, don't shape them. Center the bait on the tape making sure that the tape will reach the center line of the lure, or the half-way point all the way around the bait. Now begins smoothing the tape onto the lure, beginning with the center of your chosen side, slowly, stretching the tape as you go to keep it smooth--try holding onto the bait with one hand, thumb on the tape where you started and fingers on the back side from you; and with your other hand, work the tape by pulling it onto the bait, holding the tape mostly by the edges that you will cut back to the center line of the side you're working.

The key to this method is to apply as much pressure as you can, stretching the tape without tearing it, and you'll get better with practice. Use a small sharp clean pair of sissors, and/or a razor sharp blade to trim the excess.

From this point, I emboss, clearcoat with something that will leave a smooth coating (lightly sanding and cleaning with alcohol if epoxy), and then paint over the coating to hide the top and bottom seams, etc. until I'm ready to clear. For me, this means painting with Createx, heat setting thoroughly, and then brushing on a coat of Dicknite's Clear. If it is one of my homeade crankbaits, after 24 hours I'll glue-in the lip, and clearcoat again when the glue dries. I'll finish by applying clear coat every 24 hors. until I'm satisfied with the thickness of the clear, usually after 4 coats on top of the paint.

Take your time with the foiling and add it to your list of skills. I used to fight it; now I enjoy it.

Dean

[mark poulson]

Alex,

That's the way to tackle a problem head on.

My sister-n-law is a food consultant, who will know how to get that stuff.

I'll let you know what I find out.

Dean

Great beer commercial reference. It emboldened me to go up to the cooks and ask for the foil and the manufacturer. But when I got up to the counter, the cook couldn't hear me, so I grabbed a piece of foil, grabbed my skirt so I wouldn't trip, and ran.

Anyhow, here's a couple pics of the stuff. It comes in 8" x 10" sheets, appx. It is the same toughness and reflectivity as aluminum foil. It's folded in the middle, has diamond impressions throughout, but also some diagonal-running marks that are less desirable, and some fold marks as well, but it may serve some purpose, especially with the ingenuity and creativity that I've seen displayed on this site already.

The manufacturer is Sysco out of Houston, TX.

Hope this helps.

Alex

[yankee jigger]

Yank,

Being about half as thick as the H-VAC tape makes it much easier to deal with, and yes, it does smooth much easier too.

Here's how I foil: Cut two pieces of tape just a bit longer than the bait, and leave them rectangular, don't shape them. Center the bait on the tape making sure that the tape will reach the center line of the lure, or the half-way point all the way around the bait. Now begins smoothing the tape onto the lure, beginning with the center of your chosen side, slowly, stretching the tape as you go to keep it smooth--try holding onto the bait with one hand, thumb on the tape where you started and fingers on the back side from you; and with your other hand, work the tape by pulling it onto the bait, holding the tape mostly by the edges that you will cut back to the center line of the side you're working.

The key to this method is to apply as much pressure as you can, stretching the tape without tearing it, and you'll get better with practice. Use a small sharp clean pair of sissors, and/or a razor sharp blade to trim the excess.

From this point, I emboss, clearcoat with something that will leave a smooth coating (lightly sanding and cleaning with alcohol if epoxy), and then paint over the coating to hide the top and bottom seams, etc. until I'm ready to clear. For me, this means painting with Createx, heat setting thoroughly, and then brushing on a coat of Dicknite's Clear. If it is one of my homeade crankbaits, after 24 hours I'll glue-in the lip, and clearcoat again when the glue dries. I'll finish by applying clear coat every 24 hors. until I'm satisfied with the thickness of the clear, usually after 4 coats on top of the paint.

Take your time with the foiling and add it to your list of skills. I used to fight it; now I enjoy it.

Dean

Any place to buy this stuff retail or just mail order????

Thanks Dean.

[Lure--Prof]

Jigger,

I've never seen it in any of the chain craft or hobby stores, but you can google it and find more than one place from which to order--perhaps you could gety lucky and happen to live in a town where someone carries it retail, but it would be a real stroke of luck--I'd have never found it had I not bookmarked it when rjbass posted it originally--

THANKS ROD !

Dean

[BobP]

If we're talking about BriteBak foil, here's where I got some last week:

Welcome to Sunshine Glassworks Ltd.

It had the best price of several I checked and shipping was fast.

[mark poulson]

If we're talking about BriteBak foil, here's where I got some last week:

Welcome to Sunshine Glassworks Ltd.

It had the best price of several I checked and shipping was fast.

BobP,

What heading in the index did you find the BriteBak foil under.

I went to that website, and thought I opened and read everything, but only found Venture foil in narrow strip rolls.

[BobP]

Here ya go. It's 2" wide

Mosaic Accessories by Venture at Sunshine Glass

If you Google "britebak foil" you'll get several sources.

Edited September 7, 2008 by BobP

[mark poulson]

Thanks Bob. I guess I didn't look deeply enough into the site the first time.

[mark poulson]

My sister-in-law just emailed me that the quilted foil restaurants use is available at Smart and Final, and also Home Depot.

I'll check it out and get back to you.