kahn41

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What is a burnishing tool? I have to lay down some foil tape and need a burnishing tool. Can someone enlighten me as to what a burnishing tool is? And where can I get one other than ordering online? The customer service in on of our local craft stores looks at me like I'm crazy....

khodges

My Feedback: (1)

A burnishing tool is used to smooth the tape, make sure it's well-adhered and remove any wrinkles. You can use a Sharpie cap, or most any smooth, rounded item; preferably something slightly softer than the material you are burnishing, so as not to inadvertently tear it. Think of using it like you would to rub your finger over a piece of tape to smooth it and get the bubbles out from under it, but the tool is harder than your finger.

You can also use a wooden dowel; cut a piece of 1/2" dowel about 4-6 inches long; taper one half of it to a rounded end and fine sand it to about 600 grit, almost a polished finish. Just make sure there are NO sharp edges anywhere on it. When you burnish the tape, work from the inside to the edges to work all air bubbles out.

John Sohm

My Feedback: (9)

A nylon prop works good also. I like the APC type for burnishing. If you need a fairly precise burnisher, there is a tool that has a ball end on it for higher localized pressure, like for attaching rub off letters and decals. Check with a graphic arts supplier.

Steve Collins

My Feedback: (8)

What you are looking for will be found wherever art supplies are sold. They are usually referred to as artist's "stumps". They are various sizes. They look somewhat like a pencil with cone shaped ends. They are actually made out of some sort of paper substance. In the art world they are used to soften charcoal drawings and for blending. This is what is supplied with Flite Metal for the purpose of burnishing the aluminum material.

Here is what they look like. You will want the largest one:

http://www.artifolk.co.uk/catalog/pr...per_stumps.htm

kahn41

My Feedback: (4)

Steve

I had those very same things in my hand, but Never seeing a burnishing tool I thought they may be to soft. I guess I'll go back to hobby lobby. You are sure flite metal sells the same things

Steve Collins

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Absolutely certain. I used one on the BVM F-86 that I covered with Flite Metal. You don't want anything that is so hard that it leaves marks on the metal tape.

kahn41

My Feedback: (4)

Thank you Steve... And the rest who replied

Dsegal

> They are usually referred to as artist's "stumps". <

Sorry, but a burnishing tool is not an artists stump. I have used them made from ivory, plastic and wood and they have a rounded end to rub down such things as transfer lettering, adhesive color sheets and trim tape. You certainly don't rub them across a charcoal drawing.

Steve Collins

My Feedback: (8)

Dave,

What is with the attitude?

I know exactly what a burnishing tool is as I have had one for many years and used it on lots of dry transfers. Got mine from ProMark Graphics: http://www.pro-mark.com/burntool.htm

Note, in my post I never called the artists stump a burnishing tool. My response to the original poster is in the context of what he needs to be using for the stated purpose of applying aluminum tape. Click the "How to Apply" button at the top of this webpage to see what they use on their aluminum: http://www.flitemetal.com/

Use a true burnishing tool on the aluminum tape and you will probably have a very hard time getting the desired results. The aluminum is so soft that it is prone to marks and scratches. The artists stump works far better and easier in this appplication.

John Sohm

My Feedback: (9)

Steve, good catch on the artist stump. I knew what a burnishing tool was also as I've used them for dry transfers in the past. I did have problems with aluminum duct tape which is similar to Flite Metal and that's why I usually use a nylon prop for that purpose. I'll have to go to Michael's and see about getting a stump and leave my props in the flight box.

kahn41

My Feedback: (4)

I will listen to all replies positive and negative, and also weigh the pros and cons. Someone named Jim emailed me and offered a couple bunishing tools that he had, and has since mailed them to me. Thank you so much for the offer Jim

camdyson

Bit off-topic, but if you do get any wrinkles in the finish, and don''t need a gloss/shiny finish, you can use fine wet-and-dry to remove the creases, then buff to an aluminium finish by using fine steel wool, rubbed in one direction only.

Cam

bullseye000

Used to work for a company that made and applied a lot of dry transfers. The commercial burnishers worked for smaller transfers, but for larger transfers one of the art guys would use a baby spoon. Worked great for him.

FliteMetal

Wrinkling occurs as a result of stretch, or in the typical case...not applying at right angles to the largest contact patch within a panel perimeter. Compliance is what I refer to as the "give" a burnishing tool provides in the process of rendering stretch from an aluminum foil, be it a typical construction grade or the alloy used in our product.

This is a process of application issue effected by the amount of stretch a specific alloy has. In all cases, you do not want to stretch the aluminum unless you intend to stretch it. You experience the same issue when any plastic covering film is applied using a hobby iron. To successful apply the film you have to work across an area, not a single location. If not, you will end up cupping under the unapplied portion of the film because it is not compliant like it would be if it were warmed slightly by the iron passing across it prior to film touching the model surface and adhesion.

With the aluminum and its adhesive backing, you must refrain from excess and isolated or concentrated pressure. I originally had an acrylic burnishing tool we included with our FK/AK packaged Flite-Metal. It was a three inch long half inch diameter clear acrylic rod. One end was rounded over smooth, opposite end tapered down to a quarter inch smooth round over in the last inch of the rod. This was an excellent tool for models in what I will catagorize as 60 ~ 90 two cycle powered models similar to the Top-Flite P-47 and P-51.

Smaller models present a greater risk of invoking a wrinkle if you do not work from the largest contact patch at right angles to the line formed by the patch. Large models rarely present a wrinkle issue except in small tight recesses, fillets, or recesses.

Artist stumps are absolutely excellent application tools as they permit the pressure applied to be distributed over a large contact point without a concentration of energy in excess which will cause a wrinkle to begin. I package two diameters of artist stumps...a #4 and a #6. A #8 works well for using the tapered end. Because these are made from tightly spun tissue they will take sanding to a point easily.

Use of a lubricant will help prevent wrinkling. The best lub is mineral spirings as it leaves no reside & gasses off with little odor.Ventilation is always a good idea when using it : ) Pour some mineral spirits into a peanut butter jar top then drop a cotton ball into it. The cotton ball will serve as a wick through which you can pass a curved blade hobby knife. That is a number 10, 22, 23, 25 Xacto .

Drawing the blade heel to toe when cutting along the perimeter 3M Fine Line mauve green propylene tape will not only cut a clean line, when you draw the blade over the mineral oil wicked cotton ball it prevents excessive adhesive build up on the blade.

Taking the sharpened edge of a #8 artist stump to the mineral oil wicked cotton ball will lubricate the surface to reduce chances of creating a wrinkle during burnishing. The stump will glide across the aluminum faster & smoother. The #8 is firmer and less likely to bend as you lightly burnish across the surface.

What do you do if you get a wrinkle during the application? Unless its a wrinkle caused by not burnishing in all directions at right angles as you move away from the largest contact patch you can typically peel aluminum to the wrinkle or a part of the wrinkle and burnish the accumulated excess aluminum across the area from which the peel occured.

What do I do to STRETCH when I need to STRETCH? I described the acrylic tool earlier. I have actually found a better burnishing tool. The GRAY end of a regular Sharpie works very well. It is seamless, formulated from a very compliant thermo-set plastic (A GOOD THING) and approximately one half inch in diameter.

The curve pitch is perfect for most fillets as it will fit within and on a bias easily in 1 smooth motion. This will typically prevent a wrinkle in these areas. The maximum stretch tool...the tapered end...will work GREAT without tearing if you stay away from the hole on the end : ) Plus it is "THE" perfect oiless ink marker to use in drawing the panels onto a smooth surface prior to taping the perimeter with the 3M® Fine Line.

Hope this helped explain how to avoid wrinkles and how to work your way out of most. Too much hurrying is typically what causes wrinkles