Hi all, here is my first official tutorial. I will share with you how to go about chroming out your favorite figures or weapons. Now you can turn all those Hasbro figures into Henkei, or add some much needed detail to your custom. To a degree, everything is completely reversible. The medium is durable, does not slide around, and will add a great look with very little effort. Plus it's cheap. Here's what you will need:

-Chrome air duct tape
-scissors
-Exact-O knife set
-a clean edge credit card
.a micro fiber cleaning towel
-patience

I will upload these pics and more on my photo bucket and clean up the thread to give better explanations for each pic. For now I will simply tell you the process and let you use the pics to give you an idea of each step.

First you want to cut a strip of chrome tape slightly larger than the surface area you wish to do the application. Then you want to apply the tape over the area trying to be careful of bending and repeatedly removing the tape. The less you fiddle with it the better the results. Like you would apply a cell phone screen protector, start at one end and work your way down the surface area. Once you have a good application, use the pads of your thumbs to really rub the tape into whatever detail you are trying to chrome. Take your Exact-O knife (I use the round edge) and try to cut a clean line where you want the edge of the tape and cut off whatever excess you have. Now that you have your clean lines you may now take your micro fiber cloth and buff/polish the surface to desired sheen. Now take the credit card and run the edge down into the lines, vent crevices, and corners. Buff again with the cloth.

That's it, easy huh? Go practice a few applications on a Junker or whatever surface you choose. Get a feel for how the tape works and figure out it's limitations. It will puncture, scar, and dent the same as aluminum foil. be careful not to press too hard in deep lines or holes unless that is what you are aiming for.

There is no wrong or right here. Just use your imagination and make it work for you.
I hope this works well for you guys.

ZedzDead

 

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I came in here expecting a vacuum metal tutorial. :/

 

Useless post. Sorry to disappoint you.

 

That's not bad, but it seems like this work best with large flat surface areas, like swords

 

Zed, just use the links of your photos that you've uploaded. That's how I resource tutorials. The reason for that is sometimes people delete items off of their photo hosting sites.  

 

Neat.  

 

Hey SQ7, would you prefer direct links? I thought I uploaded them to TFW. I'll look at some of the other tutorial posts and use them as a template. Give me a little time to get it situated. Work has me very busy. I have 2 other tutes to put up as well.

-hot glue gun uses, & reflective tape applications

Zed

 

Just would like to chime in and give another pro tip for this. Wooden manicure sticks / bamboo skewers are prefect at pressing in the detail lines and stuff for chrome tape and stickers. They also are very useful for painting.  

You can usually get them in a massive pack down the nail polish aisle for like a dollar and it will last you almost forever.

*there are also ones with a more wedge like ends on the other side of the pointy end. They work just as good if not better.  
*Also are called "wooden cuticle pushers" online.​

 

Ha! This is a great tutorial! I've been doing this for years. In fact just recently I "chromed" the front of my Car Robots Black Convoy because the front bumper was all deteriorated.

 

Thank You! That is a great tool to use. Ill have to pick some up. I gots lots of chroming to do lol.

 

It's funny, I've never seen this type of application used here on the boards. Great minds think alike  

 

I personally find it better than chrome, since it won't flake and the tape is resiliant. Although mileage varies depending on what you chrome. Hell, Scourge's bumper was the most intricate thing I've ever done it on.

 

Have you ever tried "Bare Metal Foil" that you can get in hobby shops or online?

 

I have and really like it. There's a Radicon tutorial for it: http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/tutorials-how-tos/579478-chrome-foil-applying-your-transformers.html

I chromed a trailer for my leader Optimus using duct tape (http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/radicons-customs/514526-rotf-optimus-prime-2.html#post7253296). If I had to do it again, I'd use the chrome foil. It's more expensive, but it's easier to work with and looks better when complete.

 

It's an interesting idea but not very practical for larger more detailed areas. It looks good covering some surfaces but if you wanted to chrome the entire gun, I don't think it would look so good.

 

I wouldn't even try to do a whole gun. Just maybe some vents or something. It has it's uses. How does the foil work? Is there an adhesive?

 

Yes, there is an adhesive to bare metal foil. I used it on my FP Backfiery to give him chrome wings.

http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/radicons-customs/470525-insecticons-fansproject-shrapnel-bombshell-4.html#post6796609