Hi,
further to the recent post, I've completed a little test....



Considering that this was a rushed job just to see how different applications of paint, future and matt coat would turn out using Humbrols Metalcote and all paint was applied by brush, things have turned out quite good. With more care and time I think Metalcote could produce excellent results.

A. Metalcote matt aluminium base coat with polished aluminium and darker tinted panels, polish, 2 coats of future, decal, 2 coats of future and final matt varnish.

B. Same as A. but 1 coat of future before decal and 1 coat after with final matt coat.

C. Same as A and B. metalcote applications but NO future before or after decal, with final matt coat.

D. This the the raw but polished metalcote base and panels. No future, matt coat.

Conclusions.
Metalcote is tape safe. I had no "plucking" at all.
It dries very fast. Each application was done with a little over ten minutes between coats.

It makes no discernable difference wether you polish each coat as you go or polish when all metalcote applications have been completed. I tried both.

It goes on nice and evenly with brush, so I imagine airbrush would look superb.
It tints very well both with other Metalcote shades and with other normal matt enamels.
On the nose is a shade using steel grey matt.
Decals seem to go on well without future.

Colours available in tinlets...
27001 Matt Aluminium
27002 Polished Aluminium
27003 Polished Steel
27004 Gunmetal

Might be nice if Humbrol expanded the range and added a few more colours...

Also please excuse the pic, shot at work with the crappy
Company digi-cam and the building has tinted windows.

Thanks
Cheers
Peter
:-)

Thanks for the "experiments" results.

You are most welcome.
It was worth it. I am a little more confident about all metals now.

Cheers and thanks
Peter

:-)

Looks great Peter.
I've been a fan of metalcoat even since it came out.
Been using the gun metal for years, looks great on MG's, spray or brush, and a little rubbing after it drys, along the high spots, and it actually looks like a worn gunmetal finish.
As for the future under the decals, since the idea of the future is to give a smooth surface for the decals and metalcoat gives an even smoother surface, there really is no need for the bottom furture coat. You might try spraying the future on bare plastic, before the metalcoat, to help with the smoothness of the surface eliminating fine scratches before the metallizing.
I have found that any clear coat seems to do a tonal change to metal finishes though, especially if applied really heavy.
Glad to hear that you can mask it, never tried it. And I agree, wish they made more shades.
Unfortunately not a very easy to get product over here, have no shops that carrry Humbols around me, and Squadron seems to carry it, but is usually out of stock when I order it. Glad I bought a lot of it, last time I saw it, still got a few tins in the draw.

Hi Dave...
you answered my next question...I was about to ask if you can paint over future...lol.

It is a pity they don't do more shades, but they do take other non-metalic Humbrol colours very well as long as they are used for tinting.
Although its hard to see on the He P1078 pics I did blend a little copper with the Polished steel metalcote and mixing it was fine.

Top coats do indeed change the tonal value a little. I wanted to see if I could omit any top coat, as the metalcote looks ace, when its buffed up and the matt coat can make it look too dull. The future of course makes it look too shiny and a little false.

Also the experiment turned out good, again considering it was a rush job. No pre-shading, undercoats or post-shading.

Anyways I'll find out for real if I can leave the metalcote un-coated when I do the Fw.

Cheers
Peter
:-)

Looking forward to seeing it.

Update.

Hi...
when I did the test I put down the Polished alumunium 27002 first and had no problems with masking for the other shades.

However on actually doing the Fw TL I mixed up the numbers and sprayed the Matt Aluminium 27001 first...not a good idea.
It dosen't like masking too much. You live and learn.
So after taking it all off...not too difficult as it happens...I have reapplied the correct sequence...Polished Aluminium first.
Another rescue job...lol.

More as it develops.

Cheers
Peter
:-)