Hello everyone.
Today i went to my local hobby store and bought 2 cans of tamiya clear spray varnish (gloss and matt).
I got out my E-100 test tank and got a decal and a paint brush. I sprayed the clear gloss into a cup and dipped my brush in it and applied a little bit to the bottom of the tank and then applied the decal and covered it in a thin coat of the gloss varnish. The decal melted while i was watching thinking i just wasted my money on 2 cans of the stuff. Then the enamel paint bubbled in that area. It said it was for acrylic paint tho. Soo i then grabbed my 1/35 scale elefant tank, (it only has an undercoat on at the moment) and applied just alittle bit on the bottom of the tank for a test using my brush. The paint on the elefant was Tamiya acrylic, and it melted to. So am i doing something wrong here? Will the same thing happen if i just spray it on. I'm bloody scared of using this product on my tanks after seeing this happen. And to think i was going to apply it all over my 1/35 scale maus without a test run.....

Do you think i should just go and buy humbrol gloss and matt varnish instead? I never had a problem with that.
Thanks
Regards Callum

Hi Callum

The paint in tamiya spray can isn't an acrylic paint is a lacquer enamel
Probably gloss enamel has reacted with your base coat.
However this sounds very strange to me...How long did you wait before applying decals?And how long did you wait before applying your second gloss coat?

In my humble opinion you should use tamiya acrilic gloss paint.
This one:



You should dilute with x20 thinner

this one


and then you should use the AB to apply it on your models

Hello,
Once i applied the acrylic lacquer, i applied the decal then once i applied the decal i then added the top layer.

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_sTWKvkSOc0I/SPHHOWXR9zI/AAAAAAAAAo4/VJpdY
d1SjNA/s400/DSC00684.JPG
theres an image of the stuff i used but it was gloss. Also you stuff you mentioned to me my local hobby store doesn't have. It's this or humbrol varnish. But i don't get it. It's for acrylic paint right? Also i did brush it on if that's the problem.
thanks
Callum.

I read up on the tamiya spray stuff then. And people say it is pretty bad...
I think i'll knock off the tamyia varnish and just go with humbrol. I've never had any problems with humbrol at all. It's always worked for me.

Would anyone like to recommend any other brands they use?

Also if i use a humbrol gloss over my tamiya dark yellow undercoat then apply my vallejo white winter camo colour over the gloss, will that work ok? Nothing will react badly will it?
Thanks
Regards Callum.

Hi Callum,

Your problem is almost certainly the result of attempting to brush it on.

Tamiya's spray lacquers are considered rather "hot" and can attack both enamels and acrylics if applied too heavily. However, many people use Tamiya's sprays with great results.

The key is to ensure that the base colours are fully cured (not merely dry - for Tamiya flat acrylics, this means at least 36 hours, for gloss, considerably longer) and then when clear coating, apply light mist coats (using the spray can as designed) and allow each coat to dry between applications.

If you apply it using a paintbrush, you are applying way too heavy a coat and the solvents in the (clear) paint will readily attack the underlying paint (and decals).

In addition, you will find this to be almost universal, regardless of the brand of paint, and whether you are applying over enamels or acrylics.

Hello,
Yer, ok. Light coats is the key... I'm still worried that it might bugger the paint on me.
I think i'll till give it a miss, Although i'll give it a test run tomorrow and i'll see how i go.
But to be honest i think i'd prefer Humbrol. It's safer... In my opinion. Its never melted the decals or the paint...
Thanks for the help.
Callum.

Hi everyone.
I thought i should tell you... I did a trial today with the tamiya spray clear gloss and instead of applying it with a brush i sprayed it on the bottom of my E-100 tank (my test tank). It worked pretty well (the can was for acrylics and the e-100 was enamel), it didn't attack the paint. So i was game enough to apply it to my elefant tank painted with acrylic... and it works fine... The clear didn't melt the paint this time seem i didnt use a brush. But i think i'll use tamiya spray varnish for tamiya acrylics and Humbrol for Humbrol enamels...
Thanks everyone.
Callum.

The Tamiya acrylic lacquer spray gloss has been an issue among auto modelers since it was released. The key word is "lacquer". Basically, this gloss should only be sprayed over other lacquer paints. It is quite likely to eat through decals and any other type of paint.

tamiya spray is great......dont apply it with a brush!!!!!!!!!! or it will bight into your base coat and decals,what i do is spray it on till you have a good sheen(it dosent have to be super glossy) let it dry then apply decal then once dry apply flat coat,its that simple.