Can't find answer in forum...please help!!!
What are the guidelines for spraying MM laquer and or enamel clear coats. I have been using the clear laquer overcoats with success but have been told that there could be cracking problems if the paint beneath does not cure properly.
Recently painted a 109 with MM enamel paints...clear coated with MM spray enamel gloss....applied decals...NOW....can I go back to seal decals with semi-gloss laquer or should I use semi-gloss enamel overcoat. Any help much appreciated !!!!

The cracking you refer to might be a reaction caused when a solvent/oil-based clear is used over a water-based acrylic. For decades I have been using MM clear flat 'lacquer' over various solvent/oil-based hobby enamels with no adverse reactions whatsoever.

Cody

Typically, the "spidering" is caused from using acrylic paints and not letting them cure on the model for at least 72 hours before applying the lacquer clearcoat.

I don't paint with enamels, so I can't say if there is any "curing" required or not.. But the best thing to shoot a gloss clear coat with is "Future".. It is acrylic based and goes on extremely thin..

I usually apply the Future, apply the decals with a setting solution and then shoot another coat of Future to seal.. I then weather and finally shoot a clear lacquer coat after everything is done..

Hope this helps..

Thanx for the help !! One more question...I did paint the cowl and tail Polly Scale 04 yellow....any problem with the acrilyc / with laquer overcoat ? I did overspray with enamel glosscoat with no problem though...
Thanx again ! ! !

You can spray enamel over acrylic as long as you let the acrylic cure good.. And spray the clear lacquer over that..

Bottom line is, you can spray anything over anything.

The big defining factor is to allow the bottom coat sufficient time to dry before putting whatever coat over top.

I have seen kits primed with enamel, painted with acrylics and clear coated with lacquer, and they turn out fine. I have also seen a lacquer primer, enamel color coat and acrylic clear coat and it was fine.

I have even seen a multicolor camo scheme painted with both enamel and acrylic colors, with a lacquer primer and enamel flat clear coat.

And all works out fine....just as long as each layer has had sufficient time to cure.

And just because its dry to the touch...doesn't mean that its cured.

I can have a coat of lacquer paint on, and it will be dry to the touch in about 10mins, depending on humidity, and ready for a second coat, or a third or a fourth. When trying to get a nice finish on a car, using lacquers, you spray with alot of very thin coats...especially when doing a candy coat, or metallic coat.

Thanx again for CLEAR-ing things up ! Best to all-----Grogan