Gloss Laquer stripping paint

Traditional lacquers use alcohol solvents which will not affect enamels. Tamiya acrylics use an alcohol solvent system, and are therefore attacked by the solvents in your lacquer. No, Tamiya acrylics are not lacquers—they polymerize (called curing). Lacquers don't polymerize, they just dry.

Not all modern lacquers use an alcohol solvent system, so some of them may not do this, while others will. Those lacquers that are not alcohol solvent systems will, however, attack enamel paints.

Tyamada's advice about building  up light coats will help, but you must allow for complete drying before applying subsequent coats of the lacquer. 

I guess that is what concerns me is Testors MM line is enamel but the gloss coat or even dullcoat is Lacquer based.  Tamiya does not have a gloss base I think.  They have a clear dullcote.  I guess with Tamiya paints I will have to use Future Floor covering.  I am going to look at Tamiya's website ansd see if they came out with a gloss coat.  Last I look they did not.  I could have sworn that I asked about using Testor's Gloss Coat on dried acrylics an the concensus was it was okay as long as the Tamiya was fully cured.  I am going to have to look for my postings on the subject.  Thanks for your help.

Triarius wrote:

Traditional lacquers use alcohol solvents which will not affect enamels. Tamiya acrylics use an alcohol solvent system, and are therefore attacked by the solvents in your lacquer. No, Tamiya acrylics are not lacquers—they polymerize (called curing). Lacquers don't polymerize, they just dry. Not all modern lacquers use an alcohol solvent system, so some of them may not do this, while others will. Those lacquers that are not alcohol solvent systems will, however, attack enamel paints. Tyamada's advice about building  up light coats will help, but you must allow for complete drying before applying subsequent coats of the lacquer.

I just looked at my old posting and saw that you helped me with my post.  We did not discuss the overcoat paints though just whether enamel can go over acrylics.  Sorry, I thought the overcoat subject came up.

SNOOPY wrote:

Tamiya does not have a gloss base I think.  They have a clear dullcote.

If you are referring to Tamiya acrylic paints, they have a clear gloss X-22. There is no clear flat, only an additive (X-21 Flat Base) which is mixed with clear gloss to make a clear flat.

These are not to be confused with their spray lines - TS-13 (Clear) and TS-80 (Clear Flat) which are described as "synthetic lacquers" and should also be used with caution over dissimilar base coats.

Phil_H wrote:

SNOOPY wrote: Tamiya does not have a gloss base I think.  They have a clear dullcote.  If you are referring to Tamiya acrylic paints, they have a clear gloss X-22. There is no clear flat, only an additive (X-21 Flat Base) which is mixed with clear gloss to make a clear flat. These are not to be confused with their spray lines - TS-13 (Clear) and TS-80 (Clear Flat) which are described as "synthetic lacquers" and should also be used with caution over dissimilar base coats.

I looked at Tamiya's line of paints and saw that my presumption was wrong.  Any way, any ideas as what to use to get a flat coat over the decal and gloss ares of my cockpit to make them back to flat?  I need to get the flat look back in order to finish assembling the cockpit and move on to other parts of the plane.

I use Testor's Dullcoat and Glosscoat sprays over everything.  I also use Treehouse Acryllic clear flat.  11 oz. rattle can for about the same price as one 3 oz. can of Testor's...

For brushing small areas with clear, I use the afore-mentioned Testor's acryllics... Also, don't confine yourself to "hobby" brand paints... Look in the craft stores for paints as well... Many of the colors with the "chick-names" are dead-ringers for military colors and cost half as much for twice the amount. 

MusicCity wrote:

Model Master Acrylic Clear Flat, PolyScale Clear Flat, or Tamiya X-21 blended with Future Floor Polish.  All three are acrylic.

I will have to get one of these other brands and use it.  Thanks for the reminder that Tamiya is not the only acrylic supplier.

...2¢:

Poly Scale Brand was my favorite flat overcoat. I'm not sure if it was acrylic, but it behaves like it. My hobby store completely dropped the Poly Scale Brand all together. In it's stead, I bought Micro Sol Brand "Flat Overcoat" and Micro Sol Brand "Gloss Overcoat". I recently used these on my airplane models and they worked teriffic. I mixed each 50/50 and added the same amount of water. I sprayed the mixture with my double action airbrush. The finish came out extremely smooth and dried rock-hard.

I've never used Future Floor Wax... yet...