Problems with enamels after years using lacquers

enamels are a lot thicker. i use to be an acrylic guy but now use both acrylic and enamel. i had an over spray problem also and wasn't use to the slow drying. i kept testing,testing,and testing. i thin them at about 50/50 depending because each bottle has a different consistency. i spray at around 12 to 15 psi depending. i spray back and forth with light coat and build it up. you want to make sure it's not to thick or to thin. being thick will cause it to be well thick and not cure or dry properly. to thin will cause it to run unless spraying at a very low pressure.

what pressure are you spraying at?

Are you spraying gloss or flat paints? If you are talking about gloss, I find that generally, gloss paints take longer to cure and harden (than flats) and are often dry, though somewhat tacky for a considerable length of time.

These are flats.  I did thin them quite a bit (sort of experimentally.  I did test sprays on a piece of plastic.  If the spray seemed coarse I added thinner until it smoothed out...  Spraying at about 15PSI I think.  I think each coat went on quite nicely, nice and smooth, but over the course of a week or so due to tweaks I was making to the color mixture and so on, it just built up into a bunch of coats, possibly too many.  Or maybe I just need to wait longer, I'm not sure...  I have heard that it takes enamels a good couple of weeks to fully cure - so I guess it could just be a matter of waiting longer...  Though I'd like to get masking done on the parts that need it before then, if I can get away with it.  :)

im still learning enamels as well.

Maybe the problem is the kit material.  I once worked on a resin figure on which no kind of paint would dry.  I tried acrylics, enamel, and laquers, stripping off each coat before trying another.  I finally concluded it was because I soaked the model parts in alcohol to clean the mold release compound.  I think the alcohol bath ruined the resin for paint adhesion.  Sadly, I gave up and threw out the nice model.  Since then, I use only dishwashing detergent and water to clean the parts.

I think you're spraying too heavy. Enamel takes a WHILE to dry/cure. Some builders use a food dehydrator to cure their enamel paint jobs-say it works overnight.

Did you use enamel thinner? Basic old laquer thinner is better. Start with a ratio of 2 paint/1thinner.

Mist these coats around 20psi.

Worst case on your current project= soak in brake fluid.

The best way I have found is that I use Model Master Enamel and mixed with Testors enamel thinner, close to a 50/50 mix but its all eye balled... I use a glass bottle to make the mixture and when you shake it, it should be the consistency of about 2% milk... no problems with it and as always spray on scrap first.

I think the paint has firmed up a bit.  That's a relief.  I'll probably let it sit around untouched for a while longer just to be sure, though.