Drying Gloss Topcoat

Sounds like you sprayed your model on one heavy coat. Clearcoats should be done in several light coats, not one heavy coat. I've never had problems spraying gloss clearcoats using rattle can spray paint.

There are two types (actually more) of gloss topcoats.  Testors does make both enamel and lacquer gloss overcoats.  If you need to dry it, you may have gotten an enamel version.  They do take a long time to dry. I find even fairly thick coats of the lacquer clear coats dry in an hour or two.

ok. Now I'm really confused. All these years...I thought lacquer WAS enamel...and acrylic...was....acrylic. (I'm talking strictly about topcoats here. Not paint.)

so...who makes a good acrylic lacquer then...in a spray bomb?

(I've LONG since given up on PFM.)

Thanks!

Lacquer and enamels are definitely different stuff.  What makes it worse today, is that there are acrylic lacquers and acrylic enamels today.  It is all in the chemistry.

If I have this right, lacquers dry by the evaporation of the thinner, enamels are more of a complex chemistry that hardens, I believe, by contact with air.

Keep in mind, lacquer is hotter than enamel chemical-wise. 

BlackSheepTwoOneFour

Keep in mind, lacquer is hotter than enamel chemical-wise. 

 

Indeed!  Don't try to pour lacquer thinner into plastic cups or jars.  Even ones that work for paint thinner will dissolve in lacquer thinner.  And it is hard on your hands and fingers, too! If you have tiny cuts from the X-acto that you had not noticed yet, you'll find them immediately if you get your fingers wet in lacquer thinner :-(