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Airbrushing lacquer over acrylic

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  • Member since
    December 2017
Airbrushing lacquer over acrylic
Posted by KyleBragger on Wednesday, December 6, 2017 7:21 PM

I just screwed up a paint job by airbrushing Tamiya acrylics, thinned with their acrylic thinner, waiting for that to dry (overnight), then spraying a lacquer-based clear coat (thinned with Tamiya's lacquer thinner.)

The lacquer coat stripped off portions of the acrylic. I was under the impression it would be safe to mix paint types so long as they were dry. Did I not wait long enough for the acrylic to dry? Or is lacquer on acrylic a no-no? (I also have some oil paints and odorless thinner for washes, which I'm now second-guessing may be a bad idea if applied to acrylic as well...)

Also, in case it's important, both were sprayed around 16 PSI and properly thinned.

  • Member since
    July 2012
  • From: Douglas AZ
Posted by littletimmy on Wednesday, December 6, 2017 8:38 PM

It's been my experience that laquer over acrylic is a "BAD" idea.

HOWEVER... I believe you CAN spray acrylic over laquer.

 Dont worry about the thumbprint, paint it Rust , and call it "Battle Damage"

  • Member since
    January 2017
Posted by damouav on Wednesday, December 6, 2017 10:53 PM

I've AB Mr. Paint on a recent build, left it for several weeks, then spray Mr. Paint Clear Coat prior to decal and it bubbled the paint! The same brand caused this, I will test and try Tamiya X-22 cut with laquer thinners to see if I get a better result.

You can never tell.

In Progress
1/48 Tamiya P47-D Bubbletop
1/48 Hobby Boss TBF-1C Avenger (on hold)
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  • Member since
    November 2009
  • From: Twin Cities of Minnesota
Posted by Don Stauffer on Thursday, December 7, 2017 8:52 AM

I have been amazed at how well Testors lacquer clearcoats in the rattle cans work over many different kinds of paint.  By many rules of thumb, they shouldn't, but they seem to anyway.

Don Stauffer in Minnesota

  • Member since
    December 2017
Posted by KyleBragger on Thursday, December 7, 2017 8:55 AM

Thanks for all the replies. Maybe it was just a fluke, or perhaps the acrylic wasn't fully cured...

Odorless spirits (for oil washes) in theory should be alright on acrylic, though. Right? (Assuming it's dry, of course. :-)

  • Member since
    December 2017
Posted by KyleBragger on Friday, December 8, 2017 9:23 AM

Actually, something else comes to mind: does anyone know if using lacquer vs. acrylic thinner with, say, Tamiya "acrylics" makes a difference in terms of what can be sprayed on top? i.e. if you thin an acrylic with lacquer thinner, and let it try completely, is spraying a coat of actual lacquer paint (and thinner) on top going to have the same disasterous effect?

  • Member since
    November 2008
  • From: Central Florida
Posted by plasticjunkie on Saturday, December 9, 2017 6:23 AM

I just sprayed Testors Dullcoat Lacquer over Tamiya Acrylics on my Val and looks great. I have never had an issue spraying lacquer over Acrylics. 

 GIFMaker.org_jy_Ayj_O

 

 

Too many models to build, not enough time in a lifetime!!

  • Member since
    May 2013
  • From: Indiana, USA
Posted by Greg on Saturday, December 9, 2017 12:37 PM

plasticjunkie

I just sprayed Testors Dullcoat Lacquer over Tamiya Acrylics on my Val and looks great. I have never had an issue spraying lacquer over Acrylics. 

 

My experience has been same as Ernie's. Knock wood, I've never had an issue coating a dissimilar paint or clearcoat over another.

That said, I do not believe that overnight is adequate cure time for the acrylic coat. If unsure, I usually go 72 hrs min.

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