Pactra 'Namel Clear Flat Compatiblity with Lacquer/Acrylics

[sequoiaranger]

Long title, I know. Long post, too, I suppose, but relevant.

This is a partial repeat of another thread elsewhere, but it is more appropriate here. The original "problem" was that I used to LOVE the effect of Pactra 'Namel Clear Flat. It did a WONDERFUL job of flattening the gloss coat inevitably used to facilitate decal-ling on military aircraft. I had noticed, however (and I'm sure years have also "yellowed" it) that the model took on a "beige" cast that, among other things, made touch-ups with the original paints way too obvious. Pactra Clear Gloss *AND* Clear Flat were both slightly brownish in the bottle (came that way---not some sort of deterioration), so I guess the typical four layers (two gloss and two flat) in the process of decal-ling tinted the model beige.

On the last four models (the first after a decades-long hiatus) I have used acrylic gloss and flat, but have not had very satisfactory results for either gloss OR flat. Certainly not as *FLAT* as Pactra 'Namel, my old standby. I consider "glossing" an essential part of the overall finish, as decals snuggle down to a shiny, smooth surface better, and it prevents (or at least discourages) "silvering" of decals. But ya GOTTA get the shine off, IMHO.

I was turned onto "Alclad Clear Lacquer" as a good gloss, and indeed it was. However, I know that lacquer and enamel don't mix, and in fact adversely react. My latest creation, the "Globrey Blordiator" was painted in Floquil Lacquers and now had a lacquer clear gloss coat over that for decals. There was NO WAY I was going to chance mucking up all that work with paint incompatibility. What to do?

I had wondered if an acrylic coat between lacquers and enamels would form a decent "barrier" and eliminate interaction, so I experimented.

Though I haven't yet put my experimental results to work on my Blordiator, my test-bed for paint compatibility has me less worried. I sprayed both wings of a painting-dummy aircraft with the Floquil colors (lacquer) and "Alclad II Lacquer Clear Base" as applied to my Blordiator. I then painted one wing with "Tamiya X-22 Acrylic Clear" and didn't paint the other. I then applied thinned "Pactra 'Namel Clear Flat" enamel over both wings, spraying heavily to see if any interaction took place.

When I was done and they dried, they both looked the same. There was no "interaction" between the acrylic and the lacquer, nor the enamel and the acrylic on the one side, nor the enamel and lacquer on the other side. WHEW! I guess one of the secrets is PATIENCE to allow everything to dry completely (well, DUH!).

I was fearful that the complicated and time-consuming "harbor" camo on my Blordiator would be fouled up by interaction between the "incompatible" paints, but that seems not the case. I am going to coat my Blordiator with the clear acrylic prior to application of the enamel flat just in case. It also will be an additional layer that will help blur the edges of my "thick" homemade decals. A win-win.

I am hoping that the "beige" cast to previous use of Pactra Gloss and Pactra Flat was due to BOTH of them being slightly brown in the bottle, and the standard four layers (two gloss prior to decal application and two flat afterwards) compounded the tinting. I think that the truly clear gloss coats I have applied so far will limit the "beige"-ing (not to be confused with the capital of China) when I use the Pactra Flat.

I'll let you know.