Model Master 2 part spray lacquer?

[trackbound]

Finally making a comeback to the hobby after a 2 year lay off. I picked up with a project that I started several years ago and plan on painting it with a satin style finish. I have read the comments that the MM 2 part lacquer spray paint "needs" the clear coat. What am I risking by not using the clear coat. I would think the base coat alone would give me the satin look I am looking for.

[martinfan5]

Finally making a comeback to the hobby after a 2 year lay off. I picked up with a project that I started several years ago and plan on painting it with a satin style finish. I have read the comments that the MM 2 part lacquer spray paint "needs" the clear coat. What am I risking by not using the clear coat. I would think the base coat alone would give me the satin look I am looking for.

It depends on the color, I use MM lacquer a lot, and some colors stay glossy, and some dont, and some have a semi gloss shine to it, but of course not you dont have to clear coat,

[Ace-Garageguy]

Because model cars typically live indoors, not applying the clear probably isn't the absolute no-no that it is on 1:1 basecoats. Assuming you don't want the gloss or additional protection the clear is designed to provide (in my experience, some of the basecoats seem very soft if not cleared) the only possible long-term problem MIGHT be color-fastness if the model is in a sunny room. Automotive clears contain a UV inhibitor to slow the fading of colors in sunlight. I don't know if any of the model clears contain UV inhibition, but it might be worth researching.

[Draggon]

Jonathan is correct. I sprayed some dark cherry pearl, it was very close to glossy and looked more to scale that those "dipped in future" jobs. The dark bronze metallic and honduras maroon were definitely satin leaning towards semi-gloss.

[Art Anderson]

Finally making a comeback to the hobby after a 2 year lay off. I picked up with a project that I started several years ago and plan on painting it with a satin style finish. I have read the comments that the MM 2 part lacquer spray paint "needs" the clear coat. What am I risking by not using the clear coat. I would think the base coat alone would give me the satin look I am looking for.

For whatever reason, Testors, when formulating their Model Master spray lacquers, went to a "base coat/clear coat" system, which is the way most real cars are painted nowadays. Without the clear coat, most of their MM lacquer colors do not have a ready shine to them, and in the case of metallics, polishing out without the clear coat will expose some of the metallic chip, which will alter the color considerably.

Art