Phil,
I've played around with different products because I'm going 98% electric. I'll keep a gas for the gas.
I wouldn't put a water base chemical like Polycrylic over bare wood. You can put it over dope but not dope over it. I scratch everything I can between coats. I also do the masking tape test.
So, I used a lacquer based wood sealer on the bare wood, just a couple of coats, then I used the polycrylic. No dope over any of this stuff.
Look, I'm taking a different approach. No color dope for me.
I'm going to see what I can get away with using rattle cans over Robert's 540. NAPA's 540 introduced by Robert. As he says, it's great stuff, and it is.
Rattle cans. Sounds funny for a guy that made his living with an airbrush for plenty of years, but I'm looking for simplicity. I'm old, washed up and my time is taken up with tennis.
Roberts 540 over the Polycrylic. I'll sand most of it away. Board it as flat as I can without hitting wood.
When I'm done, "At the end of the day," as they say, I'll finish with a two part auto clear. Said this many times.
FYI, I don't find the Polycrylic heavy.
Just enough clear for a cover and a shine. Done!
I just have to build a model light enough to paint.
Charles