Just  FYI for those of us who use two-part auto clear, it's Nason for me, I also had this problem once.  I now mist (or dust) on at least three coats with 5 minutes or more in between.  For multiple coats of the death paint it needs to go tacky before the next coat, as I'm sure you all know, so I let the mist coat do the same before hitting it again.
Sorry for all your hard work needing to be done again, Pardner.

I build guitars and I use Krylon clear as a fixative over delicate details, which will be subsequently clear coated with lacquer. Here's a hand painted example on a headstock. I think Krylon would work well to protect ink lines.

 I have tried Krylon with fuel, 10%, and it doesn't even come close to being fuel proof.  The best clear I have found is the death paint clear, and that is what I have used on my custom guitars for the past five years with no problems from any customers.  I like it for the instruments because it meets the requirement of flexing with the wood expanding/shrinking.  I like it better than nitro-cellulose lacquer because I don't have to wait 6 weeks before I sand and buff it!  (That caused me no end of impatient clients waiting for their instruments!)
But...I still had that one time where I should have misted it on the ink lines before the first medium coat.

By the way Dennis, I love your Yosemite Sam!  Had that one on my old Ruffy years ago - he's sort of a hero for me!  Are you building mostly acoustic, or electric, or both?

Guys, I use Krylon crystal clear rattle can only as a fixative so additional clear coats of lacquer (or fuel proof paint) don't eat the art work or panel lines. I doubt that Krylon is fuel proof and Will has confirmed that. My "Sammy" guitar had 6 coats of lacquer before the artwork was done followed by another 6 coats of lacquer on top of the art work. I previously found that acrylic paint crinkles up when over sprayed without using Krylon for protection.

Will, I've built three acoustic guitar, a "Fibson" J-185 for myself, a "Martini" OM28V for my son, and a Dobro (Sammy) for myself. You can see & hear them at:
http://www.youtube.com/user/Kneelingpad/videos

Charles I paint my guitars myself in the garage during the summer using nitrocellulose rattle cans. Many coats are applied, then wet sanded flat before buffing the finish to a gloss. Yosemite Sam was painted for me by my daughter who is an artist. She informed me that it was the most difficult painting she has ever done and her detail work is absolutely beautiful.

Will, I buy Behlin lacquer and vinyl sealer from Grizzly.com. The rattle cans work so good for me that I don't bother to use my spray equipment. I use ZPOXY finishing resin to fill the pores of the sides and back.

Yes, my daughter is a super talented artist with an exceptional eye for detail. I wish I could say she inherited her talent from me but that is not the case. She does miniature paintings with detail that is hard to believe. She also painted the Roses on my Gibson Jumbo.

WOW!

Surrounded by talent. Wack-a-doo!! (means kudos.) 

Not sure rattle can lacquer would be fuel proof?

The thing is, all base colors have to stick to each other and not lift. Plus, this is in my case because I will finish the model in a two part auto clear coat, the clear cannot attack any base colors.

I will use all rattle cans on the FS. See how it turns out.

BTW. There's a auto two part clear that sets in 15 minutes.


In the case of those 12 coats of lacquer, not sure this is necessary any longer? Could be a long conversation about that.