Help: vinyl tires & clear

I need to add some decals to some vinyl tires. I have had bad luck with spraying clear (Krylon) over them to seal the decal down due to the tires being vinyl. (turns them shiny, gummy & sticky) I would like to have a dull finish...can anyone make any recommendations?

Thanks!!

I use a mix of Future and Tamiya flat base. Of course any water-based acrylic flat or semi-gloss will do. I have never tried lacquer on vinyl. Perhaps the solvent turns vinyl gummy?

For vinyl tires, you either have to use an acrylic clear, or a lacquer clear. If you use an enamel clear, it will never dry completely.

Ive had good luck w/ Testors Lacqure flat clear when doing tires for my Nascar race car models.

My method works pretty well. I first use a Q-Tip and apply a coat of Future to the sidewall. Then I apply the decal and let dry. I then brush on a coat of Polly Scale clear flat(shown below) and sometimes a second coat. Brushed properly with a good brush shows no brush marks. I think the white decals are a little to clean and bright so I tone them down with some graphite powder(made by sanding a pencil)and applying it with a Q-tip over top of all.
http://img37.picoodle.com/i53a/935k3/grq4_050_u9fk1.jpg
http://www.micromark.com/RS/SR/Product/81260_L.jpg

I use microscale decal film. I brush it on and i works like a charm. Had no problems with so far and the finish is dull.

Lesley

Thanks for the tips!! Now I just need to find some of these items. Local craft store doesn't carry any water based flat clear...
So a lacquer will dry OK over the vinyl? Is Testors dull cote a lacquer?

I believe that both the spray can and the square bottle are lacquers

Rattle Can
http://www.scalehobbyist.com/catagories/Paint_and_Construction/TES00001260/product.php

Bottle
http://shop.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&P=WR&I=LXHM69

Just to verify, lacquer will cure over the vinyl tires?

Yes, lacquer works just fine on tires.

Not the best picture, but the best I could find in my pic albums. The tires on this car were done w/ Lacquer. Gloss clear the tire, put down any decals you need, and then flat clear the tire, and it looks excellent.

http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh218/RangerMach1/Models/Nascar/JG%20Cent%20Flight/P3140015.jpg