The real experiment begins. I tried thinning the paint. I think I thinned it a bit too much. This is the first coat. It looks rough, but I'm sure it will look better after a few coats. The plan is to build up the coats then sand out the orange peel, and polish the paint. There are a few things that could go wrong here. The paint may not dry, may not sand, or may not polish. This is the heart of the experiment.
Mike, are you using hardener? I always try to use hardener in the acrylic enamel. It helps with the cure, shine, and added protection. With the small stuff, I will even put in my powder coating oven. I have even used hair dryers, heat guns, and the sun. But you are correct, without the aid of heat or hardener you may be fighting an uphill battle. The only other thing is a lengthy cure time. Love your project.