Probably blush -- happens when there is water in the lacquer that does not have time to evaporate out before the lacquer dries. Quite common in humid and chilly environments. The usual cure for this is a blush eliminator -- essentially a slow drying lacquer thinner that re-dissolves the lacquer and allows the moisture to escape.

Most of the touch up companies, Mohawk, Guardsman, Behlen, Wood FInisher's Depot make such a product. You can find it online or sometimes at a good paint store (not a big box or chain).

https://shop.guardsman.com/guardsman/store/productDetail.html?productId=5416

http://www.mohawk-finishing.com/catalog_browse.asp?ictNbr=256

Once more uncle bob nailed it. That's one of many reasons why spray gun application can save the day. Useing correct thinner for weather prevent's blush,application of slow thinner over blush cure's it. Even a $300 HVLP rig can serve well in a home shop while using less paint, cutting overspray and reducing vapors in the air.

I would use high gloss enamel to avoid the problems with lacquer fogging.

humidity/ moisture is the biggest culprit in the milking of laquer. surface temperature is important to maintain as well as consistent temperature for the materials. Laquer does not play as well in colder humid temps

I bought the blush eliminator but have not yet used it.

After the fogging issue happened, I tried high gloss enamel on one of the fogged pieces. I did not like it nearly as much. You'd think gloss and gloss would look alike, they don't. It didn't have the perfect glass-flat texture of the lacquer.

So now I need to respray that panel with lacquer again. (assuming I can use lacquer over enamel) When I can, that is, which may be a long time. It being winter now, I hate to postpone this project til spring: but that may be all I can do.

Just getting back to this project NOW, after a summer where I was working out of town too much to do it while it was warm. At least its just October, and not late November. I can still hope for Indian Summer to arrive. Oh, well. Too many interrupted projects....

4 part follow-up questions:

I DID buy the blush eliminator, so will use that on the pieces where I didn't try other products over the lacquer.

1) Or should I just reapply the lacquer, over the fogged lacquer from last fall, assuming I get a warm day?

2) What outdoor temperature am I aiming for? It's supposed to be 57 degrees on Thursday. I will still have to do this in the open garage. But will keep the can and the wood pieces indoors and bring them out one by one.

3) Does the blush eliminator have a different application temperature range than the lacquer?

4) Can I re-apply the lacquer over the piece where I tried the gloss enamel? Or are they not compatible?

Thanks again.

#1-2&3 I defer to bobsmyuncle's last post. #4 Absolutly not, lacquer will wrinkle enamel.

Thanks! So, don't reapply lacquer, use blush eliminator. I went through my notes from last fall and had not written anything down about temperature for use of the blush eliminator.

The piece with the gloss enamel I'll just use at the most concealed position.

You began by asking why the finish look's cloudy and got the answer. Variables are so great from location to location and shop to shop that one size fit's all aplication details are impossible. If you state the exact temperature,humidity,gun specs and lacquer base you are using,someone might be willing to look up thinner and additive reccomendations and relay them to you. The key to avoiding(cureing in your case) blush is using the correct speed thinner. Using slow in cold weather dry's too slow and cause's other problems. Fast in hot weather will dry before having time to level out. People have written books over this,all the answers can't be given to you in a few sentences here. Read the directions on containers.

As I said in my original post, "I am using cans of lacquer, not a professional spray gun. " So I can't change the thinner or the mix. Using spray lacquer for this single project is probably a one off. So I appreciate the expert advice. I've learned a lot of things over the years with using various brush on finishes, but none of that was useful in this case.