[mike99]

Hi All
I was wondering if anyone had any tips or tricks to tint windows. The windows in question are already installed in an arf I am going to assemble, but I will take them out if need be. I would rather leave them in. Any Ideas???
Cheers............Mikee

[Mike Biedul]

I don't have personal experience - yet - but will be following the directions for tinting the canopy of a big ARF I'm fitting out. It is PET material. I don't know what that stands for, but it is that soft (and very easily scratched) clear material. I tried using RIT dye, but this material is not taking it up - some plastics do very well and you see that often with sailplanes having the canopy tinted to match the monocoat, using plain old fabric dye. Anyway, that did not work for me so I will just quote the manual for the ARF. "If you wish you can tint the inside of the canopy using one of the aerosol spray paints used for painting the inside of polycarbonate car bodies (eg: Tamiya or Lexanit ranges). Use many very light coats to get even coverage." Hope that helps; you should be able to mask with tape using that method. Probably would not hurt to ask around the hobby shop with the R/C car guys. I'm hoping one of these paints is transparant and only adds a tint, but I don't know that for sure yet. -Mike

[wheelman]

Yes! definatly lightly scuff the part with about 600 or finer paper and spray from the inside using paint designed for polycarb. r/c/ car bodys. There is a great selection of colors and if done this way the finish will not ever get scratched as it is painted from the inside. The other great thing is the finish will be very smooth and shiney because the plastic acts as the "clear coat" Don't worry you won't be able to see the scratches from the sandpaper at all!

[Mike Biedul]

Wheelman: Have you used the "transparant" Tamiya paints? I'm going to try Tamiya PS-42 transparant yellow on my canopy. Will the scuffed up method you suggest affect the evenness (if that's an actual English word) of the coating, or should I not scuff it up with sandpaper when using the transparant colours? -Mike

[wheelman]

I would not scuff the plastic with the transparent or metallic colors. You'll then be able to see the scratches. The scuffing is really not totally necessary but when using solid colors it's a good idea just for the "mechanical" adhesion. Those paints (for lexan car bodies) are specially formulated for good "chemichal" adhesion anyway.

[Frenchman]

Mike

Take a boo at the link. It could help


https://www.rccanada.ca/bb/viewtopic....ghlight=#28596

[mike99]

Hey guys, thanks for all the input. I purchased a can of the spray tint. It does work well. First coat looks as if you didn't do anything, but after the next couple, you can see the tint.
Cheers..........Mikee

[eagle2flyer]

post some pics please...would luike to tint cessnas windows

[Mike Biedul]

Not too happy with the Tamiya tinting paints on a giant scale canopy. I used their TINT ( PS-42 yelloiw) for a yellow tint and it became an opague yellow with a definite texture. I was after a clear tint: not what I got. I'll try the RIT dye method again, with higher temperature and more patience. But this is not what I was after. It is truely opague. It's a nice effect, if that's what you want, A couple of photos here to illustrate.

[Mike Biedul]

another view