padre

My Feedback: (8)

I want to tint the canopy on my C-ARF Extra. Any suggestions? Tried and proven methods? My 35% FC came with the canopy tinted. Although my 40% is still on a slow boat from China, I am beginning to plan the project now. I'm open to suggestions.

Thanks

Fletch124

My Feedback: (7)

go to Pep boys or whatever your loval auto shop is called and pick up some tint of your liking, i'm guessing you'll want the smoke of dark smoke. Then from there just read the directions on the back of the box. i would tell you how to do it but that would take to long.

SST

My Feedback: (2)

Try doing a search. There can't be more than 300 times in the last year that someone asked this question...

DBCherry

My Feedback: (4)

Wash the canopy well with dish detergent, then set it in some Rit Dye of the right color. (The Rit should be mixed with warm water.) Take it out periodically to check for how dark it's getting.

Some materials won't take the dye, but most seem to just fine.
Dennis-

sea157

My Feedback: (30)

Why dye it?
Just go to your LHS and get some TesTors Transparent paint in the color of your choice.
Then just spray the inside of the canopy.
If you want it darker just give it another coat or two.
No worry about hot water distorting you canopy.

drobbs

My Feedback: (1)

I've done the Rit route, but don't make the water too hot or leave the canopy in too long. Check it often. Too hot will distort the plastic very quickly and leaving the canopy in the Rit too long will create a very dark color. Test, test and then test some more.

GarySS

My Feedback: (13)

If you have an ARF canopy you might not be able to get it to tint using Rite dye....Great Planes ARF's can't be according to their support staff. The foreign plastic is not condusive to the procedure. I tried the Testor's spray paint method with poor results....a mottled look. Is there a trick to that method? I haven't heard of the auto shop product.

padre

My Feedback: (8)

Thanks for all of the suggestions, guys. I have tried the Testors method also, and had poor results. I tried the Rit dye method once on a Laser canopy, it didn't accept the dye at all. I may go down to the Auto supply and see what they have. Then again, I may just leave it clear.

Thanks again,

nocg

My Feedback: (1)

Is red or blue ok? Look at some spray cans of candy apple paint. It's actually transparent. I used Testor's red on a little UCanDo which is red&white and I think it looks pretty good. Spray the inside with very light coats until it looks right to you.

islandflyer

I also hated results with Testor's at first. But on my last SIG cap 231EX ( I built 4), I had good result:
I poked a pin hole in the can inverted to let the gas out, opened the spray can and poured the paint into my spray gun. Thinned the paint a little with Testor's thinner, and sprayed.
Best result with one wet (but not running!) coat.
I could still see the pilot and instrument panel.

rajul

My Feedback: (58)

Is this safe to do ?

islandflyer

I Just did it outside in the driveway, away from flames and sparks. I imagine that it is no more unsafe than using butane torches.

MerlinL14

When tinting with dye put a cup of vinegar in the water. Don't ask what the vinegar does, all I know is that I have not had a single conopy I can not dye with a cup of vinegar in the water.

padre

My Feedback: (8)

Merlin, this is the kind of help I am looking for. Along with all of the other suggestions and tips, I think I am ready to do some testing. I will cut the canopy out and do some testing on the scraps.

Thanks to all.

compute42

My Feedback: (15)

I bought some spray canopy tint from the LHS and gave that a shot. First try came out WAAAYYYYY to dark with ONE very light coat! DAMN I thought I was up a creek! Used some nail polish remover, and painstakingly removed all of it... (took nearly an hour to get it all)
Figured I'd give it one more shot! first coat, was sooo light I could hardly see it! I ended up doing 3 coats for a nice even tint.. I guess the nail polish on the plastic did something to make it not absorb so much of the tint, anyhow it turned out great, soft even coats, very easy to go back and correct a light area cause it doesn't absorb much.
Of course TEST the nail polish on a scrap piece first!

Good luck
~Andrew

islandflyer

Iyou need to remove Testor's tint, paint thinner works and does no harm to most plastics.