orion1210

Just bought a lovely extra 300L. All the pictures show it with a tinted canopy which really finishes the model off!

Any ideas how to turn a clear canopy into a nice tinted version. I know i could paint it black from the inside but would prefere it to be slightly transparent.

Thanks

DBCherry

My Feedback: (4)

Rit (clothing) Dye. Multiple colors, easy to do.

Clean canopy thoroughly with warm water and dish detergent, dry it, and it doesn't hurt to clean it again with alcohol. Make sure to keep from touching it, the oils from your fingers will show on the tinted canopy.

Mix dye in a bucket of hot water. Bucket should be big enough to hold the full canopy without touching the sides or bottom. Suspend the canopy and leave it. Check it periodically and remove when it reaches the desired color.

SOME materials will not take the dye though, so....
Dennis-

Iflyrc4fun

My Feedback: (132)

Rit dye is what most people use. If you do a search on RCU under "canopy tinting" you will find many many tips and suggestions.

woodbutcher

I've used Testors window tint spray . Tower or the larger Craft stores have it. Light coats and warm the can a little.

Here's the Tower site: http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXHH02&P=7

SST

My Feedback: (2)

Hokey smokes! someone else who refuses to do the Holy hokus-pokus Rit dye routine... I have felt like a voice in the wilderness trying (mostly unsuccessfully) to let these folks know they can do their canopies in about 30 seconds with the Testors, but it seems the arcane science approach is more appealing. Oh well, you and I can chuckle evily as we speedily tint to our heart's content and picture the hit-and-missers peering intently into their magic cauldrons...BWAAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHA!

tatolazo

Hi guys, I do it in a simple way. I went to a art store and buy a little can of paint for glass( for decorartions and vitrals, sorry my english) The first time I used with a airbrush to get a "smoke" effect so you can see to the inside but not to determine what is in the cockpit. I fyou want a 100% shiny and translucent canopy yo should apply it disolved a little with water, drop it inside the canopy and moe it around until the paint cover it all.
Of course you have to clean it up very good before this process.
Hope this can help.
tato

visioneer_one

My Feedback: (506)

I'm with you, brother.

Flat Black Krylon all the way. I don't put pilot figures in my planes anyway.

DBCherry

My Feedback: (4)

Well I put pilots in the cockpit. Painting the canopy black wouldn't work so well.

I haven't tried the Testors because I've heard mixed results. (Guess I shuld try it on some scrap. )
Dennis-

grahamd1

My Feedback: (1)

Orion have a look here

http://www.rcmodelflying.co.uk/forum...;threadid=3709

I've done a bit of testing with Rit, and its great, and the best part is I have some for you if you want

woodbutcher

MORE ON TESTORS

This tint spray isn't like a lot of rattle can paints. It has a slower drying formula to allow the spray to flow out and eliminate orange peal and the dusting(rough) effect. So, as your spraying, keep the coats light and let it dry in between or you'll get runs. Also, clean the canopy with alcohol and let it dry longer than you think it should take to dry.

It's the same principle as spraying laquer on wood. Faster drying, less airborn dust to settle in but greater orange peel potential. Retard the finish, better flow, more airborn dust to settle, less orange peel.

That's why you warm a can of LUSTRECOAT to get a better flow to help eliminate the orange peel and dusting. It allows you to get a "wet" coat with less material and less potential of runs.

DBCherry

My Feedback: (4)

The Rit Dye is beginning to sound MUCH easier.
Dennis-

Ghostrider FIN

Wow! Does normal cloth color work? I cant believe it. :idea: What is best brand to do that canopy tint? I´ll just thinking about tint my sukhoi´s canopy.

I also need to know what is best glue to attach the canopy on to fuselage?

grahamd1

My Feedback: (1)

Sorry to disapoint you, but I spent months (and tons of cash) trying most of the European brands of Dye (inc dylon), none of them work . I also spoke with a very nice lady at Rit, who confirmed also that Rit is not available in Europe . She also told me the chemicals used are not european compliant , so there are no plans to export to Europe. She also stated that in future however people will be able to purchase small quantities via their web site, but this is a future feature.

You need to find someone who is going to the US, and get them to buy as much as they can carry. Rit is available in almost any store in the US that sells washing powder.

Ghostrider FIN

OOPS, thanks to you told me that dylon doesn´t work. I´ll almost go to buy it. Hmm, Rit. Maybe i call my friend because he is working in Dallas to NOKIA corp. And he is coming here in Finland when holiday starts. Maybe i then get some Rit.

scottrc

I've used Testors, Holy Smoke (which is used by train guys, but works good at smoking canopies) and Rit. For the large polypropylene canopies that are used in RC, I prefer the Rit dye method. For me, it is easy (as long as the waters not too hot) and I can use many different colors.

I am interested in what was said about using glass paints. Also, was looking into some acrylics that sign painters are using that create a iridescent finish.

Goku

My Feedback: (3)

I was curious about the glue part...
anyone have experience with this?

rajul

My Feedback: (58)

Why Rit dye ? How about other brands ? Do they work as well ?

Borzak

My Feedback: (2)

Go to an Automotive parts store - you can get a WHOLE roll of real tint in several shades for like $5.00 - $10.00 that will last your entire career.

SST

My Feedback: (2)

As for glue, I like clear silicone caulk, or I buy GOOP. If I need to remove the canopy later, it just peels off so I can re-attach without residue from the previous attachment.

tmpowers

You can also use thick odorless CA and accelerator for most plastic canopies. Just apply the CA to the contacting edge of the canopy position it where you want it and then spray the edges with accelerator. Try it on some scrap first to make sure it won't dissolve your dye or paint. I've had good luck with it.

I've also used automotive tint on the inside of a couple of flat-sided canopies. Many of the cheaper brands can be heated slightly with a heat gun and stretched over the outside of a curved canopy but it's usually nearly impossible to get it to conform to the inside of a curved canopy. Good Luck

Frag

Just so people will know, a Lanier RC Shrike .40 size canopy will tint with Rit dye. The canopy did warp a bit though. I was able to hold it in the right shape while glueing the edges down. I had previously tried hot tap water but that evidently wasn't hot enough. I put the container over the stove top until I couldn't put my finger in the solution (HOT!) Then put the canopy in for a few seconds at a time. It turned out nice and smokey-but a bit warped. I tried the same batch of dye on my Modeltech Magic Extra 300 and got no tinting at all.

Flyer Freq

I'm frustrated by the pactra and testors tint method. I have two cans, and both spit globs of tint. Never have gotten a good finish this way. I know of others who have had the same problem. I have shaken the cans til my arm fell off, and warmed them, same bad results. Thank goodness it comes off with rubbing alcohol. Any tips on what is going wrong???

Forgues Research

My Feedback: (7)

I've been using Testors Transparent spray paint and it has worked great for me. Here is my old Extra

Roger

balsa1

I have used rits dye for years but some plastics are hard than others to dye but unlike many of the replys I see I only dye the inside ( you have to dye many before they are trimed. that way you don;t get the scraches that you do when cleaning up etc.

Flyer Freq

Roger: I can see why you are happy with the results from the Testors. The blue looks real nice! Have you tried the smoked tint? I tried the Rit die over the weekend and was successful, not quite as dark as I wanted, but acceptable. It does make quite a mess though!

Andy