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Window Tint

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  • Member since
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  • From: Ridgeville,South Carolina
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Window Tint
Posted by willy6 on Wednesday, August 7, 2013 7:21 PM
I want to tint the windows in my factory buildings (HO) so I don't have to detail the interiors but have it lit. I'd appreciate any ideas.
Being old is when you didn't loose it, it's that you just can't remember where you put it.
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Posted by Steven S on Wednesday, August 7, 2013 7:36 PM

Guys who build RC airplanes often tint their canopies.  Do a Google search on How to Tint an RC Canopy and you'll get a lot of hits.  Some use Rit dye.

If you have an airbrush, you might try spraying a light coat on the inside of the pane.  It doesn't have to be black.  This pic shows a light green tint.  Several light coats of different colors would probably be best.

ETA: IIRC, spraying something like Dullcote on clear plastic will frost it.

Steve S

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Posted by Javelina on Wednesday, August 7, 2013 8:01 PM

Willy,

Markertek.com sells Roscoe lighting gels for $7.40 a 20" x 24" sheet. They're made to go in front of theatrical lights and can handle heat well. They've got lots of tints. Might work for you.

Lou

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Posted by doctorwayne on Wednesday, August 7, 2013 10:25 PM

Choose a colour (green, white, or grey are suitable for most industrial buildings), then thin it severely, up to 90% or 95% thinner.   Apply it with an airbrush to the interior surface of the "glass", and re-coat as many times as is necessary to get the desired opacity.


Wayne

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Posted by zstripe on Thursday, August 8, 2013 2:42 AM

WILLY6,

I friend of mine,who was a Graphic Designer ,retired now,gave me a roll of Plastic looking acetate,thin film,that you can cut with a pair of scissors,frosted white..I put it in all my buildings that do not have interior,works perfect..Couple dabs of CA and your'e done....I would check Art supply and Graphic art supply stores,,ask for frosted acetate film..I don't have a name for it though,,he gave it to me and asked if I could use it,,,that was 20yrs ago and I still have a lot left..Looks like a roll of wax paper,without the wax.....As a matter of fact,you could try wax paper,,,probably affix it with Walthers Goo....

Cheers,

Frank

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Posted by mobilman44 on Thursday, August 8, 2013 6:04 AM

There was an MR article years ago about building auto kits (for the layout) and they suggested using Testors Sapphire paint for the windows.   I have since done it on autos and passenger cars and a couple of building with positive results.

ENJOY  !

 

Mobilman44

 

Living in southeast Texas, formerly modeling the "postwar" Santa Fe and Illinois Central 

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  • From: Bedford, MA, USA
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Posted by MisterBeasley on Thursday, August 8, 2013 6:31 AM

I've used a couple of different methods.

The easy one is to spray the windows with Dull Coat after glazing.  This will fog them up and prevent anyone from seeing inside the building.

For those large factory windows with many individual panes, I use liquid Canopy Cement as a glazing material.  It goes on white and dries clear.  But, it does not dry flat, but rather takes on a lot of curvature.  This creates a lens effect, like "bullet glass" in old Colonial Era homes.  The glazing appears clear as glass, but you can't focus through it and so the interior is completely hidden.

Neither of these is "tinting," but if the object is to allow you to light the building without having to detail the interior, they work well.

It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse. 

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Posted by Steven S on Thursday, August 8, 2013 9:22 AM

MisterBeasley
I use liquid Canopy Cement

Have you got a name for this stuff?

Steve S

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  • From: Sierra Vista, Arizona
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Posted by cacole on Thursday, August 8, 2013 11:53 AM

I can't locate my bottle of Canopy Cement to provide a brand name, but that's what it is called.  Available at hobby shops that sell radio controlled airplanes.

Weldbond glue, which should be available at any hardware of big box store, seems to be identical to Canopy Cement.

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Posted by MisterBeasley on Thursday, August 8, 2013 8:15 PM

Mine is called "Formula 560 Canopy Glue."  There's a name "Pacer" at the bottom.

It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse. 

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Posted by cowman on Thursday, August 8, 2013 9:14 PM

Testors makes canopy glue also.  It's in a white bottle the same shape as their black bottle of styrene cement.

I've used waxed paper to "even" the lighting in Athearn passenger cars.  'Tain't great, but it works.

Good luck,

Richard

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Posted by dbduck on Sunday, August 11, 2013 2:56 AM

Javelina

Willy,

Markertek.com sells Roscoe lighting gels for $7.40 a 20" x 24" sheet. They're made to go in front of theatrical lights and can handle heat well. They've got lots of tints. Might work for you.

Lou

here is a color chart for Rosco Gel

http://www.theatrehouse.com/category/LightFilterLux.html

 

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Posted by John Busby on Sunday, August 11, 2013 4:11 AM

Hi willy6

Well you could tint the windows

If you go to your local car window tinter they can give you off cuts that are more than big enough for model making purposes.

They can also tell you how to apply the stuff if I remember correctly you only need soapy water to apply it..

regards John 

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