# Window tint



## nx-o1troubles (Jul 20, 2006)

I am working on a car right now and I am trying to do some tricks that would make it look more realistic and yet help hide some of the minor flaws of the interior. For one, I am trying to simulate that blue tint that is at the top of all windshields to shield your eyes from the sun by using a thin layer of clear blue.

Hear are my problems: 

I want to make those defrost lines on the back window, but they have to be thin. Does anyone have anyadvice on how to go about doing that?

Also, I want to actually tint the windows. I dont have any window tint color and I dont want to go out and buy one-I would have to go online and pay for shipping for just one color. Would a very watered down version of gray or black paint work? What do you suggest?


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## falcondesigns (Oct 30, 2002)

Scribe them in with an X-acto blade.Tamiya Smoke is what you need or the clear blue they make.Alexander


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## Gray-headed Art (Aug 16, 2002)

nx-o1troubles said:


> I am working on a car right now and I am trying to do some tricks that would make it look more realistic and yet help hide some of the minor flaws of the interior. For one, I am trying to simulate that blue tint that is at the top of all windshields to shield your eyes from the sun by using a thin layer of clear blue.
> 
> Hear are my problems:
> 
> ...


The defroster lines can be scribed into the inside of the rear glass, but it will be tedious of course. Another option is to check the model railroading suppliers for decal striping--some of that is very thin striping.

As for tinting windshield glass as you describe, check both Scale Auto Magazine and Model Cars Magazine for an aftermarket supplier by the name of "The Detailer". He sells a clear blue-green acrylic paint that is the perfect color for what you want to do--incidently, auto glass isn't water-clear anyway, it's almost always tinted a slight green, blue-green, or green-gray shade.

Art


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## nx-o1troubles (Jul 20, 2006)

Thanks for the help. I do have the bluish stuff to make the top of the windshield blue. But when I refer to tinting the windows, I actually mean shading them completely, making them darker, just like a real car. Did you guys take this into account when you gave your tinting advice? I dont want any confusion.

Thanks though.


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## xsavoie (Jun 29, 1999)

Of course you could test try on a piece of scrap transparent plastic,a small quantity of clear gloss,then mix with it an extremely small amount (fraction of a drop) of a solid color of your choice,if you don't have transparent colors.I wonder if cake icing colorants in this case would be advisable.


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## nx-o1troubles (Jul 20, 2006)

In my experience, however, clear gloss would fog the windows. And all I have is spray, not a bottle.

I will try just a drop of watered down black and see what happens, although I dont expect results.


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## Lou Dalmaso (Jul 13, 2004)

*heres an idea*

have you thought of actually using a piece of window tint? I've seen DIY window tint (which is only really smoked contact film-ish stuff) at walmart and auto parts places. I'm not sure if the scale of the printed dots would be distracting or not, but it might be worth a shot


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## xsavoie (Jun 29, 1999)

What would be the results with FUTURE Acrylic with colorant added to it?Anyone ever tried this.


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## nx-o1troubles (Jul 20, 2006)

What about mixing a tad of clearblue with cleargreen to make a sorta clearbrown, and then adding the drop of the watery gray stuff?


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## Steve244 (Jul 22, 2001)

xsavoie said:


> What would be the results with FUTURE Acrylic with colorant added to it?Anyone ever tried this.


I used this (food coloring in future) to tint clear sheet styrene. The future collected at the edges more thickly creating a darker color along the sides. It's worth a try. If you don't get it right it comes right off with some ammonia.


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## Prince of Styrene II (Feb 28, 2000)

I've heard that tinting Future can work very well. Havn't tried it myself, but I hope to with the pick-up truck model I'm doing.


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## nx-o1troubles (Jul 20, 2006)

I dont own any Future, nor do I know what that is.


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## Griffworks (Jun 24, 2002)

Future is a floor wax that has been a large boon to modelers for decades now. Car modelers use it to get a factory-fresh surface for their paint jobs. A lot of modelers airbrush it on as a clear coat for decaling and then either seal the model w/another coat or two of Future or use some regular dullcoat if that's the direction they wish to take their model instead of a glossy finish.


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