canopy dye / tint / dyeing

[Graham Chadwick]

Had a go at canopy tinting using “Rit Dye” and thought I would pass on my experience to try to help others. I have dyed a canopy for my Acro Wot.

I used the powder; it mixed very easily using a small amount of water at 60 degrees C then toped up with enough to cover my pre washed canopy. I tested with an off cut of canopy in water of this temp and found no distortion. I then submerged the canopy for 30 minuets. On removal using a wooden peg there appeared to be no discernable tint, so re immersed. Two hours later there did appear to be a very slight tint so re heated solution –canopy in the microwave. Ended up leaving over night 18 hrs in total. I used a “Dutch Oven” method made from paper and tea towels to keep the heat in, and this worked very well.

Conclusions.

The canopy has tinted but not as much as I would like. I believe this could have been because I used lemon yellow. Darker colours I’m shore would give more tint.

The canopy has just distorted a little bit (tiny increase in curvature), it will fit and no one will ever see it. Next time I will dye first then trim not the other way round as I did.

In short a limited success that was probably worth the effort but will do better next time. See my pictures in my gallery and make up your own mind.

[Lee Smalley]

why not just buy a can of spray paint from the RC car boys (they do all sorts of colours inc tints) de grease the inside of the canopy and then just spray, lot less messing about

[Graham Chadwick]

Yes I think you might be right, but have never used these spray tints. I thought this would give a more even finish that would be more durable. Also did not expect it to take this long

[Lee Smalley]

No light coats of the spray will give a great even finish

[Jon Laughton]

If you want an non see through (opaque) but good looking canopy, very lightly abraid the inside surface, clean, apply permanent black marker ink (using a new chisel tip marker is best) to the abraded surface then paint over with humbrol silver.

As the marker creates striations that are not even in the desity of the black colour applied this 'mixes' in withm the silver enamel to create a slightly 'textured effect' that is quite appealing and also unusual. Viewed from outside it looks professional....kind of composite looking

[robert chamberlain]

I too have tried Rit dye. Apparently, there is more than one type of canopy material. On my Super Sportster, I soaked the canopy for about an hour in Rit and warm water and it came out great. Just do not boil it. On the other hand, I tried to tint the canopy on a new sailplane and, no matter how long I soaked it,nothing happened! No color change whatsoever. ----------Bob C

[Engine Doctor]

If you use the paint option do be careful to use a paint intended for use on plastic like the type used on car body shells . I sprayed the inside of a canopy on my Kyosho Majestic with clear acrylic auto paint to fix some glitter making a union jack glitter finish . Results were brilliant but about  two years later after many many flights the model was blown over by a powerful gust of wind and the canopy shattered like an egg shell ! The plastic had been completely de-natured and changed from a tough bendy material to a brittle weak subtance . I also had a similar experience with some flair vintage wheels that had been painted with Solarlac Silver . Again fine for a while then broke into loads of bits on a normal landing .

Edited By Engine Doctor on 03/04/2013 16:06:15

[Phil 9]

Posted by Jon Laughton on 22/02/2012 06:35:43:

If you want an non see through (opaque) but good looking canopy, very lightly abraid the inside surface, clean, apply permanent black marker ink (using a new chisel tip marker is best) to the abraded surface then paint over with humbrol silver.

As the marker creates striations that are not even in the desity of the black colour applied this 'mixes' in withm the silver enamel to create a slightly 'textured effect' that is quite appealing and also unusual. Viewed from outside it looks professional....kind of composite looking

sounds good. Do you have a photo of an example

[Chris Boyce]

Flying Plastic Bottles

In my country we have soft drink bottles ranging in colours see through brown, green and clear, not what you are asking but an alternative that may help.Over the years I have modeled with very little money and to that end I have found, used and scavenged any materials to attain an end result.

One of the latest objects I have found is the soft drink bottle, while looking at the base of a bottle and envisaging it as an engine nacelle or an engine cowl for a round motor I commenced to cut it to length and shape when I attempted to match it to the diameter of the fuselage it was so close to the diameter all I needed to do was warm it up and stretch the plastics over the edge and pin it into place. Using a hair dryer I found the bottle began to shrink in diameter … It didn’t work but later I thought about it and found if I carved a plug the shape of a canopy when forced inside the bottle and packed it from underneath so that the plug was tight on one side of the bottle and the packing was no greater in width than the base of the canopy, when the heat was applied the bottle shrunk and pulled down over the plug and gave a perfect reproduction of the plug, all that was needed was a trim around the base.

Later I found if the complete front of a glider from the wing cradle forward was carved several soft drink or cooking oil bottles with their necks and bases cut off could be slid over the plug and heated, as each bottle shrunk the next was slid into place with an over lap of 3/16 “ each segment would locate on each other, when all were heated and locked onto the plug a cut with a box knife from end to end underneath, the parts could be sprung off the plug reassembly by clipping each together and a strip of thin ply the length of the knife cut fixed to each of the segments. I used a staple gun, which shot through the plastic and into the ply. The ply was used to mount the radio gear and to fix the front section to the fuselage, the plastic forward of the radio will remain in place if just clipped on and dispense with the ply backbone as this will break if you hit hard enough. A nose shape was carved from a piece of pine and forced down the first plastic segment and fixed in place by the staple gun. I found that the plastic bottle fuselage was more durably than the other material used as it would bend and buckle on impact but would pop back out again ready for use. Oh! I haven’t spent much time honing my flying skills so my planes need to be resilient NOT pretty butworked and not heavy, Try breaking a soft drink bottle there is not a lot of selection in colours but if painted the plastic looks good. I can post picture of the method if you are interested.

[Andy Mc]

I've always had great success with Tamiya "smoke" spray, gives great tinted canopies, and a can will do a few canopies.

Spray it using light "dusting" coats, 2 or 3 coats will give a good tint that can still be seen through (I use a Voltspy inside the cockpit).

 

Edited By Andy Mc on 14/04/2013 15:58:43

[Jon Laughton]

Phil 9

Photo example as requested

[Douglas Wheelhouse 1]

Thanks to everyone for your replies, think i will try the Tamiya car body spray, will post my results.

Cheers