NOTES FROM OUR TECH DEPARTMENT

This is a replacement Canopy for the U-CAN-DO 3D ARF.

FEATURES: Clear lexan that can be tinted using various techniques.<<<<<<got this from tower hobbies....


*** sooo, does anyone know any of these various tinting techniques??? i'd be very interested in learning how to do this!
thanks!!!
-kevin

The majority of people who tint their canopies do it using RIT Dye. They heat up water and dissolve a couple of packs and submerge the canopy. I've never done it myself but there are plenty of posts here in RCU which cover the subject thoroughly. It always seems that the color of the dye will result in a different color on the canopy when the job is done. Its recommended to experiment on a spare piece of the canopy's plastic to make sure it tints just the right shade you're looking for. You have to be very careful with the water's temperature because it can warp the canopy and render it useless.

Some of the new canopy plastics don't take the dye and some will. If you pull up a search right here or go back about two pages you will find a pretty good thread on it. Todays plastics sometimes need some other stuff tossed into the dye pot but you can get most of them to take it. My old ones would only need about 15 minutes to tint up with the ritt but today it usually takes a bit longer, the results are well worth the effort though. And after all these years of doing it I finally destroyed one, I had it in the pot when I turned on the burner and the stove heat rolled it up like a scroll, heat the water then drop in the canopy!!![:@]

I have done this on some of my planes. I did use the Rit. Mixed two colors together to get the desired effect. I used a large steel canning pot and kept the temp at approx. 125*. I would take the piece out about every 10-15 min to check the density. Don't want to get it much hotter than that. Some post that I've seen put some salt in the water. I did not do that. You also want to wash with soap and water the canopy before you put it in the dye. Try to keep your fingers off of it because the oil on your hands will affect the outcome. I wanted a bronze color so I used one package of orange and about 1/2 bottle of dark brown. Came out just the way I wanted it. Look at the post tinting a canopy I think you will see the picture of the outcome.

And that was the thread I was thinking of, his canopy really came out well!!!!!!

I use Pactra spray tint on the inside, several very, very light coats.

RIT will do nothing to Lexan. You will have to paint.

does anyone know what the canopy of the CG Tiger 60 kit is made of and will it accept the Dye?

I'm a couple weeks away from that step but I know I dont want a clear canopy.

I have done that canopy. Look at the post "tinting a canopy" It came out very good. I used sunshine orange[8D][8D] - 1 pkg and 1/2 bottle dark brown it came out a bronze color. Water temp approx 130-135*[:@]

try tinting a canopy, shows the tiger 60 in a bronze color. Gives the instructions as to amount of water, amount of dye and temp. Hope this helps