Gypsy56

I've always heard that you could tint canopies with Rit dye. Well, after two days in the dye, it's still crystal clear.
Did I miss something? Do you have to use some sort of additive to make it absorb the dye?


Thanks
Ed

gene6029

Did you try warming the water & adding some vinigar? This works for me, however dont get the water too hot to distort the plastic.....Gene

cfircav8r

My Feedback: (1)

Generally you have to boil it to get it to tint plastics. This always worked with nylon, but I have never tried it with the clear plastics. The problem is, I would think that boiling them would distort the plastic, as high temps are used to vacu-form canopies. The best way I found to tint clear plastics is with the candy colored spray paints.

AH1G

Rit Dye works just fine. Boil it then let is SLIGHTLY before emersing the plastic in it. Short emersions work well, tinting to the desired shade. Tint before timming to the desired shade and it will help retain the shape.
I've never found that any additive is needed.
In thirty + years it's worked for me, I still have a sailplane from the seventies that has not lost it's color.

Brian

Gypsy56

I didn't boil the water for fear of melting or distorting the plastic, but I did use full hot tap water (too hot for my hands).
It was immersed for two full days and one night with absolutely no sign of tint.
If it makes any difference, the canopy is from a GreatPlanes Super Sportster. I didn't want to paint it because I've detailed the cockpit, but I sure wanted a nice medium to dark tint. I did add a very small amount of vinegar (maybe half of a capfull). Should I have used more?
Any more ideas?

Thanks again
Ed

proptop

My Feedback: (8)

Some types of plastic just don't take the tint...
I've run into the same problem a few times over the years.

You could try checking the r/c car paint selections for window tinting spray (rattle can )
I've used the smoked (gray / black ) with good results. You have to be careful to get an even application.

http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXCY44

Gray Beard

My Feedback: (-1)

Yep, some of the {most of the} new plastic canopies don't like the ritt at all. Last year I picked up a canopy in the junk pile at my LHS, a very old one and I stuck it in the dye tank with a new one I was trying to tint. The old one was done in a few minutes, the new one never even changed color at all. The given instructions are correct, you have to boil the water then let it cool until you can stick your fingers in the water, if you say ouch then the temp is about right. Your canopy will either take it or not. I have used the water based paint used for lexan car bodies but I use an air brush, I haven't tried the rattle cans.

GarySS

My Feedback: (13)

Generally ARF canopies that come from China/Tiawain/Japan/VietNam won't take a dye tint. Kit canopies from the U.S., if there are any will. For instance the canopy in the Great Planes Extra 300s .60 size kit tinted well for me. An alternative for the ARF canopies would be what the car-guys do is to paint the tint with specialty tinting paints. I would like to learn how to do that though.

proptop

My Feedback: (8)

If you use the rattle can tint, you should wash the inside of the canopy first, with warm soapy water (liquid dish soap works well ) and rinse and dry throughly.

Set-up your canopy in a way so that you can spray the tint without having to hold the canopy in your hand, because the heat from your fingers (going through the plastic ) can effect the outcome...can cause blotches.

Put tape around the perimiter of the canopy to keep over spray off of the outside.

Spray in light / even coats until the desired effect is achieved...let ea. coat get almost dry before shooting another coat. (don't try to put it on too heavy, or you'll get runs )

chemie

GarySS: I tried the same canopy with RIT black and it came out purple.

GarySS

My Feedback: (13)

You have to mix Rite colors of about 1/3 black and 2/3 navy blue.......or there abouts. Straight black comes out a dark brown. What did you use (mix?) to come out purple?


I tried some Testors or Pactra? tinting paint once on some scrap plastic and it came out mottled or blochy. I'm sure my technique was wrong, though. []

chemie

I used straight black and got purple. I then added some blue and got lighter purple.

Rcpilot

My Feedback: (78)

Boil the water first.

Let the water sit for about 2 or 3 minutes.

Add the dye.

Stir it up a bit.

Dunk the canopy 2 - 3 minutes.

Remove and check the color.

Repeat dunking until desired color is reached.

Don't drink the dye.

GarySS

My Feedback: (13)

And do it in your garage or back yard..............NOT the kitchen[X(]

ARUP

If tint too dark then heat some antifreeze and dip into that to bleach tint out. Test on scrap first. Do not inhale, absorb or ingest- nasty stuff for your kidneys, etc.

cfircav8r

My Feedback: (1)

For painting plastic you have to sand then wash the plastic with detergent. On a clear canopy you sand the inside, it will look completely frosted, but when you paint the inside it will be perfectly glossy from the outside. If you use the candy colors it will still be translucent, but I don't think they come in a translucent black, only colors. I think the R/C car paints have a translucent black paint though.