How I do a factory stock window tint

[Can-Con]

I may have posted parts of this before but I thought I'd do a "how to" on it for those intrested.

First airbrush your tintband across the top of the windshield. I use Tamiya X-3 royal blue for that.

 

After letting the tint bands dry overnight I start applying some clear glosscoat to the inside of the windows. I mist this on for the first few coats so it won't pool up or run.
You can't really see it in this shot but the clear is tinted with some transparent blue and green to simulate a "factory tint" colour when it's done.
If you want a "smoke" tint use the Tamiya clear smoke instead of the clear with the blue/green mix. Just apply it in mist coats building up you'r darkness gradually until it's as dark as you want it.

At this point it's still not very clear and doesn't look very good,,That's how it should be at this point. As you can see in this pic it still looks kinda grainy and dull.

 

Now you can see how the colour is building up after a few coats of the tinted clear.

 

Easier to see when you hold the piece up against white paper. When you get the darkness you want let it dry overnight again and shoot a couple coats of the regular [not tinted] clear acrylic.

 

After you'r clear is completely dry you can polish it out like any other paint and it will be smooth and clear. Here's a couple finished sets ready to be installed. Since I did this set of pics I've started to double up on the tinted coats to make them darker. They looked pretty good in person but didn't show up well in pics.

 

and here's the finished product.

[Ace-Garageguy]

VERY nice. Thanks.

[peteski]

That does look very nice!  I don't think I can get the tinted area so even applied - what's your secret to doing this so consistently even? Practice? 

Also, why are you using opaque blue when Tamiya also makes transparent blue?  The tint used on 1:1 windshields is transparent.

[Can-Con]

  On 6/22/2020 at 6:27 AM, peteski said:

That does look very nice!  I don't think I can get the tinted area so even applied - what's your secret to doing this so consistently even? Practice? 

Also, why are you using opaque blue when Tamiya also makes transparent blue?  The tint used on 1:1 windshields is transparent.

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Yes, practice. And just going back and forth all the way across the length of the glass in one stroke. Light thin coats until you have it built up to the depth you want. 

I have tried the transparent blue, in fact, it's in my overall blue/green tint but I find it doesn't look dark enough for this. The X-3 , although a "solid" color, is transparent in lighter coats. 

But , of course, if someone wanted to use the transparent blue there's no reason why they can't.  The X-3 is just a personal preference for me. 

[peteski]

Thanks!  I'll have to sharpen my skills on a spare windshield. Good thing is that those Tamya paints can easily be removed with alcohol, so I can keep practicing, and practicing and . . .

Edited June 22, 2020 by peteski

[Khils]

  On 6/21/2020 at 7:17 PM, Can-Con said:

 I thought I'd do a "how to" on it for those intrested.

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Thank you so very much!     Interested!!   & Very much appreciated Steve

[Geno]

Yes, very informative and greatly appreciated, thanks Steve.

[charlie8575]

Nice technique that would well in tandem with Al Meske's misting for the overall tint.

Charlie Larkin

[TransAmMike]

Question.  Being acrylic, will it was off if need be? Wondering if it would ruin the clear plastic after washing it off. Just wondering.

[Can-Con]

  On 7/2/2020 at 5:29 PM, TransAmMike said:

Question.  Being acrylic, will it was off if need be? Wondering if it would ruin the clear plastic after washing it off. Just wondering.

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Comes right off with rubbing alcohol. Won't hurt the plastic at all. 

I've flubbed up a couple and had to redo them 2 or 3 times with no affect on the plastic at all.

[TransAmMike]

Great to know, thanks.