How Can Tail Lights Be Tinted?

[crowe-t]

I'm working on a build that has clear tail light lenses.  I usually spray the back side of the clear lenses with Tamiya Acrylic Clear Red and put them over BMF or silver paint.  However they tend to almost look lit.  

This is for Chevy Beretta Tail Lights.  I believe the middle panel with the Beretta lettering is actually black.  I'd like the tail lights on the sides to look red but still tinted.

If I spray the back sides of the clear lenses with Tamiya Acrylic Clear Red can I spray Tamiya Acrylic Smoke over the outside of the clear lenses and still see the red?

[Plowboy]

I would try your idea out on a scrap windshield to see what it does. Only other idea I would have is paint the outside red and the inside black. Which Beretta are you building? I built one not long ago that had the tail light molded in clear red. I painted the inside black. It looked pretty convincing.

 

[peteski]

I think the clear smoke on the outside (clear red on the inside) should give the desired effect, but I also recommend testing it on a piece of clear plastic.  However even if you did the test on the actual lens and it didn't work well, those paints can be easily removed with Isopropyl alcohol).

[crowe-t]

  On 4/1/2022 at 4:03 AM, Plowboy said:

I would try your idea out on a scrap windshield to see what it does. Only other idea I would have is paint the outside red and the inside black. Which Beretta are you building? I built one not long ago that had the tail light molded in clear red. I painted the inside black. It looked pretty convincing.

 

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It's a beautiful build!  The tail lights looks like a real Beretta's.

When you say you painted the inside black, do you mean the body behind the tail lights or the inside of the actual clear red part?

Did you paint the outside of the middle section black?

I'm building a Revell Beretta pro Street kit that I'm modifying.  The tail light piece is clear.

http://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/topic/168464-revell-beretta-pro-street/

Edited April 1, 2022 by crowe-t

[crowe-t]

  On 4/1/2022 at 4:34 AM, peteski said:

I think the clear smoke on the outside (clear red on the inside) should give the desired effect, but I also recommend testing it on a piece of clear plastic.  However even if you did the test on the actual lens and it didn't work well, those paints can be easily removed with Isopropyl alcohol).

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Either isoproryl alcohol or Windex will remove the Tamiya Acrylic colors.  I also have a broken clear tail light part I can test on.

[Straightliner59]

  On 4/1/2022 at 3:31 AM, crowe-t said:

If I spray the back sides of the clear lenses with Tamiya Acrylic Clear Red can I spray Tamiya Acrylic Smoke over the outside of the clear lenses and still see the red?

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I think that would be your best option, short of building it as an assembly, with layers.? That's what I would probably do, but, I might be a bit "touched"!

[Plowboy]

  On 4/1/2022 at 4:38 AM, crowe-t said:

It's a beautiful build!  The tail lights looks like a real Beretta's.

When you say you painted the inside black, do you mean the body behind the tail lights or the inside of the actual clear red part?

Did you paint the outside of the middle section black?

I'm building a Revell Beretta pro Street kit that I'm modifying.  The tail light piece is clear.

http://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/topic/168464-revell-beretta-pro-street/

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Thanx! I painted the inside of the tail light. I did it with a brush. I went over the whole thing with thinned flat black. Then I went over the center section again to make it darker. 

 

Edited April 1, 2022 by Plowboy

[espo]

A paint to consider for darkening the taillights is from Tamiya. They offer what they are calling Smoke in X-19 form for brush painting and they also offer it in spray cans. I have also used their black Panel Line Accent although it may be harder to control over a large area. My suggestion would be to use the clear red on the back side of the lense and the smoke on the outside. Another idea to get a nice shiny finish is a final coat of Future Floor polish that will also help to seal the painted surfaces. 

[crowe-t]

  On 4/1/2022 at 1:45 PM, Plowboy said:

Thanx! I painted the inside of the tail light. I did it with a brush. I went over the whole thing with thinned flat black. Then I went over the center section again to make it darker. 

 

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The black on the inside isn't totally opaque?

[Steve H]

Hi Michael, I would do the clear red inside, then back that with BMF, then Tamiya smoke on the outside. My experience is that the paint needs to be warm, and applied in thin coats. The benefit is that you can control how dark you want it. Just my 2 cents…

Cheers, Steve

[Plowboy]

  On 4/1/2022 at 2:27 PM, crowe-t said:

The black on the inside isn't totally opaque?

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No, the black is very thin. I also foiled the section on the body of the tail light. 

[Can-Con]

  On 4/1/2022 at 3:31 AM, crowe-t said:

 

If I spray the back sides of the clear lenses with Tamiya Acrylic Clear Red can I spray Tamiya Acrylic Smoke over the outside of the clear lenses and still see the red?

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Yes. Been there, done that.

In fact, you can spray the smoke right over the clear red also. 

Edited April 1, 2022 by Can-Con

[Michael jones]

Painted on inside - Tamiya smoke then Tamiya LP clear red which is much more "red" than Tamiya acrylic clear red. Chrome backing on body if i remember correctly.

Edited April 1, 2022 by Michael jones

[crowe-t]

  On 4/1/2022 at 10:18 PM, Michael jones said:

Painted on inside - Tamiya smoke then Tamiya LP clear red which is much more "red" than Tamiya acrylic clear red. Chrome backing on body if i remember correctly.

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The paint on the body is incredible!

Are both the Tamiya Smoke and LP Clear red on the inside of the clear lens?

Did you use Tamiya X-19 Acrylic Smoke or Tamiya Smoke in the spray can?

Do you have any other pictures showing the tail lights closer?

Edited April 1, 2022 by crowe-t

[Michael jones]

  On 4/1/2022 at 10:27 PM, crowe-t said:

The paint on the body is incredible!

Are both the Tamiya Smoke and LP Clear red on the inside of the clear lens?

Did you use Tamiya X-19 Acrylic Smoke or Tamiya Smoke in the spray can?

Do you have any other pictures showing the tail lights closer?

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Yeah see attached photo. It has LED lights on in the photo BTW. If you want it a brighter red, just lightly tint the clear plastic with smoke on the inside. I used the spray can lacquer smoke btw. All paint on the inside as far as I recall.

 

Mike

[crowe-t]

  On 4/4/2022 at 8:16 AM, Michael jones said:

Yeah see attached photo. It has LED lights on in the photo BTW. If you want it a brighter red, just lightly tint the clear plastic with smoke on the inside. I used the spray can lacquer smoke btw. All paint on the inside as far as I recall.

 

Mike

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Thanks for the picture.  I suppose the Tamiya LP Smoke is the same as the spray can lacquer Smoke.  Have you tried Tamiya LP Smoke or is the spray can lacquer Smoke better?

[Michael jones]

  On 4/4/2022 at 3:20 PM, crowe-t said:

Thanks for the picture.  I suppose the Tamiya LP Smoke is the same as the spray can lacquer Smoke.  Have you tried Tamiya LP Smoke or is the spray can lacquer Smoke better?

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I do own the LP smoke but haven't tried it yet. I believe the result would be the same - just down to how dark you want it.