Clear Parts

Tinting:

Q: I would like to tint the windows of the model I am building, how can this be done?

A: Try using food colours mixed into future floor wax (or some other acrylic clear coat). This can be brushed onto the clear part.

In "The Verlinden Way III", tinted windows on a S-3A Viking were produced similarly. However, here gloss clear lacquer tinted with India Ink was used.

Some paints are manufactured that are transparent. For example, Tamiya has a Clear Yellow which could be used for tinting.

Q: The F-117 that I am building has gold tinted windows. How can such a metallic tint be produced?.

A: There are several possible ways to accomplish this. Here are several suggestions.

• One possibility is to use some of the carrier fluid for the metallic paint, and a very small portion of the metallic particles. Airbrush this mixture on the inside surface of the part.
• Another possibility is the use of thin Mylar Film, sometimes called "space blanket". It can be applied to the inside of the canopy using Microscale foil adhesive. Practice. If you get a wrinkle while applying it, and remove the film, the adhesive glue residue is very difficult to remove.
• Another solution is to use metalised mylar for tinting house windows. Available at most hardware stores, this material comes in silver, gold, bronze and smoky, and has the advantage over a space blanket in that it is designed to be transparent. To attaching it, it is apparently adhesive backed with a peel-off protective layer on the back.
• Yet another possible solution are the metallic polishing powders, such as those that come with SnJ Spray Metal products may be used like a dry pastel. Apply it to the inside of the canopy with a Q- tip.

  For a more permanent coating of the powder, apply a clear coat, such as Future Floor Wax first. Once dry, apply the powder, and rub it into the coating.

Gluing:

Q: How do I attach canopies to my model?

A: As with everything in modeling, there is no absolute answer, although I would hazard to say that everyone has their own absolute answer. A problem I've seen with some very nice models is that some people seem to be scared of treating the transparency as another piece of plastic, or treat it as an afterthought to the entire model. A little more care needs to be exercised. So lets look at several methods of attachment, and what situations hint at one method.

• Sometimes we are fortunate and the clear part to be attached has wide border areas that will be painted. For these types of parts, I typically use ordinary liquid cement. This allows a firm bond, and if the parts fit well can be sanded and faired into the surrounding areas. Some filler can be used to fill any gaps between the transparency and the model. Many people seem to forget that you can sand a clear part, and polish it back, and many times after polishing it looks better than before you started, because of inconsistencies in the molding process itself. Polishing is specifically discussed a little later in this FAQ. I personally think it is important to make the transparency look like part of the model, like the real thing, and not something simply attached as an afterthought. Being a model aircraft builder primarily, this is important. Canopy windscreens are integral parts of the plane, and there aren't big gaps between the canopy frame and the rest of the aircraft (generally). The clear part then can be masked when it comes time to paint.
• Now say that you have a part that there isn't much free attachment space between the clear and where it joins to the model. If the parts mate well (and for some reason, it always seems that model companies don't make clear parts mate as well as other parts) again ordinarily model cement can be used, very carefully. Use a very fine paint brush, like a 000 for instance, and carefully touch some liquid cement to the joint, allowing capillary action to pull the cement in. Don't use too much, just enough to pull into the joint. If too much is used, the clear part will craze near the cement. Again, this works well for parts that can be attached before painting.
• Some discourage superglue for clear parts because it can fog the plastic, but superglue can be used, if used very carefully. If too much superglue is used, it will fog the clear parts and usually does this on the inside of a canopy where it is hard to clean or polish out. I use thin superglue quite often with no problem with fogging. The trick is to use only enough to join the parts and no more. Use a sharp #11 blade as the applicator. Put some superglue on a piece of scrap plastic, touch the blade to the glue to get some on the point, and run the point along the joint, allowing capillary action to pull some superglue in. I use this exclusively to attach open canopies, like the canopy hood on an open Messerschmitt Bf109. This is also useful for attaching the brass and steel canopy detail sets available for aircraft these days. It is also, in my humble opinion, the best for attaching vacuum formed acetate canopies like those from Falcon. Again, the key is BE CAREFUL and don't use too much.
• For those not up to wanting to risk superglue, there are alternatives. One of the most used is white glue. Several brands exist, Elmer's for one. Similar to white glue, there are some other similar products. Some use Kristal Kleer. My favourite among these types of products is a decoupage material called Mod Podge. It is like white glue, but I think dries even more transparent (it is intended of decoupage, to be applied over plaques, etc.)
• As an alternate to white glues, some use 2-part epoxies. It's odourless, cures slowly, is sandable, easy to apply, doesn't attack styrene, bonds all type of materials, and is cheaper than superglue.

Rescuing/Polishing Clear Parts:

Have you been painting the canopy framing and got some paint in a place where it wasn't meant to go? Don't dispair, there is hope fixing this up so that no one will ever know. This is what you do:

• Using successively fine wet'n'dry sandpaper (I use the stuff from the Taymia fine grade sand paper pack), say 1200-1500-2000, to remove what ever you want to remove.
• Now there are lots of scratches on the clear piece and it may look murky. Get out your favourite polishing compound (I use the Taymia Rubbing/Polishing compound, but I have heard or people using brasso or toothpaste). Dab a little onto a cloth or the clear part and then rub. Keep rubbing until you are satisfied with the result.
• The above process may have to be repeated.