I’m doing a project involving a large number of N scale passenger cars and I’m looking for a good source for tinted window glass material that can be cut to fit windows on the N scale cars… any one ??
How about real window tinting? A trip to the auto parts store will yield a sheet big enough to last a life-time for modeling, and it’s easy to apply to the windows.
There have been a few articles covering how to do it.
I have not tried this yet, but if seems like a logical approach to me.
paraphrased from the scale auto forum;
for black tinting the best way is model tinting paint (TESTORS OR TAMIYA).
But for colors, food colors are compatible with Future floor wax, (mix in small batches, testing to achieve the color!)
So if you need a blue, yellow, red, or green shade (natural glass tint), a few drops in a badger jar of Future will give you realism.
shoot it on the inside of the “glass” in very light coats, until the desired shade is achieved, and finish the windows with clear Future (after the color has dried of course).
There’s also a spray car tint, or at least I recall seeing it in the past. I would also experiment with thinned paint to the point of being translucent.
Good question. I was gonna ask the same question cause I am attempting to tint the side windows on my locomotives. I did not realise they sold tinting paint.
What about using indiaink? can that work if painted on the glass? just an idea.rambo1…
Also what about black magic marker? again just a idea . rambo1…
I’ve used VHT Nite-Shades (http://www.vhtpaint.com/niteshades.html) (I got it at Canadian Tire), an automotive spray-tint, to tint windows for my HO scale LRC coaches. Of course this will only work if you can remove the windows from the coaches and spray them (which you should really do outside). It does give a nice translucent black tint, which will appear fully black unless the car is lit from inside. The only problem I had was with getting the coating even. This is not noticeable though unless you have interior lighting on.
Here’s how it looks on my LRC club car:
I know if you want a green or blue tint, you can often find transluscent dividers for using in binders that come in several colours (usually including a light blue and green), and are quite cheap.
In the Feb. 2007 issue of Model Railroader there is an article about modeling a UP Passenger Train in N scale. The Author says that he used photo filters to achieve the green tinted look for his passenger cars.
Depending on weather you want them translucent or not to allow light to show though depends on how to do it. If you just want to blacken the windows disassemble the cars and spray the inside of the window glazing with the color of your choice. If you want the light to shine through I would practice tinting the insides of the widows by first experimenting on some clear styrene, you can get large sheets for Evergreen Scale.I am going to lean towards possible using something like RIT dye perhaps.as mentioned a diluted paint wash. I would not suggest using any solvent based paints though unless u want goo.
I just dug the issue of MR out and read the article. The author gives multiple examples and includes part numbers for various photo filters so that you can tint your windows just about any color. Hope this helps.
This could also be called the story of a modeler gone mad. The tinted glass will be used for N Scale Milwaukee road passenger cars. I got a little carried away and started buying car kits by the dozens. Not content to have a couple of nice consists I now have enough cars for about 30 complete consists- somewhere around 250 lightweight passenger cars . I have the brass sides from Athabasca, Brass car sides and GHQ. I wanted the tinted glass especially for the 10 Skytop lounge cars from Jim Stillman. For the record I can operate the entire 1948 passenger train schedule out of Milwaukee with all different equipment. I think I need a bigger coach yard though …