Hello all, because of my interest in modern armor and AFVs I have been trying to come up with a technique to do armored windows and the anti-laser coatings on periscopes and other optics. After much internet research I found Solar Graphics Specialty Colored Films at http://www.coloredfilms.com. After looking at their website I found a sample book which they sent me for free. You can buy two 8" x 10" sample sheets of 91 different colored and textured films. Each two sheet sample is only $2! I bought a few so that I could compare them applied to clear acrylic sheet (CD case). You can see part of my sample below. The samples are actually usable as they have adhesive on one side. There is more than enough film per sample to do an entire fleet of MRAP windows! There is a helpful section of the website that covers application.

This is the sample pamphlet I ordered.





This is the demo I was able to create in just a few minutes work. I learned a lot just doing this small demo. One, when doing small areas, it is next to impossible to squeegee them so I will use a drop of water, not a spray. There are small air bubbles that don't show in the photos. This has to be seen in person to appreciate how good it looks. I printed some text on paper and placed it behind the demo to show how perfectly clear they are. There is absolutely zero distortion. The top row is three pieces of Spearmint film to show how it would look as a simulated armored window. I should have applied two layers to one of the pieces to show a darker tone. There are a couple of different yellows which can be used to simulate the armored glass on the M-ATV. The next row is three colors that I think simulate the anti-laser coating on periscopes. The bottom row shows a sample of Sheen 70 which has a very slight metallic sheen to it. I applied a layer of this over the periscope colors in the row above the Sheen 70. That row didn't show at all in the photo. I glued metallic confetti to the back of the sheet to show how you can simulate optical lenses behind a sheet of glass which is seen on many current AFVs.



I have no affiliation with Solar Graphics, but I wholeheartedly endorse their products. I hope you find this helpful. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask.

Regards,

Eric

REALLY nice find!
What would you estimate the thickness of the film to be, and how flexible is it?

After looking at some of the colors, I would think that "Sunrise Prism" might be an excellent match for the modern U.S. episcopes - it looks like it has the right red-to-gold color shift to it.

It also looks like there's a few that would be suitable for normal auto safety glass, and get rid of that unrealistic stark clear that's in most kits.

Countless possibilities....

Many, many thanks for posting this!

I'm using tinted sheets of various thicknesses and colours bought from Modulor arts supply store in Berlin, Germany. Mostly for armoured glass.

This looks interesting however, might give it a try.

Thanks for the tip!

Cheers,

Christophe

Floyd, I think the prism effects are overdone in 1/35th scale. Especially on AFV Club's stickers. I have poured over photos and if the vehicle has any dust on it at all, the prism effect is gone. Dirty periscopes appear to be a random color that is anywhere between orange and purple. The sample pamphlet has actual color samples of 70+ films including the prism and some metallic colors. The film is very thin but not easily damaged. It is still superior to any paint. All of the specs are on the company's website. It is made from PET and has a scratch resist coating. You are right in saying the possibilities are endless.

As a window Tinter and an Armour modeler i have experimented with these films and can advise best way i found to fit them was pealing back the carrier film then adding a dab of PVA helped them fit snug against the plastic.

Agreed about the AFV Club stickers. It's overdone, plus they don't seem to give the right flip-flop colors. Their only plus is that they're pre-cut.

I'm probably going to go ahead and order the free color chart, though at $2 for an 8x10 sheet, I doubt that be too irritated if the color was not exactly what I wanted.

I was thinking that Future (whatever it's called today) would work as well.

Stephen and Floyd, the adhesive on them is pretty tenacious. Once cured I think the only thing that would lift it is masking tape with a strong adhesive. I would advise adding the film after painting but add the periscopes at the last minute just before weathering. I also would not spray or coat them with Pledge (Future) as it doesn't flatten out completely.

Regards,

Eric

Eric,


That's a great idea.

Tinting windows is holding up my HUMVEE build (well that an my snail like build pace)...
I tried coloring Future - could not get it even, looked like poop. This is deff. way to go!

Thanks for the info...

Tom, I tried the tinted Pledge (Future) route myself. I made a few demo pieces of CD cases and like you I was´the able to get the results I wanted. I got thick spots and thin spots. It was too inconsistent for me. I am glad I can help. That is what is great about this community!

Regards,

Eric

One thing to consider is how these films work when installing, the majority of them use water to keep the surface been tinted dust free and the adhesive is pressure activated meaning you neeed to push the water out using a heavy duty squeegee... thats why i opted for PVA.

Stephen, what kind of PVA are you using? I have something made by Pacer called "Formula 560". It is what I use to install any transparent part. It dries invisible if applied thin enough. It is made for car and aircraft modelers. I didn't use it because I was having issues getting a thin enough layer under the film to get it flat enough for my taste. The adhesive on this film is pretty tenacious with no squeegee use. I haven't used the film on a kit part yet. I will have to try to see if it can be masked without pulling it off. That's the best part for me, the trial and error. Lots of error usually! Thanks for the tips.

Regards,

Eric

I'd like to see photos of this in action, in my experience anytime you add liquid of any kind, the window goes blurry.

I always see guys swearing by their clear/tinted sprays but then on the finished model you can no longer see the inside of the model aside from out of focus silhouettes of seats and gear.

laying it directly on something to show how well it looks is deceiving as well because once you lift the window off, everything goes blurry.

I use a sheet product simply placed behind the kit plastic and it is flawless every time.

Ken, how many colors does the sheet material you use come in? I did a ton of looking and only found a few colors in sheet material. That was one reason I was so happy to find this company. There are so many colors to choose from. Your result is great. I will try to get a few photos to show how transparent this film is when applied per the instructions. As to the Formula 560 by Pacer, I have glued two sheets of CD case material together. Within two days it looked like one sheet. You couldn't see any evidence of the glue at all. That said, I have no idea how it will look in a few years.

Regards,

Eric

Eric, I don't know the exact number but there were hundreds, in every color imaginable.

I only have two sheets left, a green and a blue but they are huge so they'll last me a long time.