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AFV Painting & Weathering
Answers to questions about the right paint scheme or tips for the right effect.
How to evenly paint clear parts?
Leopard-2
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Bayern, Germany
Joined: November 10, 2009
KitMaker: 229 posts
Armorama: 220 posts
Posted: Wednesday, May 25, 2016 - 11:12 AM UTC
It seems that it's time for me to deal with another problem in painting.´I did only clear periscopes, taillights and stuff like that so far which weren't really a challenge. Not by airbrushing nor by handpainting.

Now i'm working on Tamiya's Komatsu LAV and all my attempts to paint the comparatively large windows fail.

I've tried Tamiya clear blue and Future (shaded with blue ink), both by airbrush and brush but no matter what i do i always get the problem that the color runs away from the edges and accumulates in the middle leaving the area around the edges nearly clear and not blue shaded.

In order to deal with it I unsuccsesfully tried unthinned clear blue, multiple layers, slightly waving the parts while drying.

The next try whould've been to give clear enamels a try but i'm concerned about their solvents and the effect on the clear parts because a failed try could ruin them.
bison126
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Correze, France
Joined: June 10, 2004
KitMaker: 5,329 posts
Armorama: 5,204 posts
Posted: Wednesday, May 25, 2016 - 11:53 AM UTC
For my Buffalo, I simply airbrushed the back (inside) of the windows with Tamiya clear green slightly diluted. I did not try to cover the surface at once but by multiple layers after the former had dried.
It took some time but the result was good and I did not face the problem you describe.
Painting from a distance is advised.

Olivier
varanusk
Staff MemberManaging Editor
ARMORAMA
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Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain / España
Joined: July 04, 2013
KitMaker: 1,288 posts
Armorama: 942 posts
Posted: Wednesday, May 25, 2016 - 01:07 PM UTC
As Olivier says, the trick is using very thin layers with the airbrush, and do not let the paint accumulate.
WXerock
#450
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California, United States
Joined: July 19, 2015
KitMaker: 672 posts
Armorama: 668 posts
Posted: Thursday, May 26, 2016 - 12:05 AM UTC
Leopard-2, read my thread on a very affordable way to tint windows and periscopes.

https://armorama.kitmaker.net/forums/245244#2070515

This film adheres perfectly, is crystal clear (no fogging) and allows perfect views of your interior. I've never had luck with and sprayed on finish matching the clarity of these films.

Regards,

Eric
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