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Dorsal
03-10-2009, 08:36 AM
Thinking about heat and my poor follicley challenge head I was wondering if anyone has applied automotive window film to the overhead acrylic or the turtle deck. I should be installing my windshield in the next month or so and figured it would be much easier to apply before final installation.
Thoughts?

Using the 1 piece molded Aeroplastic, hoping if I used the film carefully before putting the windshield on the plane maybe I could avoid the bubbles (probably wishful thinking).

Agfoxflyer
03-10-2009, 01:25 PM
I looked into the same thing when building. I was told by several suppliers that automotive tint film was not compatible with any plastics. Something about the plastic continuing to give off a gas. I'd check with a local supplier B4 applying the film.

Dorsal
03-10-2009, 05:57 PM
Good idea, I didn't think about the out-gassing issue

Cwehner
03-10-2009, 07:30 PM
Hi Dorsel, I just happen to own a window tinting business and Agfoxflyer is correct in that you cannot use automotive or commercial window films on plastics. We have customers wanting their plastic skylights on homes or motorcycle windscreens tinted all the time and I'm sorry to say the two dont mix. The gasses given off can create a problem but even worse is that the plastic expands and contracts...the film doesn't, That equals cracking. Eric has a good idea though. another idea is the pull down retractable screens you can buy for your car windows (people usually buy them to block sun from babies faces), or a static cling type of soft tinted plastic film that you can just stick up there when you need it.

Chris Wehner
Tulsa, OK
Kitfox IV, 912
90% complete

catz631
03-11-2009, 06:41 AM
I was also told that window films would not work on plastics but due to the horrible heat we have here in Florida I decided to do it anyway. I went to the auto store and attempted to install it in the "green house" above my head. Well I promptly screwed it up and had a mess. So ,I bit the bullet and called a professional tinter to come out to my hanger and fix the mess. He spent the entire day in my hanger(well most of it) removing the glue from that cheap stuff I had bought.What a mess ! He then installed the best stuff that he sells. He also told me that this might not work but it sure did !!!. I have had it in the aircraft for almost a year now. I can see throught it real well and it is almost the darkest he had. Previously I had the cling stuff up there and you couldn't see through it worth a flip. Now this was not a cheap solution because I had to have a pro redo what I messed up but boy does it look nice! and it keeps the interior cool.
Dick Maddux
Pensacola,Fl

Dorsal
03-11-2009, 08:37 AM
Do you know what "the best stuff" is? This is encouraging news, how about a picture?

Cwehner
03-11-2009, 10:13 AM
I would be curious as to the film also. I've been in the business for 15 years and have never heard of such a film. Plexiglass is a petrolium based product and when it gets hot it WILL put off gasses. In the tinting business this is a big no-no. Mainly because when there is a problem with bubbling and or cracking, the plastic is trash. Once the film has fully dried (many weeks) there's no easy way to get the tint and glue off the plex without using harsh chemicals that will etch and destroy the plex. Put simply you wouldn't be able to just remove the tint and call it a failed expirement. The glue used on good film is not the same glue used on post it notes, if you get my drift. If anyone is tempted to do this I would proceed with EXTREME caution. Call many different shops and google as much info as you can find.

Also note that a tinter could put the tint on and it would look fantastic for awhile. There's really no time table as to when the outgassing would start causing the tint to bubble. it may look great for a month or years. Depends on the glue and the amount of heat.

Just my $.02 worth.
Chris

Dorsal
03-11-2009, 01:40 PM
Chris brings up an important question, is your windshield poly-carb or acrylic?
Chris, do you think this would matter?

Cwehner
03-11-2009, 02:59 PM
From my expirience you have the same problems from both. I have tinted a few drag car windows in the past that were Lexan (warning them of the potential problems) And saw the same problems after some time. It seemed that the older the lexan was the less problem of bubbling. On my KFIV I am going to install the one piece from LP (Acrylic). What I plan on doing if the heat is unberable is to lay perferated vinyl. You usually see it in the back windows of trucks with designs on them... lots of little holes. Most vinyl shops have it or can get it. There are enough holes in it that gasses should not be a problem. You can still see out but it cuts the light down by about half. Just a thought.

Chris

catz631
03-12-2009, 04:39 AM
I will try to get in touch with my tinter today in order to get the details of the tint. I will also get some photos of the tint.I may have a photo with some of the tint in it on my computer already.I will look. In any case I will get better shots.
My aircraft was finished in 2002 so I would imagine the windscreen is about 12 or more years old. I think it is acrylic. ( I bought the aircraft) It's pretty thick stuff. I would imagine all of the outgassing is finished. I keep it in a nice hanger and only have the aircraft out to fly although I did have it sitting all day at two air shows in the sun and the film is still fine.
I am not encouraging anyone to do this as I certainly don't want any windshields ruined. I hope mine stays ok and I think it will as it has been on there a long time and is still crystal clear.
I did find one photo that shows the tint . Look by the BRS rocket firing handle.This is a photo from the ground looking up at the "green house" You can see the dark tint on the "glass"
Dick

One other thing,I was also offered the perferated vinyl as a solution but I found that I could not see thru it very well. When I roll into a steep bank I look thru the greenhouse to check for aircraft. It is really handy to be able to do that. The super black tint was too dark and would have severly cut the visability so I went as dark as I could and still see thru it.
My tinter told me the vinyl would have to go on the outside of the glass. I didn't want that and it certainly didn't look that good to me.
One thing for sure,when I climbed into the airplane after the installation of the film,it was a dramatic decrease in temperature and cockpit comfort ! I am extremely glad I did it. If the sun gets too bright I can augment the tint with the folding sun shades you use in a car windshield. One of them fits above the overhead perfectly. I rarely do that now as the tint does the job.
Dick

I saw my tint man today and this is the film he installed. It is ATR15 made by Llumar mfg.

Cwehner
03-12-2009, 04:11 PM
Thats a good film. I carry it also, among others. It's a high performance film. I think there may be alot of factors in film working on acrylic or lexan. The main factor is heat. If your plane is hangared, except when you fly, that may prolong the bubbling. The other factor like I said in an earlier post is the age of the plastic. In my expirience the older lexan I tinted seemed to have less problems. and I'm sure that holds true with plex too. Not to say they wont eventually have problems, but maybe the two factors will buy quite a bit of time. I'd be willing to bet that if you tied your plane down outside over a blistering hot florida weekend, You would not be a very happy camper when you returned. I agree now with your suggestion about not being able to see very good in turns through the skylight if using the perfed vinyl. Have'nt flown my KF yet so I hadn't thought of that. Good point. Maybe I'll just call LP and get a one piece "tinted" Canopy ;)

Chris

catz631
03-13-2009, 05:11 AM
Chris,
I think you are right on the money with this film. I have no doubt that I would have problems with the film if I left the plane out in the sun. In this heat I am afraid the whole airplane would desolve !
When I was instructing for an airline in Miami (yeccchh!) I was amazed at all of the car windows that had that old purple film that was peeling from the windows.Looked horrible,so I know the sun will do it.
But,"so far,so good"
If I ever replace the glass there is absolutely no doubt I would pay the money and get a dark a tint as I could in the plastic. It is worth it ! No way would I want to go back to the clear ! (nor would I want to replace my " bush landing gear" with the standard !)
Dick

Dorsal
08-24-2009, 05:01 AM
Dick,
Just wondering how your film was holding up as I am getting close to installing my windshield? (I figure if I am going to do this I would have the film put on before installing on the plane). Chris's experience and concerns have me a bit worried though the windshield is 8 years old and the benefits seem significant.

SkyPirate
08-24-2009, 05:06 AM
just curious but wasn't there a spray on tint ? I wonder if that would also work on plastics if it's still available.

Chase

catz631
08-26-2009, 06:23 AM
As mentioned in an earlier post,I screwed up the installation on my aircraft and had to have a pro remove the glue and redo it with better film. It took the whole afternoon and was expensive.
My airplane is kept in an air conditioned hanger so the summer heat has not had much of an effect on the film and it has held up nicely. I would expect it to be the other way around if the airplane was outside.
If I were to do a freash install of the windshield ,I would cetrtainly opt for a tinted one.
You could put a sunshade up in the overhead .That works well although you have no vis in that area.
Overall I am very glad I did it as it would be miserable with out it !
Dick