Tinting your windscreen - VHT niteshades?

[ZG]

Hey brutha's,
 
So I want to tint an 08/09 oem windscreen (the shorter one) to use during warmer summer months.
 
I planned to just have it tinted by my car window tint guy but I learned today that you can't apply window tint "film" to plastic, something about how it adhere's to it or something, regardless they say it won't work... 
 
I looked into other tint options too today like having it dipped but again no dice, the temp of the tint in the dipping process I'm told the plastic windscreen won't survive... 
 
I've been turned on to a product called "VHT Niteshades", it's a spray-on tint that is commenly used for tinting tail lights and blinkers etc. When applied you can still see through it, and from what I can tell the more coats you put on makes it darker, or lighter with less coats...
 
I know that some of you have just painted your windscreens, but I'm really wanting an option that I can still see somewhat see through, and I don't like any of the after-market tinted screens I've seen so far, too tall for what I'm wanting in the summer months.
 
Has anyone out there used this VHT Niteshades product?? It seems like it could/should work for tinting a windscreen? 
 
Here's a link to the product and a couple links to some youtube clips, let me know your thoughts.
 
http://www.vhtpaint.com/products/niteshades/
 
HOW TO TINT YOUR TAIL LIGHTS WITH VHT NITESHADES (VIDEO 1 OF 2)
 
HOW TO TINT YOUR TAIL LIGHTS WITH VHT NITESHADES (VIDEO 2 OF 2)
 

[jjsC6]

There was a thread on this not long ago.  This forum doesn't have a very good search function, but I'll try to find it....

Here you go....

http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=4318.0

[ZG]

Thanks JJ, much appreciated, I didn't see that thread. 
 
Not too much info in there though, anyone else have some opinions or insights on this option??

[EpicBadass]

The niteshades should work fine for the job but here are a few notes from my experiences around it:

-If you want a really nice job I would recommend following up the niteshades with a clearcoat.  The niteshades is glossy however in the realm of automotive gloss levels I would call it only slightly glossier than satin.  When I've tinted lights in the past (using spray equipment granted) I generally just added a slight bit of black to the clearcoat and it always matches the rest of the car (or bike in this case) better than straight niteshades in terms of gloss. In your case specifically ZG since I know you like to keep your bike cleaner than (insert smartass comment lol) I would definitely clear over the top.

-For those with sputtering issues on the can, unfortunately it can happen, I would definitely recommend starting spraying off the edge of the panel and working your way onto it rather than just pointing right at it and starting spraying.  A lot of times this will cut down on issues, if you continue to have issues I would try inverting the can and spraying to clear out the nozzle. 

-Additionally, if you DO happen to have issues with the spray can job of niteshades and get some uneven droplets from a sputter for example, lacquer thinner CAN be used to literally wipe the paint clean off and start over.  I will forewarn anyone though that in some instances the thinner can dull out plastic so it may not work out perfectly unfortunately in the end.  Spray paint is soluble to many chemicals since it isn't cross linked in any way so there are ways to wash it off.

-As mentioned in the other thread I would spray the inside of the windshield as it will keep the outside glossy and protected nor will you have to worry about adhesion/rock chips. (aside from those random bugs that find themselves hitting the inside on occasion i guess?)

[Conrad]

Hey ZG, if you read my post in the other thread then you know of my experience with VHT. If you are anal like I am then you might have a hard time being happy with your result. The reason I say that is, even if you don't get sputtering, I think that it's hard to get a perfectly even coating with a rattle can and if your coat isn't perfect it won't look 'right' to you when you look through the shield.

Good luck though, let us know how it goes for you.

[skeet]

I recently used the night shades product and the rustoleum lens tint.
I thought the rustoleum product worked better. With three coats of the nightshades product my shield is blacked out. The rustoleum product went on better and IMHO was a much nicer finish.
With the nightshades I ended up sanding it down and did it over because the finish was not what I wanted too much orange peel look to it. I did not have the same problem with the rustoleum lens tint product.
Wayne

[ZG]

Hey ZG, if you read my post in the other thread then you know of my experience with VHT. If you are anal like I am then you might have a hard time being happy with your result. The reason I say that is, even if you don't get sputtering, I think that it's hard to get a perfectly even coating with a rattle can and if your coat isn't perfect it won't look 'right' to you when you look through the shield.

Good luck though, let us know how it goes for you.

Hey C,
Did you do the inside of your shield or the outside? I was thinking do the inside...

[ZG]

I recently used the night shades product and the rustoleum lens tint.
I thought the rustoleum product worked better. With three coats of the nightshades product my shield is blacked out. The rustoleum product went on better and IMHO was a much nicer finish.
With the nightshades I ended up sanding it down and did it over because the finish was not what I wanted too much orange peel look to it. I did not have the same problem with the rustoleum lens tint product.
Wayne

Thanks for the tip on the rustoleum Skeet, I'll have to check that product out too... 

[jjsC6]

Thanks for the tip on the rustoleum Skeet, I'll have to check that product out too... 

Agree - I didn't know they made it.

[ZG]

Update:
 
In the past couple weeks I've purchased both a Cal and CB tinted screen, not sure which I'll keep but I'm now leaning towards not spray tinting an 09 OEM windscreen.
 
I am however now thinking I want to tint my ProjecktD hand airwings, so this thread lives on...     
 
Question:
When you guys tinted your windscreen did you tape off the "outside edge" all around (the 1/8 inch outside edge of the windscreen, not the inside or outside of the windscreen)? Or did you also spray that too?? 
 
Hopefully this question makes sense, just trying to understand what to tape before spraying...

[Jeremy Mitchell]

IIRC I used 1/2 inch 3M masking tape and it worked well. 

[ZG]

IIRC I used 1/2 inch 3M masking tape and it worked well.

So you taped off the outside edge Jeremy?? Sorry, not sure I understand your post... 

[Jeremy Mitchell]

So you taped off the outside edge Jeremy?? Sorry, not sure I understand your post... 

Yes, I taped the outside edge and folded the excess over onto the front of the windshield then covered the entire front side with newspaper. 

[ZG]

Yes, I taped the outside edge and folded the excess over onto the front of the windshield then covered the entire front side with newspaper.

Understood, thanks! 

[Excavator]

I've decided to just black mine out with Dupli-color and slap it back on sometime in May, I think they look pretty good that way.

[Conrad]

Hey C,
Did you do the inside of your shield or the outside? I was thinking do the inside...

Sorry, I missed this when you posted. I did the inside.

[Conrad]

Yes, I taped the outside edge and folded the excess over onto the front of the windshield then covered the entire front side with newspaper.

+1  That's what I did as well.

I think that with the small area of the deflectors that you'll be able to do a nice tint job on em.

[ZG]

Ok, I started my mini project (or should I say "ProjektD") today, here's an update...
 
 
As I said before in this thread, I was looking for an option to tint my ProjektD hand wings to go with my tinted windscreen (still not sure which windscreen to go with, I now have a tinted Cal and tinted Cee and a clear 08/09 oem to possibly tint myself sitting in the garage, but that's another story...) 
 
Here's what the ProjektD hand wings look like clear, in case you're not familiar...
 

 
 
I bought a can of the suggested "Nite-shade" spray tint...
 

 
 
I was buying some stocking stuffer things from ProjektD anyways so I also had them sell me just some extra plastics only for the wings in case this project doesn't work out and I didn't want to screw up my only set...
 

 
 
Got the first coat of tint sprayed tonight, due to the current temps right now I brought them in the house to dry, thank goodness my wife and girls are gone tonight because the fumes are bad, I mean good... 
 

 
 
It says to do 3 coats, so I'll repeat the next couple nights etc...
 
I saw a pretty helpful how to clip on youtube and the guy said after all coats are done and cured to wet sand the sprayed area and then buff out with some compound to get a nice gloss finish so I'm gonna try that as well. I'm only tinting the insides of them though, so I'm hopeful it comes out looking good...

Wish me luck, I'll post up how they turn out. 

[Conrad]

Coors Light?   

 

Stocking stuffers eh? You shouldn't have, you really didn't have to get me anything you know?   

Oh wait, it's not the Coors is it? I REALLY mean that you shouldn't have now...

[ZG]

Coors Light?   

 

Stocking stuffers eh? You shouldn't have, you really didn't have to get me anything you know?   

Oh wait, it's not the Coors is it? I REALLY mean that you shouldn't have now...

 
 
Left over box from Thanksgiving, lot's of women were here...