REQ: Acetates / tinted Acetates

dawballz

Not sure if what I'm looking for relates to Arts and Crafts but it's worth a shot.
You know the A4 Acetates that are used in Overhead projectors?
Well I'm looking for some of them, but tinted in say, black or gray.. doesnt really matter what colour actually, but can you buy them tinted?
I have only seen clear ones around but I haven't looked very far to be honest.
Maybe tinted acetates relate to a certain Art/craft? :rolleyes:

If they can't be got tinted, could I buy clear ones and umm... dye them to a tinted effect? It would have to be very even.. What dye would work..? Food dye?..
Thanks for your help.

Karoma

Dye wouldn't take.
I don't think tinted ones would be available/easy to find as they wouldn't show up writing as well as clear ones...
what are you up to?:)

dawballz

haha I knew someone would want to know what for..
but if printer ink takes, and pen ink takes, surelt dye would, no?

It may sound weird, but I want to make visor tear-offs for my motorbike helmet.
They can be bought, but are about 20Eur for a pack of 3(for clear ones) - That's basically 3 sheets of acetate. They're about 30 for tinted ones.

Karoma

clothes dye might stain it a bit - i just don't know whether it would be consistent or worth the expense.

Fajitas!

You won't be able to see through it.

My only idea, is mixing Shilak, plaster dye and meths together...

Dye will take ages to dry, and will be thick in parts.

Hrmmm...unless...I really don't know whether this would work...but heat the acetate in an oven, making sure it ain't touching of anything with ridges etc...take it out, pour on a (highly diluted) dye...

It might take then, but I can't garentee a thing!

dawballz

Ok, thanks, will try out something like that and let you know how i got on

Karoma

I'd expect it to melt sooner than the dye would dry..

Monkey

I wouldn't try that crazy kitchen alchemy. You can get coloured acetate to change the colour of lights that you should be able to get.

dawballz

Monkey wrote:

I wouldn't try that crazy kitchen alchemy. You can get coloured acetate to change the colour of lights that you should be able to get.

Yeah that's kinda along the lines of what I thought it would generally be used for..but where would I get it?
Music/DJ/Sound Equipment shop i suppose?

Fajitas!

Karoma wrote:

I'd expect it to melt sooner than the dye would dry..

Not really, I use acetate in a vac press quite often, it just softens up really. it dosn't bubble, and the heat would disperse the dye.

Yv

Fajitas! wrote:

You won't be able to see through it.

I agree, that kind of acetate is thicker & would make everything a bit blurry, especially once you bend it around a visor & DIY dye it. I'd imagine genuine visor tearoff thingies wouldn't distort so much. Also the main advantage of tinted visors is surely that they screen out all the UV crap as well as glare?