Questions about tinting/coloring glass lenses

[cheviot]

Ran into a bit of a problem. I'm trying to replicate the look of 1930's military issue motorcycle glasses, which have red lenses. I've found the civilian version of the glasses with clear lenses. Is there an effective way to coat the lenses to give them a deep red tint? I'd rather not spend four times the money for the real thing.

 

[Contec]

Ran into a bit of a problem. I'm trying to replicate the look of 1930's military issue motorcycle glasses, which have red lenses. I've found the civilian version of the glasses with clear lenses. Is there an effective way to coat the lenses to give them a deep red tint? I'd rather not spend four times the money for the real thing.

If they are made from glass there is transparent glass color that you could use.
Conny

 

[cheviot]

If they are made from glass there is transparent glass color that you could use.
Conny

Yes, they're glass. What's it called? I tried checking online art supply type places and had no luck.

 

[Gigatron]

check places like Michael's or other art supply stores. What you're looking for is stained glass spray. It's basically a clear (colored) spray paint used for tinting glass for making faux stained glass.

-Fred

 

[cheviot]

Thanks! I'll go take a look.

 

[TridCloudwalker]

If you're planning on wearing these around for any extended period of time or operating a vehicle, I would highly recommend getting an eyeglass lab to dye the lenses for you. The slightest ripple or soft spot on a DIY job could result in some nasty headaches or accidents. I'd offer to do it for you, but unfortunately, I no longer have my optical lab connections. My mother got out of the business.

 

[Forestmoonstudio]

I tried the brush-on stained glass paint for my Vader lenses and it was a disaster. I could not see through them and yes alot of streaks. I wish I knew about the spray. I would have tried that also.

 

[cheviot]

If you're planning on wearing these around for any extended period of time or operating a vehicle, I would highly recommend getting an eyeglass lab to dye the lenses for you. The slightest ripple or soft spot on a DIY job could result in some nasty headaches or accidents. I'd offer to do it for you, but unfortunately, I no longer have my optical lab connections. My mother got out of the business.

I don't intend to wear them for any length of time. They're 99.99% for display.

Buuutt... any idea what a lab might charge for that sort of work?

 

[hansicle]

Well, I can tell you that the normal way to tint lenses is to dip them in a dye, but that's for plastic lenses. Glass lenses do use a top coat, like a paint that is applied to the surface or an actual colored glass. You wouldn't be able to bring them to a regular lab for tint, because we use the dye method, and rarely deal with glass lenses. They would need to be sent to an outside lab that delt with various types of lens coatings.

I have a feeling that you would have trouble finding a place that would be willing to send this out for you because these places usually don't deal with the public, just other labs.

If you aren't going to wear the lenses, I would say to use the faux glass color.

 

[TridCloudwalker]

I don't intend to wear them for any length of time. They're 99.99% for display.

Buuutt... any idea what a lab might charge for that sort of work?

Well it wont be cheap, but it won't be ridiculous either. There's no labor involved. They just put the lenses in a basket and lower it into the dye vat for a bit.

Are you sure they're supposed to be red? All the WWII tinted lenses I've ever seen were more of a deep beer bottle brown with a dark redish/orange tinge to them.

 

[Tetmatek]

Has anyone thought of automotive grade red window film? They sell it at just about every auto parts store.

 

[Raffles]

The window tint is a good idea. I use it to tint TK and boba visors and It works fine.