for those of you who have used VHT nite shades

**Kwarner** · 03-13-2010 02:22 AM

How do you get an even coat that is translucent enough to see the surface underneath? Im trying to spray a layer on that is only a little dark but when i try to spray lightly it just ends up looking like dots everywhere or ends up being a solid coat thats too dark...

**hercfe** · 03-13-2010 04:12 AM

You need to treat it like paint, unfortunately, it is nearly impossible to use correctly like that. I've never had any luck with the VHT nightshade. I know a lot of guys who make a good living doing niteshades with VHT, but it's like a gift. You either have it, or you don't. Best advice I can give is to tell you what i tried.

go to your local lowes or michaels, where ever you can buy plate glass cheap. get a couple 4x6 pieces of glass(lowes cuts glass for free) and practice practice practice until you get it how you like, then do your lenses.

**schizzy** · 03-13-2010 06:24 AM

All in the prep. Sand. With like 220 or320 to get gloss off and the numbers, than work your way up to 600 grit. Clean off. Let dry than spray lightly

**hercfe** · 03-13-2010 07:36 AM

^^^interesting to see another former srt owner. mine was a peon though

cheers

**japadam** · 03-13-2010 07:49 AM

The technique that i did seemed to work really good. It takes a long time to get "a coat" down but it worked. Instead of doing medium speed passes which allow you to see the amount of paint you put on the light. hold the can about 8 inches or so away from the light, and go across the light real quick and just do dust coats. It should take you about 2-3 passes just to see a difference in the darkness of the light. I seemed to find that the type of clear applied on top increase the darkness effect of the VHT. No clear at all as you could figure out, doesn't make it any darker. A flat clear or semi-gloss makes it a slight bit darker. And gloss makes the light seem the darkest.

If you want i can post my taillights. Granted they are really really dark. But with the lights and rear fogs on, you can see that there is ZERO variance in the tint of the taillights. Both taillight to taillight also.

**schizzy** · 03-13-2010 10:17 AM

Originally Posted by hercfe

^^^interesting to see another former srt owner. mine was a peon though

cheers

Nice, yea not to many people from set's go to audi LOL...
Def miss the power tho

**JMRQuattro** · 03-13-2010 11:15 AM

It's always going to look spotty, flat, or speckled until you use wax on it. Mine and my gf's tails i did both ended up looking speckled and weird even doing light coats. But after waxing them it evens out. Also i've done a couple others, one on my friend's mercedes C230 sport and his dad's 09 cadillac escalade. Just do really light coats from a good distance and allow each one to dry or else this stuff will run. And once you're finished use turtle wax. And then wash them again and use Krylon brand gloss clear coat. And once you have the amount of clear you want then wax them again.

**doublezero30** · 03-13-2010 11:32 AM

Originally Posted by Kwarner

How do you get an even coat that is translucent enough to see the surface underneath? Im trying to spray a layer on that is only a little dark but when i try to spray lightly it just ends up looking like dots everywhere or ends up being a solid coat thats too dark...

uhhhh....multiple light coats? you spray each coat on after 10 mins. ive tinted many sets and never had an issue with it. i always use meguiers plastix polish the next day after it dries also. my tails now have 2 light coats on them.....

(before polish...polish helps get rid of "glaze" look)

and my old stock tails, 2 light coats(currently for sale):