Red lens paint - for torches?

[Bizibilder]

Has anyone tried this stuff for tinting torches etc red?:

E Tech CAR LENS TINT SPRAY Paint - RED - BRAND NEW on eBay (end time 25-Jun-10 15:23:47 BST)

Might be worth a try if you can scrounge some first!

[Cornelius Varley]

What about nail varnish or a red cd marker pen.

Peter

[Psychobilly]

Pebeo Vitrail "Stained Glass" paint works quite well I used to paint the inside of the torch lenses with it...

[Mark at Beaufort]

That appears to be an interesting product. Over the years I have had various torches and wind-up lanterns and I have tried to cover red - not very successfully. I have also used red nail varnish (not mine - the wife's) but only on very small lights.

I would be interested if someone tries out this product with an opinion whether it works for astronomy.

Mark

[Steve C]

Tamiya make an acrylic brush on paint for use on model plactic cars. Its used to get the red tint onto rear brake light clusters.

I've used it on torches & although needing a good few coats, cost is cheap at under £3 as I seem to remember.

[LukeSkywatcher]

Anything that makes the torch lens red will work. Its just a case of finding the cheapest and most useful. A head torch works great because it allows you to be hands free. They come with both white and red LEDs.

[Pete Presland]

there is a new red light torch on astro boot for £3 got to be a bargain,batteries included as well

[Enrico]

Best solution IMHO is Maglite - you can get red (and blue) lenses for them very cheaply, plus they are very good torches anyhow.

The lenses are replaceable, so you have both a normal and astro torch in one. In fact everything is replaceable on a maglite, so they are very sustainable.

Just search ebay or google shopping for the lenses - about £2 for one for a AA torch.

[Nick R]

I just go halves with the mrs on a bottle of red nail varnish :)

[Bizibilder]

I just don't tell the Mrs!!

[Astro_Baby]

I just bought a red light torch that winds up - brilliant stuff as never need to worry about batteries.

[kentronix]

I just bought some red acetate sheets from ebay, I plan to cut it up and cover anything bright with it, laptop, torch, phone screen. Luckily my laptop screen is exactly A4 height.

5 x A4 sheets for £4 delivered. You can search ebay for "Coloured Acetate Red", I think you can get it in craft shops too.

[NGC 1502]

I've used red cellophane that some Christmas puds come

wrapped in. Experiment with mutiple layers.

Yes I know, you've already recycled yours........

Regards, Ed.

[S.A.M]

I make my red torches out of Quality Street wrappings, the red ones! You can enjoy the sweets and use the wrapping afterwards for the torch, never failed yet:D

[S.A.M]

Forgot to add, fit the red wrappings over the torch lens and then apply sticky tape. One Blue Peter red torch!!!

[martin_h]

Same here....thats the only reason I buy Quality Street

[Enrico]

Oh, and I just noticed yesterday that I already have several ready made astro-torches..... all the rear lights for the bikes.... doh!

These also have the benefit of brackets and fixings which means can set them up about the observing area.

[step7]

Installed a 3V red LED (it has an integral resistor) in my Mini Maglite AA to replace the bulb the kids had managed to smash. It was a super cheap stock LED (not a special for the Maglite) so had to crop the LED legs and bend the cathode leg flat to contact the torch casing. Works great.