flat glass question

How do you guys go about tinting windows with those metal trim pieces that are glued on? Do you cut a bunch of squares or remove the trim and tint the window as one piece?

Funny how you ask....I'm supposed to do a few of them today. Just called the customer to confirm....she's in Arizona!!!!!!

Anyhow, these lil' bastards are called french pane (or "pain") grids. I've known a few tinters to just prep all the squares cover the whole lite of glass with film, then cut. Since I'm not as good as them, I prefer to cut out each square before hand and tint them individually to control the contamination better.

As for cutting, I'm experienced enough now to just freehand when trimmimng where as before I would use an edge guide. I still use an edge guide depending on the film thickness and location of the grid.

Hope that helps. Good luck!

I try to stick with auto tinting, but I have done a few of these. I found it much faster to remove the grid, and tint is as one large piece.

I hear ya E-oh,

But from what I come across, there are different types of grid and how they are attached to the glass. It may take a bit longer for me to do it this way, but I'll have less headaches. If you know of a better way, please share!

I imagine it could get difficult if the grid is held in with silicone or something. The ones that I have seen are held in by six screws. Remove those and they pop right off.
You must be careful though, if you do chose to remove them. The one's that I have seen, it's this grid that holds the window in the frame. A little force from the opposite side and pop, out goes the window!

Hey sleeper.
I came across those for the first time the other day. I think what sleeper is talking about is a bit differnt than the removable (or fixed) french panes. What it was was a large sealed unit (this on was a triangle) that had metal trim about 2" wide glued on to the sealed unit to form a decoritive design. the same trim was on the exterior as well. The stupidest thing I have ever seen and pray this isn't a new trend. first of all this building is brand new and the glue is already deteriorating and the trip curling away from the window. It would be a major pain in the a$$ to tint them seperate. I told the customer the only way I'd film the window is with the trim stripped off on the interior. Another thing to worry about is the trim on the exterior heating up and causing glass breakage.

we run across these alot,,,especially on all the houses that are ten yrs. or older,,,some i'll just walk away from, but if the customers really want them tinted we pull them off (they're held on with silicone), we tint the window in 1 piece then most of the time the customers just say leave them off because the outside of the window still has the grid look and they're easier to clean if they're off,,,,of course we charge more to rip those dumb things off

My house is so old, that these panels are seperate pieces of glass. I have an enclosed front porch, facing south. It has 14 windows that is actually 56 panes of glass. I tinted them all because I wanted them done so bad. Took a long time, but they look nice.

It sucks when they are your own. You really want them done, but you know whats involved....plus you dont get paid for your own stuff.

I'll agree there FBJ. I did use a partial roll that was left over from a large job we did, and it sure beats mowing the grass or weeding the flower beds. So, it wasn't too bad this time that the hubby doesn't tint!

cut mine on a 24"x24" paper cutter to size and start putting em on

A window tinter tinting their own home?

Let me think about this one. = \ = /

Where do you find the time and motivation after tinting all day long!?!?!

Understand that I tint mostly cars. Doing flat glass, on my own schedule, on my own house was like a vacation. Tunes cranked, cold beers, and a blade. Sound like fun?

couldn't think of a better evening! When its a bit slow around here, I tint everything I can get my hands on. I have the whole place done around here. Security film, solar film, decoritive films... fun stuff.

I hear ya! Sunday I got bored, drove down to the shop (5 blocks away), and tinted a 'Flying D' old Ducati Motorcycle logo on one of the shop windows with 8% grey and red tint. The whole project only took an hour, and it was fun. I left the doors in the place closed so I didn't get bothered by the public.

I see your point E-O.

But if I ever wanted my car done, I'm taking it somewhere else besides me to tint. And I'll tell them I used to tint and act like a know it all.

Come see me DW...And I'll put a nice big pube right in the corner for ya.

It'd be ok depending on who's it is. (Miss DWIWD II said we can use a few of hers!) Will it have that lil' white head on it? Or will you take it off first?

No I leave that on, then I'll chizel it to put a nice smear on it.

can you do a design with it?

Sure no problem. I'll rip out a few of mine and spell D W I W D with em in the B/W. How does that sound? However, I cant warranty the work, you understand right?

I'm getting a stiffie just listening to you girls

OOOOOUCH. Ah man that hurt. Will these work OK DW?

ouch..what are you guys doing up so late..having fun??

Drinkin lots of beer!!!! I better stop though, Ive got a good size flat glass job tomorrow.........OK, just 1 more....and THATS IT!!

me too..where are you located???fsbjk

HAHAHAHAHA holy crap. "DWIWD"....can you do it in all caps?

That's a lot of frikkin' hair. Where do you peeps find pics of specific things? This phuqin' amazes me.

I know, from the amount of customers that I hear that crap from, you'd probably bring it to me!

If I am tinting with dark film, I strip the grids off.....if it is just UV film (clear), I strip them off and let the customer put the strips back on at a later date (after film has dried) on because you can see the back of the stips on the other side of the glass and the glue stuff that holds them on....which doesn't look good

I also give the customer the choice if they want to put the strips back on, for I tell them that it will void their warranty.....most don't put them back on but keep them in case they sell their house etc