Tinted a VW Beetle today.

September 12, 2003

I have not had the pleasure of working on too many VW Beetles, THANK GOD, but decided to give myself a challenge today. One of my installers had to do one about 2 months ago and he did the rear in one piece with no cuts or slits. Before that, we were 2 piecing them and most of our customer's did not mind.

Anyway, I felt the need to be challenged to see if the student is better than the master, as you may call it. He told me that it took him around an hour or so to heatshrink the film and install it on the rear. I figured that I would time myself and from start to finish on the rear window, it took me 1 hour and 15 minutes to completion. I almost messed up a couple of times and creased the film but managed to be patient enough to slowly heat shrink the last few stubborn fingers. I was pretty happy that I got it down in one piece with the dryer sheet shrinking method. I was using Suntek HP Charcoal 15%. Even with the great shrinkability of this film, I found it to be very challenging. All I know is it took me alot longer to do that window than I expected. I usually tint the rear in about 30-40 minutes with 2 pieces. I will definitely have to charge more for the one piece installs on these cars.

Now that I have accomplished one of the most challenging tasks as a tinter, what's next? I hope it isn't a Porsche 944 or old 911 targa :thumb

Out of curiousity, who else on the board has successfully done a VW Beetle rear glass in one piece with no creases, no cuts and no seams? What is the method that you use? Wet or dry shrink? Any tips you can give to a fellow tinter?

I know the 3M rep., Joe, can do it in about 8 minutes with the 3M color stable film but am really curious if he is able to do it with other films that quickly.

September 12, 2003

good job man...im still scared of those cars..lol

September 12, 2003

once you get used to them they're not that bad, I service a VW dealer in the area and when they first came out it seems I was doing those damn things every day..I was sucsessfully doing them in one piece using the powder, then when I learned the lift and shrink method it made the job so much quicker and easier...but the beetles have seemed to die down...I haven't done one in months..it figures...by the time you figure out an easy way to do it you don't need it anymore :thumb

Devil with bad attitude · September 12, 2003

Out of curiousity, who else on the board has successfully done a VW Beetle rear glass in one piece with no creases, no cuts and no seams? What is the method that you use? Wet or dry shrink? Any tips you can give to a fellow tinter?

Guys,

Seam 'em and be done with them. Who cares if a join is in the rear? If you didn't tell the customer, they'd never know any better.

Always amazes me that we as an industry deliberately make it harder for ourselves when we have no need to. If a customer is not told beforehand (and providing you have the invisible seaming skills) he'd never know any different and who gives a rats? :thumb

Devil

Mdog · September 12, 2003

I can do it. it takes way to long for me though, I like being able to 2 piece it and knock it out in 20 minutes of so. I draw the line on windows like that that take forever to shrink.

TintWizard · September 12, 2003

I 1 piece them using powder method ,but I use vinyl over matrix..looks good + not having those extra few inches of film to shrink makes a big difference...works for me anyways.. :thumb

GusTheTinter · September 12, 2003

Same as TintWiz :thumb

September 12, 2003

I've done them a total of 3 all were one pieces even did one in johnsons full metal, the last one I did I was able to shrink it in 15 min with powder. I have a complete bug rear door now that I want to use as a patern maker and see how to get better at shrinking them time will tell, if your faster with 2 no one will blame you to do it that way this car does'nt cry foul if done in to. for sure up sell for a one piece cause it's time consumming. as for joe no one here on this board ever saw him stick the back glass just shrink it in 8 min, if joe handed td the install I wonder how long it would take him to finally get it to lay completly down with the cs film, td hates that film! I charge an extra 100 on to the job to tint a bug and there have been no takers!

September 12, 2003

I guess I always like a challenge. I can 2 piece just about anything out there and make it look like a 1 piece job as that is how I use to tint before I started dry shrinking. It is because I have heard that quite a few people have been doing Beetle's in one piece that I needed to see for myself if I can do it or not. Kind of like a pride thing. Anyway, if I get another one in, I might try to do the wet lift and shrink method to see if that makes it any easier. Of course I will add a premium to the price for the extra time I have to spend on it. :thumb

Better yet, I'll just have one of my guys do it and save myself the headaches. :lol