50 year old seals...too much trash

[southerntinting]

We are tinting some 50+ year old SPNT windows with aluminum frames. The caulk is now very dry and brittle. We are cutting out the excess caulk and cleaning as usual but there is still more trash than I want to see. I know you cant get these perfect but I would like to find a better way. We have tried cutting them with the clear on, clear off, cutting all the caulk out and so on. So far I havent seen any method that works well and can be done in a reasonable amount of time. Any suggestions?

[TINT]

when precutting and installing, do not use much water up at the top of the panes. spraying alot would cause to get endless dust/debris from the inside of the frames. upon installing and taking off the liner, spray moderately water on the film, spray/flush the sides of the window and rinse the top of the window before applying. in other words, dont spray to much water either on the film or the glass. just one of them....hope I was clear

[Guest Bulldog]

We are tinting some 50+ year old SPNT windows with aluminum frames. The caulk is now very dry and brittle. We are cutting out the excess caulk and cleaning as usual but there is still more trash than I want to see. I know you cant get these perfect but I would like to find a better way. We have tried cutting them with the clear on, clear off, cutting all the caulk out and so on. So far I havent seen any method that works well and can be done in a reasonable amount of time. Any suggestions?

An old trick I got from tinting "schoolhouse" windows set in mortar--I.e. sandframe...

Use a filmhandler to cut pieces short on edges. Let dry. Caulk the gap. Or, caulk the edge to seal the dirt in place, let dry and the tint.(Taping off glass side will leave a straight line.)

[southerntinting]

An old trick I got from tinting "schoolhouse" windows set in mortar--I.e. sandframe...

Use a filmhandler to cut pieces short on edges. Let dry. Caulk the gap. Or, caulk the edge to seal the dirt in place, let dry and the tint.(Taping off glass side will leave a straight line.)

Old school and hospital buildings are the only places we have ran into this. I thought about the caulk route but it would be slow.We are doing a complete wing of the building. We are using the filmhandler to cut them a little short. The problem comes when the window is any smaller than the film. Once the tint touches the old caulk there is no saving it.

[Guest BLACKOUT SoKal]

tell them the tintjob can only be as clean as there windows...there windows are obviously dirt, nasty looking and old before you tint them what do they expect you to do ? so far cutting short sound like the best idea just to keep out of the edges all together. maybe let it dry and run some 1/2 blackout tape along the edges, you can sell them the tint job "as is" with the gaps and say its for "heat expansion"or just sell them the blackout tape roll to do it themselves.

[Guest Bulldog]

Old school and hospital buildings are the only places we have ran into this. I thought about the caulk route but it would be slow.We are doing a complete wing of the building. We are using the filmhandler to cut them a little short. The problem comes when the window is any smaller than the film. Once the tint touches the old caulk there is no saving it.

Any install co. will have the same problem. Since this is a hospital, it is safe to assume evrything in the rooms/halls are immaculate. Tell the cust. that if they want the immaculate job, they have to pay extra $ for the caulk. Be willing to do it. Come back after the film has dried and blow 'em away with a good caulk job.(Hell, hire it out to a pro.)

You can probably get the $ because no others are willing to go the extra mile.

[southerntinting]

Its not just about pleasing the management. Anyone who does these larger jobs knows the boss isnt the only one who needs to be impressed. Everyone who sees it needs to be pleased. The employee who works in that office has a sunroom or the patient needs their house done. The management is sold on our work. They have seen our installs on newer glass and know we will do the best job that can be done. But, the other side of that coin is when we run into difficult windows we have to find a way to do clean installs there also. Thats why Im looking for ideas.

[TINT]

bulldoggy has a good idea.

cutting them short and not spraying much water on the top of the glass will do ya good

[Guest VOLTRON]

if you try the precut way dont wet the window when installing the film and just wet the adhesive. It will keep the water out of the frames for the most part and then when pushing out the water go from bottom to top so when you squeegee the water out and you are going up it is running down the frame over film that has already been tacked to the glass so there wont be much water going back into the tint. Also, when pushing the water out you can wrap a paper towel around the edge so it will soak up the water as you push it out.

[TINT]

have fun. no way in hell there is gonna be at least one winodw without a speck