roll downs and technique

tintshopky · April 30, 2008

I'm fairly new to this too... Generally I mark the edges on the outside with tape (front and back edges of the window, and in some cases high and low too). Then I cut the top edge, and as was said earlier on some windows, especially some trucks (I.e. last style of GM's) trim down the side a bit till I can't go further. Then roll up the window, mark the front and back either with a silver Sharpie or if I don't have one around I lightly mark the liner with the dull side of my Olfa. Throw it on the trimming board, make all my cuts (sometimes on vehicles with a little more room under the gaskets I'll add 1/16th or 1/8th of an inch to be sure). Then when applying the film, just make sure you line up with the tape and it's hidden, no matter how messed up it seems while the window's part way down, it'll work out when it's rolled up. I find the most important step out of this *for me* was the tape to make sure it all lines up, as soon as I remembered to do that, the gap issues vanished. This is a long and slow way but it saves me from screwing up film and if you double cut windows then it's not that bad. Once I'm more experienced and develop more 'feel' I'll start figuring out short cuts. Good luck!

not sure I understand this "trim down the side a bit till I can't go further." a short cut I already plan to make the top cut last as so not to roll up after the cut. also I sometimes cut the bottom 6 inches or so of a side then roll down and cut up. I plan to mark the sides this way now as I feel it will definitely show you how far you can go if the window shifts. this has changed my life. thanks to you all. killer game plan. I've not been cutting 2 windows at once. but, now that I know it can be done more accurately, I'm in. I've got a lady coming in with 4 rollups and a sunstrip this week. she doesn't want the back glass done. perfect practice and speed opportunity.

tintshopky · April 30, 2008

I only make 1 cut on a car or trucks roll down window. With the window rolled all the way up I lay an over-sized piece of film on the glass covering the top, bottom, front and back. I then use a yellow wax pencil to mark the film at the front, back and bottom, basically drawing the window edge to the film. I then lift the bottom edge, carefully roll down the window exposing the top edge and cut the top edge of the film off. I take the leftover piece over to my glass work table and cut the front, back and bottom to whatever length I want depending on how much room there is to tuck it in all around. What I have found is that it keeps the film from getting pinched and kinked and also keeps from possible cutting of gaskets. I do this with 2 pieces of film at a time to get both sides cut at the same time.

why wouldn't you use factory edge for the bottom?

I think that if you do use the factory edge for the bottom, you're cutting off a fair bit of film at the top, which you might need, especially in our case, if we screw up the top the cut along the edge. Just because there usually isn't that much excess to play with on a narrower roll

why is there a chance of screwing up the top edge? is it because of cutting 2 pieces at once? the way I've been tinting, I've only got one shot at the top edge.

April 30, 2008

when cutting the sides of the roll downs, do you always bump it a little forward to prevent light gaps on the sides? I know there are cars this is necessary. however, wondering if anyone does this on most or all vehicles as a habit. I've had a hard time with the back, top corner having a little film laying too close to the edge or not enough and a light gap on a few models. is this a feel thing that comes with more experience on more models? or is there a step or trick I'm missing? thanks in advance.

TRY THIS PUT BOTH PCS OF TINT ON THE WINDOW MAKE SURE THE RELEASE LINER IS FACING OUT. STRAIGHT EDGE THE BOTTOM, TAKE A SHARPIE AND TRACE DOWN BOTH SIDES. LIFT BOTTOM EDGE , ROLL DOWN THE WINDOW AND CUT THE TOP EDGE. PUT YOUR PCS ON YOUR SETUP BOARD AND WITH A STRAIGHT EDGE ADD A 1/4 OF AN INCH TO BOTH SIDES USING THE SHARPIE LINE AS YOUR GUIDE. YOU WILL NEVER HAVE DAYLIGHT AGAIN. AND YOU WILL NOT BE CUTTING ANY GASKETS OR GLASS. GOOD LUCK :rollin

April 30, 2008

I only make 1 cut on a car or trucks roll down window. With the window rolled all the way up I lay an over-sized piece of film on the glass covering the top, bottom, front and back. I then use a yellow wax pencil to mark the film at the front, back and bottom, basically drawing the window edge to the film. I then lift the bottom edge, carefully roll down the window exposing the top edge and cut the top edge of the film off. I take the leftover piece over to my glass work table and cut the front, back and bottom to whatever length I want depending on how much room there is to tuck it in all around. What I have found is that it keeps the film from getting pinched and kinked and also keeps from possible cutting of gaskets. I do this with 2 pieces of film at a time to get both sides cut at the same time.

why wouldn't you use factory edge for the bottom?

I dont trust the "factory" edge to be a nice and clean cut. I know that when I cut it straight and smooth that it will be perfect and lay down the way I want it to. :lol2

April 30, 2008

when cutting the sides of the roll downs, do you always bump it a little forward to prevent light gaps on the sides? I know there are cars this is necessary. however, wondering if anyone does this on most or all vehicles as a habit. I've had a hard time with the back, top corner having a little film laying too close to the edge or not enough and a light gap on a few models. is this a feel thing that comes with more experience on more models? or is there a step or trick I'm missing? thanks in advance.

TRY THIS PUT BOTH PCS OF TINT ON THE WINDOW MAKE SURE THE RELEASE LINER IS FACING OUT. STRAIGHT EDGE THE BOTTOM, TAKE A SHARPIE AND TRACE DOWN BOTH SIDES. LIFT BOTTOM EDGE , ROLL DOWN THE WINDOW AND CUT THE TOP EDGE. PUT YOUR PCS ON YOUR SETUP BOARD AND WITH A STRAIGHT EDGE ADD A 1/4 OF AN INCH TO BOTH SIDES USING THE SHARPIE LINE AS YOUR GUIDE. YOU WILL NEVER HAVE DAYLIGHT AGAIN. AND YOU WILL NOT BE CUTTING ANY GASKETS OR GLASS. GOOD LUCK

1/4" on both sides can be a little excessive on a lot of cases. You are better off looking at the gaskets to determine how far over the edge of the mark to cut the film. :gasp

April 30, 2008

when cutting the sides of the roll downs, do you always bump it a little forward to prevent light gaps on the sides? I know there are cars this is necessary. however, wondering if anyone does this on most or all vehicles as a habit. I've had a hard time with the back, top corner having a little film laying too close to the edge or not enough and a light gap on a few models. is this a feel thing that comes with more experience on more models? or is there a step or trick I'm missing? thanks in advance.

TRY THIS PUT BOTH PCS OF TINT ON THE WINDOW MAKE SURE THE RELEASE LINER IS FACING OUT. STRAIGHT EDGE THE BOTTOM, TAKE A SHARPIE AND TRACE DOWN BOTH SIDES. LIFT BOTTOM EDGE , ROLL DOWN THE WINDOW AND CUT THE TOP EDGE. PUT YOUR PCS ON YOUR SETUP BOARD AND WITH A STRAIGHT EDGE ADD A 1/4 OF AN INCH TO BOTH SIDES USING THE SHARPIE LINE AS YOUR GUIDE. YOU WILL NEVER HAVE DAYLIGHT AGAIN. AND YOU WILL NOT BE CUTTING ANY GASKETS OR GLASS. GOOD LUCK

1/4" on both sides can be a little excessive on a lot of cases. You are better off looking at the gaskets to determine how far over the edge of the mark to cut the film.

I HAVE NEVER HAD AN ISSUE WITH THIS 10,000 CARS LATER

April 30, 2008

when cutting the sides of the roll downs, do you always bump it a little forward to prevent light gaps on the sides? I know there are cars this is necessary. however, wondering if anyone does this on most or all vehicles as a habit. I've had a hard time with the back, top corner having a little film laying too close to the edge or not enough and a light gap on a few models. is this a feel thing that comes with more experience on more models? or is there a step or trick I'm missing? thanks in advance.

TRY THIS PUT BOTH PCS OF TINT ON THE WINDOW MAKE SURE THE RELEASE LINER IS FACING OUT. STRAIGHT EDGE THE BOTTOM, TAKE A SHARPIE AND TRACE DOWN BOTH SIDES. LIFT BOTTOM EDGE , ROLL DOWN THE WINDOW AND CUT THE TOP EDGE. PUT YOUR PCS ON YOUR SETUP BOARD AND WITH A STRAIGHT EDGE ADD A 1/4 OF AN INCH TO BOTH SIDES USING THE SHARPIE LINE AS YOUR GUIDE. YOU WILL NEVER HAVE DAYLIGHT AGAIN. AND YOU WILL NOT BE CUTTING ANY GASKETS OR GLASS. GOOD LUCK

1/4" on both sides can be a little excessive on a lot of cases. You are better off looking at the gaskets to determine how far over the edge of the mark to cut the film.

No need to YELL...........lower the caps buddy!

I HAVE NEVER HAD AN ISSUE WITH THIS 10,000 CARS LATER

justn8 · April 30, 2008

I'm fairly new to this too... Generally I mark the edges on the outside with tape (front and back edges of the window, and in some cases high and low too). Then I cut the top edge, and as was said earlier on some windows, especially some trucks (I.e. last style of GM's) trim down the side a bit till I can't go further. Then roll up the window, mark the front and back either with a silver Sharpie or if I don't have one around I lightly mark the liner with the dull side of my Olfa. Throw it on the trimming board, make all my cuts (sometimes on vehicles with a little more room under the gaskets I'll add 1/16th or 1/8th of an inch to be sure). Then when applying the film, just make sure you line up with the tape and it's hidden, no matter how messed up it seems while the window's part way down, it'll work out when it's rolled up. I find the most important step out of this *for me* was the tape to make sure it all lines up, as soon as I remembered to do that, the gap issues vanished. This is a long and slow way but it saves me from screwing up film and if you double cut windows then it's not that bad. Once I'm more experienced and develop more 'feel' I'll start figuring out short cuts. Good luck!

not sure I understand this "trim down the side a bit till I can't go further." a short cut I already plan to make the top cut last as so not to roll up after the cut. also I sometimes cut the bottom 6 inches or so of a side then roll down and cut up. I plan to mark the sides this way now as I feel it will definitely show you how far you can go if the window shifts. this has changed my life. thanks to you all. killer game plan. I've not been cutting 2 windows at once. but, now that I know it can be done more accurately, I'm in. I've got a lady coming in with 4 rollups and a sunstrip this week. she doesn't want the back glass done. perfect practice and speed opportunity.

I just meant trim down the side till I can't go further in some rare instances, such as the GM trucks I mentioned, since the top back corner of the glass has a biiig corner and then when it's rolled down has a gap between the back edge of the glass and the frame... hard to explain, but it was just my way of getting the big rounded corner smooth. I think the tracing the outline method mentioned here will be the best way, and then just mark the edges with tape so you know where to line it up when the windows down a bit and mounting. Nice and simple, can't go wrong.

April 30, 2008

when cutting the sides of the roll downs, do you always bump it a little forward to prevent light gaps on the sides? I know there are cars this is necessary. however, wondering if anyone does this on most or all vehicles as a habit. I've had a hard time with the back, top corner having a little film laying too close to the edge or not enough and a light gap on a few models. is this a feel thing that comes with more experience on more models? or is there a step or trick I'm missing? thanks in advance.

TRY THIS PUT BOTH PCS OF TINT ON THE WINDOW MAKE SURE THE RELEASE LINER IS FACING OUT. STRAIGHT EDGE THE BOTTOM, TAKE A SHARPIE AND TRACE DOWN BOTH SIDES. LIFT BOTTOM EDGE , ROLL DOWN THE WINDOW AND CUT THE TOP EDGE. PUT YOUR PCS ON YOUR SETUP BOARD AND WITH A STRAIGHT EDGE ADD A 1/4 OF AN INCH TO BOTH SIDES USING THE SHARPIE LINE AS YOUR GUIDE. YOU WILL NEVER HAVE DAYLIGHT AGAIN. AND YOU WILL NOT BE CUTTING ANY GASKETS OR GLASS. GOOD LUCK

1/4" on both sides can be a little excessive on a lot of cases. You are better off looking at the gaskets to determine how far over the edge of the mark to cut the film.

No need to YELL...........lower the caps buddy!

I HAVE NEVER HAD AN ISSUE WITH THIS 10,000 CARS LATER