2 door Cobalt installers. Step inside.

FBO · October 6, 2011

You should try the QDP or the Classic 1.2, and see how you like it.

October 6, 2011

that window you want to anchor a little lower than normal, since the bottom is where all the shrink is at. I've done a bunch of them with TB with no problems. TB is a forgiving film in that you can shrink it a little bit, go somewhere else, shrink a little more, wait, a little more, etc. You have to "coax" the film down, not go for it all at once. also, don't try and card/push it down with your fingers until the very end just let the film flow. The curve on that window will allow the film to pull itself down, so you won't crease it when you finally think its shrunk enough to push it down.
also try leaving the film 2-3" long and intentionally burn the edge when you're almost done shrinking as it will help tighten up the film on the bottom so when you finish shrinking the last little bit the tension will pull the film down.

Or, do it the "easy" way since you're gluing the dots anyways and two piece it with a seam where the dots start, the glue will hide the slight bump where it overlaps.

as for the side finger, you need to anchor the film up and down about 6" on each side so 12" total up and down the way it has the wicked side curve or else the film wants to pull back and finger like you experienced.

In a couple days when the film and adhesive is completely dry you may be able to get those fingers down a little better, but chances are they're big enough that it'll just crease.

I always leave my film longer in case of burns or creases then I do the final trim at the end. I'm not a fan of two piecing, plus I don't have a steady enough hand to get a nice cut lol. And I never use a hard card for dry shrinking. Always use gloves, and then hard card at the end, followed with a wet check. Even after wetting under the film those fingers wouldn't move. Thus leading me to believe I shrank it to it's max lol.

I usually use the "I I" tack down method, but was reading to just tack down the center because of the curve... Not sure if that helped me or screwed me up more. All in all for my first window like this, I don't think it came out terrible. With more of these and some difference techniques I should be pretty good at them. Def don't see why someone with more experience couldn't get them done though.

October 6, 2011

The bottom is where the shrink is at??? Scotty....I have been agreeing with you more than usual lately....but I have to disagree with you on this one. I anchor it just above the defroster tabs, and the top corners are where all the stress is at....but at the same time, I have never had a problem with these cars....although my competition refuses to touch them. I sand and glue the dots...wish I would have gotten a pic of the one that left yesterday....the dots came out perfect....

That's what I was reading and that's where I anchored my film as well. But I'm not here to argue cause I'm a newb lol. And I usually just sand the dot's. This was the first one I glued. And over all I was pretty happy with the way they looked the next morning. Though I looked at it at 430 AM when I got home from my "day" job! Lol.

twotint · October 7, 2011

Never found these to be a hard shrink I anchor at the defroster tab. Dry shrink and glue the dots, everyone complains about TB not sticking without sliptac and not shrinking easy. I've never tried it but try a different film and see how it compares. ATR lays down easy on this glass. Keep practicing and you'll get better.

October 7, 2011

Never found these to be a hard shrink I anchor at the defroster tab. Dry shrink and glue the dots, everyone complains about TB not sticking without sliptac and not shrinking easy. I've never tried it but try a different film and see how it compares. ATR lays down easy on this glass. Keep practicing and you'll get better.

It shrank fine and stuck fine, I just believe I shrank it a little off beat and didn't even out the shrink and the film wouldn't shrink anymore where I needed it too. Now I'm reading some anchor high some go low, so anchor sides and some don't lol. I'm so confused on where to anchor for the best results!

October 7, 2011

Well I got another 2 door cobalt to do tomorrow. Any other tips for me to try? Anchor high or low or center? Anchor the sides or no?

hungry&fat · October 7, 2011

Do you II anchor. I swear it works fine for me. I use baby powder to shrink. I pull my anchor line right across the middle of the window. I work in 3rds on these windows. I start bottom left and shrink 1/3 of the way down, then the bottom right, shrink 1/3 of the way down, then top right 1/3 way, then top left 1/3 way. Working slow, then repeat until window is shrank. These I use a little more powder and do not card or flatten as I go. I let the film just naturally lay. If I get another one soon, ill try to record it.

Hep · October 8, 2011

Sounds off but try a higher hear setting on you heat gun. I fought and fought a 09 Vette BG window only to find out I wasnt using enough heat. Thats with Lulu ATR though so take that with a grain of salt. For a refference I was using a Snap On heat gun at high with a setting of 6. Now I know its not the cheapest gun out there but after hour of using that gun on the high never once shut off. Tools is where its at. Id put that gun hands down to anything out there. What do you gotta loose?

October 8, 2011

Do you II anchor. I swear it works fine for me. I use baby powder to shrink. I pull my anchor line right across the middle of the window. I work in 3rds on these windows. I start bottom left and shrink 1/3 of the way down, then the bottom right, shrink 1/3 of the way down, then top right 1/3 way, then top left 1/3 way. Working slow, then repeat until window is shrank. These I use a little more powder and do not card or flatten as I go. I let the film just naturally lay. If I get another one soon, ill try to record it.

I started out using the H pattern when I first started shrinking. But I've since started using just the "I I" with no center tacked down, obviously lol. But I was reading that for more curved glass that just tacking down the center and leaving the sides untacked would be beneficial. So I tried that with a higher center of anchor. And as I stated earlier. Everything laid nicely other than the driver side bottom. It just wouldn't shrink anymore. I also did the 3rd's thing. But should I start my shrink on the outside or the middle of the glass? I always started in the middle and worked my way out. But maybe start in the middle, work my way out to the side then down a little. Then move to the other side and do the same thing?

And I always have my heat gun on the highest setting.

October 8, 2011

Well the car just left my garage. Customer was very happy with it though I know it could've been better (Even though I was redoing the car for him after another "shop" did it and charged him double what I charge and they couldn't even get the BG to come out, so no tint at all on there).

Decided to anchor the film a little lower than center, bottom came out perfect but the top had a few small fingers then turned into creases under the dots. And I decided to glue the dots on this one as well. But the same thing happened to me today that happened to the other Cobalt I did. When I pulled the tint down to put the glue in, it got air between the last set of dots and first defroster line, and then it made a bunch of air bubbles when I squeegeed it out. As if the tint stuck in some spots and not in others.I have pictures That I'll post up later tonight of the final outcome.