Video I promised with plotter cut pattern

TintJunkie · November 20, 2012

I will get some video of myself....

on the one it was 2 minutes to make a clear pattern and cut the back sides of a Cobalt. Then it was a couple minutes cutting and shrinking the front doors. Don't have any cutting the rear window....

Those were not moving very fast.

It might be a couple minutes more than the video on here, but here is my thought break down.

You might save 2 minutes using the cutter, but at a shop rate of only $60 that is $2.00. Now, that makes you have to do at least 60 cars to pay for the software fee. That doesn't include replacement blade, wear and tear on the cutter, the computer up keep and replacements, or the original cost of the cutter, computer, and software.

I will work on getting a video of my cutting, but it will be a while as work is slow right now....

I rarely use the plotter for automotive anymore. I use it more for fg and vinyl. The only reason I got the plotter at all was because I had a dealership acct that we did every car on the lot. When I cut patterns for those, it was 35% for the sides, and 20% for the back glass. Had I done a video like that, it would have been super fast, but I wanted this vid to be as realistic as possible, and as you saw, the film was falling from the glass, and I had a heck of a time getting the 20% loaded for whatever reason. So, I think its very realistic.

The only thing I spend money on for the plotter is the occasional teflon strip replacement, and $18 blades that I get from Fellers. I dont pay for the software anymore, as I quit doing automotive. Head scratcher as to how I was able to use the software? I have my ways.

TintJunkie · November 20, 2012

Someone is gonna get a deal on a surplus precut tint pattern! A question I have, if the back glass needs to be shrunk, there is also time involved positioning it on the window. (doors as well) this is already done for hand cutters. Also, when I did auto, I would do roll ups with the liner still on the bottom of the film. ( lock the top,roll up, flush bottom, peel liner, slip behind sweep)...with a liner that is oversized because of weeding.....does it get in the way?

Easy solution to your problems.

I dont do it that way. I just put the non weeded piece on the back glass, shrink, then when Im ready to install, I just pull the liner off. Not sure how you were able to weed it with the liner side up without pulling it off the precut pattern.

As far as on a door for shrinking, I do it the same way anyone else would, but of course there is excess liner everywhere.

Skip to 1 minute mark. On this one, I did trim the excess off a little for this vehicle before pulling it off, but only because the film hung over the bottom wedging into to trunk lid. Most of them, I throw the film on, shrink, pull the film while it weeds itself and releases the liner from the precut pattern.

TintJunkie · November 20, 2012

Here is the shrink. Skip to the 6:10 mark to see the pattern has not been weeded. You can also kinda tell at the beginning that it hasnt been trimmed. Same car as above.

The ///Man · November 20, 2012

Someone is gonna get a deal on a surplus precut tint pattern! A question I have, if the back glass needs to be shrunk, there is also time involved positioning it on the window. (doors as well) this is already done for hand cutters. Also, when I did auto, I would do roll ups with the liner still on the bottom of the film. ( lock the top,roll up, flush bottom, peel liner, slip behind sweep)...with a liner that is oversized because of weeding.....does it get in the way?

Easy solution to your problems.

I dont do it that way. I just put the non weeded piece on the back glass, shrink, then when Im ready to install, I just pull the liner off. Not sure how you were able to weed it with the liner side up without pulling it off the precut pattern.

As far as on a door for shrinking, I do it the same way anyone else would, but of course there is excess liner everywhere.

Skip to 1 minute mark. On this one, I did trim the excess off a little for this vehicle before pulling it off, but only because the film hung over the bottom wedging into to trunk lid. Most of them, I throw the film on, shrink, pull the film while it weeds itself and releases the liner from the precut pattern.

The liner tears easy, and if you pull it at that 45* it will follow the cut on the film. The. You shrink and install just like hand cut patterns.

TintJunkie · November 20, 2012

Hmm. I'll have to try it like you did it. It would have saved me some time in that video I made. After I weeded it, I flipped the film so liner was out. Cool!

Bullseye · November 20, 2012

The greatest benefit to having a plotter IMO is being able to hit cut and go back to work. Therefore the time I am cutting out the tint and not tinting is probably closer to 2 minutes.

The ///Man · November 20, 2012

Greatest thing about the plotter is same pattern every time.

pbalentine · November 21, 2012

Had a quick question....for the rear glass, you still have to do a final cut right? Also, does it work good for convertibles back glass's with no dot matrix?

coast2coasttinting · November 21, 2012

Had a quick question....for the rear glass, you still have to do a final cut right? Also, does it work good for convertibles back glass's with no dot matrix?

No it will already be final cut for you most programs you can even choose to cut out around the third brake light or not to get out around the brake light.

The ///Man · November 21, 2012

Yep. Rarely is there any cutting needed. I do on come VWs and fords here and there where the rear decks and side pillars are tight. But mostly unnecessary.