Techniques on dot matrix!

[jh812]

There was a video if vinyl on the inside that looked good. Vinyl on outside looks horrible imo.

[TintOhio]

Vinyl on the inside looks great, to me thats perfect, but it cost more $$ & customer doesnt always want to pay $$more

[dmiller403]

vinyl by far leaves best appearance. most you will notice a ASI line on the rear, at the bottom of dots or lines. Some cars the vinyl does go pretty far on the back glass. when you look at it. but as i tell people you dont view through that area.

Fastest way to cut is to cut out complete back glass like u are going to lay over dot matrix. then cut the matrix area. leaves you a nice quick pattern.

I need. to get a better idea of vinyl to keep in stock. i like flat black because it looks the same as edge on inside. but need a good height. say 8" so i can do whatever car comes through.

[TintOhio]

Dotrix works very well, a bit pricey tho

[jh812]

Reverse the conversation for a minute and pretend your the customer. The installer says either I can sand the dots a little so the film does not have a cloudy look to it and you can see through it or I can put a piece of vinyl up there and you will not be able to see through that part of the glass anymore but the dot matrix will not look cloudy. Which would you prefer? Sanding or glue to me looks the best.

[TintOhio]

I personally would say I dont want you sanding $hit... Lol, but thats me and I have never.utilized that method

[jh812]

And I would respond to that by saying that I have sanded many vehicles. I use 600 grit sandpaper and I wet sand it, end quote. There is more than one way to skin a cat. This is just my personal favorite. I would also offer gluing but it just is a little messier to me. I use to use the vinyl but once I started sanding I never turned back. You should give it a shot sometime.

I even go as far now as sanding it on the windshield if I do a banner and it is a large enough dot matrix.

[TintOhio]

hmmm, you do have me putting some thought into it.. In fact everytime this comes up i contemplate trying it.

2 ?'s, How much time does it take to sand the matrix, & How much of a mess does it make?

Of course I know you can control/contain the mess, I just think about the debris getting into the tint.

On another note, how does everyone attack the black lines I believe like on Impala's/ Charger's where they have the horizontal thick matrix like lines?? Tint typically sticks to them for me, although it likes to be stubborn at times

[Dugefresh]

Not much mess , and I sand for about 5min using circular motion or Crisscross pattern , it helps to evenly sand the area ,

[Bizzar1]

Forhead grease. I kid you not. I just clean the backglass as normal and when its wet, I wipe my fingers on my forhead, get them nice and greasy and rub it all over the matrix. It does some strange chemical reaction with the tint to where it sticks to the dots, but not in between the dots when it cures. Trust me on this lol. Maybe it's just MY forhead but I can promise it does work heh. Sounds crazy I know but I learned this from a fellow tinter and gave it a try. I'm sure the look on my face was the same as you reading this.