First experience with True Cut.

Bulk Auto Films · August 27, 2014

Holes in the pattern like tow hooks or sensor. Never fit right with either Dap or Tru-cut. So I always delete them and hand trim them.

Can you post an example of what you mean by "never fit right" so that I can see what you are referring to?

Sure. One of the shops I do 1099 work for, forget to delete the sensor holes for an mclaren mp4. The holes were off a good 1/2 inch.

It could be the way I install. With one person, I always start on the driver wheel well and work my way over to the passenger side.

I have had the side reflectors on a porsche panamera/cayenne that were way off with no stretch.

It's normally not a problem since I always delete all holes and hand trim them. It makes a big improvement. Wrapping wheel wells and into the hood edges really cleans it up too.

Jake · August 27, 2014

If I'm not mistaking most patters are meant to be installed from the center area out to both sides. But I agree with you ,and I delete all tow hooks, and sensors also. But I don't use DAP so I can't comment on their patterns.

PPFdistributing · August 28, 2014

I install center out as well. The main reason I delete PDC's and nest the TH and Washer covers because I hate when customers give me the wrong info. It is much easier matching up the lines of the car instead trying to match up holes.

September 2, 2014

I had use all of these software s, Tru cut, Precision Cut (LLumar), Tint Tek, DAP, Film Design and Premiumshield.

All I have to say is that Tru cut and Llumar kits fits well on most cars, LLumar Precision Cut is really use to customize their patterns but on Tru cut all hoods are unwrapped so you have to do some modifications in other to wrap hoods.

DAP is awesome but way too expensive, I only have for backup.

Tint Tek and Film Design are useless for PPF , but their tint patterns fits quite well.

Premiumshield it's better than Tint Tek and Film Designs but they only have patterns from 2002 up and no motorcycles.

September 2, 2014

Agreed, TruCut is a bit hit-and-miss. I've not come across a pattern that we haven't had issues with. It makes it all quite difficult for us at times.

SunTek UK have moved towards a Cut Code system where you get access to the software FOC when you purchase a roll of their film. You put a code corresponding to the length of film purchased and you then cut patterns, the total length of which needs to match the length of film purchased (with a bit extra to cover mistakes etc). After that allocation is done, no dice. Problem is because we have little confidence in the patterns we often have to cut to paper first and check fitment which all counts towards your allocation.

XPEL Jeff · September 2, 2014

Holes in the pattern like tow hooks or sensor. Never fit right with either Dap or Tru-cut. So I always delete them and hand trim them.

Can you post an example of what you mean by "never fit right" so that I can see what you are referring to?

Sure. One of the shops I do 1099 work for, forget to delete the sensor holes for an mclaren mp4. The holes were off a good 1/2 inch.

It could be the way I install. With one person, I always start on the driver wheel well and work my way over to the passenger side.

I have had the side reflectors on a porsche panamera/cayenne that were way off with no stretch.

It's normally not a problem since I always delete all holes and hand trim them. It makes a big improvement. Wrapping wheel wells and into the hood edges really cleans it up too.

Gotcha. The Panamera pattern was designed to install in kind of a hybrid center out method, following the steps belw, then working out to the wheel wells.:

Panamera Bump by pjp98z, on Flickr

Aside from being an all around PITA, this one does not fit the normal intuitive technique, which is precisely why we chose this bumper to be in our training class. A little sadisitic, but yes, sometimes this bumper is someone's first experience with ppf.

Next time you try the McLaren and the Panamera, try starting from somewhere other than the wheelwells to see if it works any better for you. Also, on our kits, sometimes the sensor holes are perfectly round circles, but other times they are more like vertical ovals, meaning that you should skip the sensors as a tack point and go to the next point. You'll find that the oval has stretched into a circle because our designers accounted for that in the pattern.

minty · September 2, 2014

This is the reason I make my own templates. I know they will be fitting and I am not tied into any particular film. Nothing worse than cutting a kit that looks baggy and ill fitting because the templater was using the near enough is good enough rule, it's my name on the install and I have to be 100% happy with the result.

Steve.

Supreme · September 2, 2014

SunTek UK have moved towards a Cut Code system where you get access to the software FOC when you purchase a roll of their film. You put a code corresponding to the length of film purchased and you then cut patterns, the total length of which needs to match the length of film purchased (with a bit extra to cover mistakes etc). After that allocation is done, no dice. Problem is because we have little confidence in the patterns we often have to cut to paper first and check fitment which all counts towards your allocation.

Interesting way introduced by Suntek but I guess it does give people free cutting for buying their product. At the moment just starting out I cant pay the $300p/m in the hope we get customers for it.

Also interesting how you cut on paper first, Not sure how that works with templates that need to be stretched for correct placement. Stretching kits on seems to be part of the game so are you not thinking the kit doesn't fit when its done in paper? just curious....

September 3, 2014

SunTek UK have moved towards a Cut Code system where you get access to the software FOC when you purchase a roll of their film. You put a code corresponding to the length of film purchased and you then cut patterns, the total length of which needs to match the length of film purchased (with a bit extra to cover mistakes etc). After that allocation is done, no dice. Problem is because we have little confidence in the patterns we often have to cut to paper first and check fitment which all counts towards your allocation.

Interesting way introduced by Suntek but I guess it does give people free cutting for buying their product. At the moment just starting out I cant pay the $300p/m in the hope we get customers for it.

Also interesting how you cut on paper first, Not sure how that works with templates that need to be stretched for correct placement. Stretching kits on seems to be part of the game so are you not thinking the kit doesn't fit when its done in paper? just curious....

Yes you're right they don't always fit when there's curvature and as you've pointed out it's not supposed to; what it does give though is a good idea what to expect in terms of fitment. You really can tell whether it's going to work or not. Also you can see straightaway with paper templates the stretch strategy the patternmaker has adopted. We use a patterns from more than one provider so it varies and it's easier to check with paper vs. wasting good film.

The thing I've found with TruCut is templates are wrong even when the panel is flat? That's about the easiest thing to create.

Jake · September 3, 2014

I can only assume then pattern is some how changing when it entered in to the program. I can't believe that it was cut then tested on an acual car and found as "good".