Curved Boat Window

Shadow Glass · January 27, 2016

I've been doing some reading on how to tint a curved boat window.... This is at a boat dealership and I do NOT want to take the window out.. unless they are willing to let me take the window home.

Any tips on placing the film on the window? Do you lay the film on the window so that there are minimal fingers?

I plan on wet shrinking the window.. any videos out there from beginning to end?

Thanks

Raymond

Bham · January 27, 2016

If it looks like these windows, there is little shrink and lots of stretch. It may not seem like it, but the film will stretch and lay around that curve. The gaskets might try to make it pop off when installing, but it will lay in. :thumb

Big tinting · January 27, 2016

I pull window and seals all the way out and tint them on my glass rack but be careful not to break , but I also charge a lot more to do them for me makes it easier on the curved glass and absolutely no gap.

Tintguy1980 · January 28, 2016

Curved glass 101

Most of the time there is a single curve in boat glass, meaning side to side, which allows for a no-shrink install. It's only when a compound curve exists you need heat forming. Compound = side to side and top to bottom. You can determine severity of top to bottom by placing a straight edge on edge on the glass surface and observe each edge. Does the ruler not touch at each end but does so in the middle?

Shadow Glass · February 26, 2016

If it looks like these windows, there is little shrink and lots of stretch. It may not seem like it, but the film will stretch and lay around that curve. The gaskets might try to make it pop off when installing, but it will lay in.

so to stretch the film do you spray the glass, squeegee the film to the larger part of the window.. then use the heat gun to make the tint pliable? and stretch and the tint is being heated? to form the curve? Never really had to stretch tint before.. There boats I have been doing do not have that curve but I have a customer that has a windshield very close to the one your posted..

thanks for the help

DOOTINT · February 26, 2016

Wet shrink works for curved boat windows,,most are not bad as they look,,easy shrink and no defrosters=no peanuts,lol

Some don't have a lot of room on the inside

Bham · February 26, 2016

Hi again Shadow Glass. :waving Sorry for the long post that might not help much. :dunno

The stretch is hard to explain. I appologize if this doesn't make sense.

As Doo said, wet shrinking(or layout, as there is not much shrinking to be done). You will have to play a little and be prepared to waste a piece or two if you haven't done one of these curves. Like Smartie said, the glass isn't curved up and down only side to side,,,,meaning it will stretch(per say) when installed.

Stretch in only a description of sorts. On the outside during layout(with oversized patten) it will appear to need to be shrunk at the curve. If you carefully plant the film with a turbo or hard card you will see that it will lay on the curve as you move the fingers away from it. It's tricky but once you do it, you will see. Tip... Try cutting a piece to exact fit on the outside, and see if you can get the stretch to work. This might help you get a feel for what it is doing.

On the inside when installing the properly cut(or just ever so slightly bigger) piece,,,, you will see when you get to the curve, that the fill will lay in and then try to pop off the curve with a wierd shaped bubble. Don't let that bubble scare you, as it will lay it(or stretch) at the end of the install.

At the end of install when dealing with this bubble, you will have to learn how to be careful pushing it back down. But it will go. You might have to heat the outside of the curve to get it to tack up.

Also, big reminder here,,, if your film is touching any of the black rubber border(especially in the curve) it will want to pop off and fight you. You may have to trim short and fill the light gap with a paint pen.

This is A VERY ABBRIEVIATED sort of instruction. And again, sorry if it doesn't make much sense. I know I have left it WIDE open in areas, but this is hard for me to explain,,,,much easier TO SHOW this one.

Many headaches over curved boat windows. Good luck and if you have more questions I will TRY to help. Cheers. :beer

Shadow Glass · February 26, 2016

Wet shrink works for curved boat windows,,most are not bad as they look,,easy shrink and no defrosters=no peanuts,lol

Some don't have a lot of room on the inside

i have never been good at wet shrinking.. always dry.. but open to anything...

Hi again Shadow Glass. Sorry for the long post that might not help much.

The stretch is hard to explain. I appologize if this doesn't make sense.

As Doo said, wet shrinking(or layout, as there is not much shrinking to be done). You will have to play a little and be prepared to waste a piece or two if you haven't done one of these curves. Like Smartie said, the glass isn't curved up and down only side to side,,,,meaning it will stretch(per say) when installed.

Stretch in only a description of sorts. On the outside during layout(with oversized patten) it will appear to need to be shrunk at the curve. If you carefully plant the film with a turbo or hard card you will see that it will lay on the curve as you move the fingers away from it. It's tricky but once you do it, you will see. Tip... Try cutting a piece to exact fit on the outside, and see if you can get the stretch to work. This might help you get a feel for what it is doing.

On the inside when installing the properly cut(or just ever so slightly bigger) piece,,,, you will see when you get to the curve, that the fill will lay in and then try to pop off the curve with a wierd shaped bubble. Don't let that bubble scare you, as it will lay it(or stretch) at the end of the install.

At the end of install when dealing with this bubble, you will have to learn how to be careful pushing it back down. But it will go. You might have to heat the outside of the curve to get it to tack up.

Also, big reminder here,,, if your film is touching any of the black rubber border(especially in the curve) it will want to pop off and fight you. You may have to trim short and fill the light gap with a paint pen.

This is A VERY ABBRIEVIATED sort of instruction. And again, sorry if it doesn't make much sense. I know I have left it WIDE open in areas, but this is hard for me to explain,,,,much easier TO SHOW this one.

Many headaches over curved boat windows. Good luck and if you have more questions I will TRY to help. Cheers.

i appreciate the long response... you know.. if youre doing a boat sometime soon.... i think a lot of people would be eager to see a youtube video!!!! haha