Double Dry shrink??

VWaholic · April 11, 2004

Ok I've thought of yet another idea. not sure about this one either. Shrink the film as far as you can before creasing on tough glasses, then pull the film off reapply another layer of dryer sheet splooge, allow to dry and reapply the film and continue where you left off, you could then probably work the crappy bubbles around to where you want them to go. Once again this is just another idea I came up with, if anybody is willing to try it keep us posted (don't get too many cutlasses or 944's round here)

Seems like a bad idea. Once you get the film shrunk down to the last inch or so the fingers really don't move around much from side to side. I've tinted a handful of 944s and so far it's a two piece window. I've never tried using a completely die based film.

Tintcutter · April 11, 2004

So all I do is lift the top and bottom edges, especially the bottom because I hate having to reach down in there chasing a finger, and remelt the width of the card I am using to shrink with. Works fine, is fast and no messing around. Its all a square inches thing. This guy that works for me is a good tinter, but when I started in on a J30 glass, he freaked because I was melting the tubes at a 45 degree angle. So I told him, just imagine the tube as square inches being melted only that they are connect corner to corner not bottom to top like a vertical tube. Once you see its all about surface area melted not so much technique, you can use any technique you want, and I want the short timed technique.

TintDude · April 11, 2004

kinda hard to knock a technique you haven't mastered TC, dryshrinking, in my humble opinion is faster and better than wet, don't knock it untill you've tried it, please don't insult people for using it :eyebrows

April 11, 2004

Well put TD. We all have different ways to reach the same result.

April 11, 2004

Ok I've thought of yet another idea. not sure about this one either. Shrink the film as far as you can before creasing on tough glasses, then pull the film off reapply another layer of dryer sheet splooge, allow to dry and reapply the film and continue where you left off, you could then probably work the crappy bubbles around to where you want them to go. Once again this is just another idea I came up with, if anybody is willing to try it keep us posted (don't get too many cutlasses or 944's round here)

I may be wrong on this one, but I "accidentally" stubbled onto something similar to this a couple years ago.

I was tinting my first status coupe. about halfway into the shrink, I had to answer the phone. I stayed on the phone for about 30 minutes, when I went back and finished my shrink, it went down perfectly.

the next status coupe I did, I had hell with. I remembered how easy the first one was, and wondered if stopping halfway through had something to do with it.

the next stratus coupe I did, I heated until it started to get hairy. I stopped and did the side glasses. went back and finished the shrink, no problems whatsoever.

so, this is how I do them all now. I don't know if it helps by letting the film cool down, or what. but it works for me.

the process you described, would be basically the same, by giving the film time to cool down. just without the extra removing and repowdering.

Tintcutter · April 11, 2004

But I have tried it. It came out a long time ago along with Hot Wings and a bunch of other efforts toward the same idea, make the melt across more surface area and not just up and down the big tunnels and the whole piece will fit better. Dry shrinking is what taught me that surface area business. It is not as fast because it takes more steps. always will. Have you guys actually ever stopped to write down every single hand motion you make in a 4 door car? I have. I had to do a project for a Industrial Engineering class. Then I had to shorten the steps and demonstrate in front of everyone the changes in the process that I made. Try THAT before you commit me to the insane asylum.

I didn't start out to offend, but change some ways of thinking. People make professional careers out of studying work process, and every tint shop should be aware of Industrial Engineering. When we calculate waste on a flat glass job, figure what size rolls we should have in the shop or think of anything we do at work that can be measured we engage in IE. But so few realize there is a lot of info out there for support and the way we think about it comes first.

April 11, 2004

I wet shrink EVERYTHING. It is faster for me, but thanks to TD.com I've tried new things and it's worked great, but wet is still faster for me :eyebrows

April 11, 2004

Dry Shrinking is WIth Sheets is Very GOod. Every One should GIve it a Try. IT ALSO DEPENDS On youR Personal Prefrences.

skittles15 · April 11, 2004

ok TC you are really startin to p1ss me off, even though I only have 1 year experience I know that a dry shrink is fast than a wet shrink (with at least 99% of people). what I am saying is with tough glasses like cutlass camero 944 etc... shrink untill you know the film with fk up on the next heat, then pull it off and set aside, then add another layer of dryer sheet splooge, let dry then put the film back on, this should give you the mobility of moving the fingers around so you can shrink an area that can still be shrunk (get what I'm sayin?)

April 11, 2004

so, this is how I do them all now. I don't know if it helps by letting the film cool down, or what. but it works for me.
the process you described, would be basically the same, by giving the film time to cool down. just without the extra removing and repowdering.

:popcorn :tts on the money.

For the difficult windows (Bug, Stratus, Eclipse, etc.) allow the film to cool by working the top for awhile then move to the bottom (or do a side window) letting the top cool down.

Remember... as long as the film has heat slamming into it from a heat gun it is warming to a temp condusive with shrinking... you pull the gun away and the film will continue to shrink slightly because its surface temp is still hot enough for shrinking to occur.

Letting it cool gives you much more control of the amount of shrink. That is exactly how I shrunk a VW Bug the very first time... staggering the area being heated to allow an area to cool, thus slowing the shrink for more control of the amount.

Time is money... shrinking is not like love making... it doesn't have to stay hot all the way through to the finish. Control is the key to success.

:booga