Shrinking and Installing Windshields

[Super Dave]

5 hours ago, ErieTint said:

 

You wet shrink windshields and back glasses? I have done a wet check after dry shrinking but I am too nervous to apply a lot of heat to a windshield.

 

Do you mix a special bottle of slip just for windshield installs? I may try the Joy route or possibly get some Tint Slime. My issue yesterday was lack of movement to position the film once I had it 99% on the window. 

 

I am already committed to doing the window over but what I don't want to do is waste any more ceramic film than I already have. I know I have to learn but damn does it hurt learning with the expensive stuff.

Yes, I prefer to wet shrink everything I can! Certain films (sputtered) have to be dry shrank. But you actually need quite a bit less heat when you wet shrink, I usually have to turn my heat gun all the way up when I dry shrink. 

Also, I always mix new bottles with more slip for windshields. I never use my tank for those, for obvious reasons. I have really liked using the film on, but I think you’ll find just about anything will give you more slip! The film on sets up fast and dries up fast- great for a back window that wants to roll or peanut, but bad for a windshield that takes a couple minutes to get lined up.

Hope you get it on your next go, I know how you feel, I ripped off about 4-5 ft worth of my most expensive film today on a 720S.

[quality tintz]

1 hour ago, Super Dave said:

Yes, I prefer to wet shrink everything I can! Certain films (sputtered) have to be dry shrank. But you actually need quite a bit less heat when you wet shrink, I usually have to turn my heat gun all the way up when I dry shrink. 

Also, I always mix new bottles with more slip for windshields. I never use my tank for those, for obvious reasons. I have really liked using the film on, but I think you’ll find just about anything will give you more slip! The film on sets up fast and dries up fast- great for a back window that wants to roll or peanut, but bad for a windshield that takes a couple minutes to get lined up.

Hope you get it on your next go, I know how you feel, I ripped off about 4-5 ft worth of my most expensive film today on a 720S.

You install windshields with joy ???

[Super Dave]

@quality tintz

Yes sir

[quality tintz]

21 minutes ago, Super Dave said:

@quality tintz

Yes sir

Rite on thanks any hott weather tips somebody said cold water less evaporation???

[Super Dave]

Just the usual, more slip 

[CnCCustoms]

On 6/22/2018 at 11:06 PM, Super Dave said:

Yes, I prefer to wet shrink everything I can! Certain films (sputtered) have to be dry shrank. But you actually need quite a bit less heat when you wet shrink, I usually have to turn my heat gun all the way up when I dry shrink. 

Also, I always mix new bottles with more slip for windshields. I never use my tank for those, for obvious reasons. I have really liked using the film on, but I think you’ll find just about anything will give you more slip! The film on sets up fast and dries up fast- great for a back window that wants to roll or peanut, but bad for a windshield that takes a couple minutes to get lined up.

Hope you get it on your next go, I know how you feel, I ripped off about 4-5 ft worth of my most expensive film today on a 720S.

How do you use less heat to wet shrink?  You’re having to heat up water as well as the film?  If anything when I do occasionally wet shrink and used to 10+ years ago. It took twice as long and double the heat

[Super Dave]

1 hour ago, CnCCustoms said:

How do you use less heat to wet shrink?  You’re having to heat up water as well as the film?  If anything when I do occasionally wet shrink and used to 10+ years ago. It took twice as long and double the heat

The only thing I can think of that would cause that to happen for you is maybe you were shrinking from the little end of each finger? Like if you set up your back window H pattern, and the split all the fingers evenly across top and bottom. Did you start shrinking each finger from the center line on the H, (tip of the finger) toward the outside edge (top or bottom of glass) basically doing it the exact same way you would dry. 

[Super Dave]

I was just explaining this to a rep (last week) from a windshield skin company. He was there demoing how to shrink/install his film and it was taking forever. I asked to show him how I’d shrink it for the other side, sprayed some slip under  other side and re-set up fingers, shrank it down ( all said took maybe 2 minutes for my side) he was shrinking he side for at least 15. Same heat gun, same setting , same piece of film on the same car. It was definitely clear that the film was reacting and shrinking much faster when wet. That guy looked like he was using a hair dryer on his side. That being said, every one I tinted/trained with down here, starts wet shrinking from the opening of the finger, the hot air is first blown under that opening in the finger, back and forth, until you seal that edge with a bubble of hot air under it then work it toward the direction of that center line in the H pattern. So really, you’ve got hot air on both sides of the film when you’re shrinking it. To be completely honest, I thought everyone wet shrinks this way. 

[Sunbreakers]

The proper term for what you are describing is called pocket shrinking. In the old days we wet shrank like we dry shrink now starting at the point of the finger and working towards edge of film. Pocket shrinking helps control the finger by starting at the bottom first and you shrink it quicker with better results. 

Edited June 24, 2018 by Sunbreakers

[Super Dave]

@Sunbreakers Never knew that was called something! So when I was in elementary school, sometime (late 80’s) I would go to work with my dad and watch the guys tint, (he owned 5 stores) all of his tinters shrank film that way - even before 1 piece back glasses! They did that on doors also. Of coarse I couldn’t tell you exactly what year they started this way, but they were definitely doing seamless installs and it was considered the most professional install, lots of guys were still tinting in Precut strips on b-glass then. Anyway, that’s the only way I ever learned, I know that if a new tinter came for a job , if he was shrinking the other way- he never got hired.