Theory of targeting and squeegee

[BigExpress]

I'm fresh to the game, but I've been practicing, reading these forums, and watching youtube tutorials like crazy (Window Tinting Business and Ralph Van Pelt, mostly). I even have training scheduled through 3M in Chicago, but that isn't until February. I understand contamination prevention pretty well. I've even remodeled my bay, sealed the floor, and have a dedicated pressure washer that I use to clean the floor after every car. 

 

My problem is I'm still getting contamination through over-handling the tint on side doors on cars with deep gaskets. This causes finger bubbles, which in turn creates a vacuum which sucks trash out of the gaskets into the film. I've double-snapped preshrunk and two-staged, but I can't tuck the tint into the side gaskets without bending the tint somewhere and creating a vacuum and sucking in trash. I know the answer is likely that I need to pull panels and gaskets, but I just really don't want to do that. I've never worked on cars before this job, and I can foresee headaches.

 

I've ordered the gasket wizard and will attempt to bottom load when it arrives to reduce install time and over-handling, but in the meantime, can anyone offer a theory of targeting and squeegee pattern? I'd like to not just know WHAT your routine is, but WHY you do it so I can fully understand the mechanics and help develop my own skills. As you may have guessed, I'm an over-thinker, and I'm sick of wasting tint and beating my head against the wall while I trial and error my way through this admittedly steep learning curve.

 

Appreciate any help, dudes and dudettes!

[jh812]

Why as a new person would you automatically rule out arguably one of the best cleanest techniques there is? Learning to bottom load which mostly involves removing a seal or panel could eliminate the majority of all those problems you're having. 

[BigExpress]

Well, I suppose that would be because it looks like Ralph Van Pelt gets clean installs without doing it. I wanna minimize risk of damaging the cars. I also am a perfectionist and I know that perfection is expected of me, albeit eventually. If you and everyone else truly feels that's the only way to get a premium install done, then that's what I'll do. I was under the impression it's possible to do premium work without pulling panels. Given my skill set (perfectionist attitude, lack of experience working on cars) that seemed like the path of least resistance.

[BigExpress]

Do you feel a gasket wizard would allow me to do clean, bottom-load installs without pulling panels?

[jh812]

Imo bottom loading is one of the easiest learned and cleanest methods of installation. There are tools made now that help with installing with the gasket still in place but honestly that increases difficulty of installation and I wouldn't recommend it as a beginner. Look up some vehicles you own on YouTube and you'll see just how easy the panels come off because that's what they are made to do. As far as Ralph goes I've watched a lot of his videos which if I'm not mistaken he does have a bottom loading video. However I wouldn't take everything he says to heart, cause you can make anything look good on video and pictures.

[BigExpress]

I appreciate the advice. I suppose I'll give panel pulling a go.

[jh812]

1 hour ago, BigExpress said:

I appreciate the advice. I suppose I'll give panel pulling a go.

Nothing wrong with learning both techniques, good to be familiar with all of them.

[highplains]

23 minutes ago, jh812 said:

Nothing wrong with learning both techniques, good to be familiar with all of them.

[BigExpress]

Update: I finally got a clean install without pulling the panel. Used double snap, top load technique. Seems the culprit was my slip solution. I was using too much Johnson's Baby Shampoo. I cut it way back to just one pump per liter. Made things much easier to manage.

[jh812]

1 hour ago, BigExpress said:

Update: I finally got a clean install without pulling the panel. Used double snap, top load technique. Seems the culprit was my slip solution. I was using too much Johnson's Baby Shampoo. I cut it way back to just one pump per liter. Made things much easier to manage.

What vehicle are you working on?