Another top cut post

[csixer66]

Im.sorry to bug you guys. 

 

Im struggling here with my top cut. I practice and practice and practice. Then when Im doing a car I choke. 

 

Cut is uniform. Just doesnt line uo straight across the window. It is either too close up front or in the back or on the leading edge. I have been shaving with a file to make it perfect for paying customers. I would love to get a micro edge everytime. 

 

I find with shaving I get trash more than I dont. 

 

Its so discouraging and not sure how to fix it. I watch vidoes and have Stans Series. Still doesnt get in depth on top cutting. 

 

Guess I could learn to shave but done want to go through a blade for every car. 

 

Any help or advice would be great. 

 

Thank you

[Ryker]

If you are even on the outside then you are not lined up front to rear inside. Glass will vary a little on the inside sometimes but not a whole lot most times.

 

Be sure you are getting the film the same distance front to rear.

[csixer66]

I have the film centered for the most part before I make the top cut from the outside. Its when I install that it doesn't want to line up even. 

 

Is there qny detailed videos out there that targets just the top cut? 

 

I have not found it. 

[highplains]

Be careful that you're not changing the angle of your blade to the glass as you're making that cut, it's extremely easy to do that and it can cause some variation in the accuracy of your cut. What I've done with good results is to wet the glass and then card the film out before making that top cut to ensure the film doesn't shift and then lead my blade with a hard card to make sure the film stays tight to the glass as the cut is made since it has the tendency to want to lift as you cut which will again effect the accuracy of the cut.

[csixer66]

I imagine I might be changing my angle but I try to focus on not doing that. Im left handed. So drivers side front to back cuts are hard to do with right hand. 

 

If I got back t9 front my arms hit the mirror. 

 

 

[The ///Man]

I cut bottom and front, then move the film forward and down about 1/4", then cut back and top.  I guess you could refer to the front as the small side of the window since it's not the front on the back doors.  That said, when you install, this compensates for the angle down by pushing the film toward the large side and usually lines up well.  The only time you might see a big difference is on windows that take a lot of shrinking.  For those you can give a second trim along the top to make up the new shape.  Just make sure it's a little longer on the bottom and small side so it fits right when you install it.

 

[csixer66]

I follow these same steps in a way. I cut front, shift, cut the back, center the film, shift down, then make the top cut. I think I might be changing my angle of my knife. I dont know. When I practice. Hard to tell how it will line up on install. 

 

Im a perfectionist and pretty hard on myself. Ive redone windows for customers in their disbelief as they saw no flaws but I did. 

 

Again. Ive resorted to filing edges just to make the install right when the top edge just isnt uniform. 

 

Cant seem to overcome this. 

[The ///Man]

Don't shift to center and cut.  Try cutting it after you cut the back without moving it.

 

[csixer66]

Ive seen many of tinters not shift back before top cut. Always in my head thought that would throw it off worse. 

 

Sounds like it wont. Wonder why this is?  

[The ///Man]

22 minutes ago, csixer66 said:

Ive seen many of tinters not shift back before top cut. Always in my head thought that would throw it off worse. 

 

Sounds like it wont. Wonder why this is?  

 

 

Your tint gets pushed both down and away from the short side with a gap along the edge.  I mean technically if both front and back have plenty of extra, it won't matter if you do what you are doing, but if you are having to make sure it's far enough forward to not have a gap on the front side, chances are the curve won't line up.