XPEL Jeff

it's hard to tell the angle of the drop offs on the hood, but it looks like youre going to want to seem it at the top of those ridges.  I don't like seaming things, but when there is a defined body line to hide it on, sometimes the juice isn't worth the squeezee on a hood like this.

4 minutes ago, smartie2shoes said:

Overkill can be costly.

 

Case in point: Years ago BMW was installing safety film as an option on their car glass at the factory. They wanted better percentage of material use; they were only getting 20% use of each roll of film. They built a clean room as a solution and found the percentage went lower so, they went back to the original installation practice and found usage went back up. Conclusion: Installers adapt to the surroundings and the surfaces they are working with.

 

If you truly want to move forward with this plan, a good particle filter at the intake and the vent outlet should suffice. Just remember this will run up operational costs due to the drag placed on air flow through a standard HVAC system.

 

I do know that the misting idea works very well because, 1) all film installers love the rain to keep the air particles down and the cars rinsed and, 2) I visited a shop in Plano TX that had a misting system for window tinting and it worked extremely well. It was more along the lines of what you'd find at a grocery stores fresh produce section. They had rigged it to mist the perimeter of the work area.

 

Sorry, I am no help in any recommendations as to air filter.

EXACTLY!!!!  Don't overthink it.  The reality is that most of the debris comes from within the crevices of the car as opposed to being airborn.  You could install in a paint booth and still fight debris.  It has more to do with proper prep and cleaning than anything else.

On 1/11/2019 at 7:44 PM, tintme69 said:

I used the new orange fusion squeegee for the first time on a full vehicle install and got hella bubbles on my first panel. Went back to my green and no bubbles. Now I’ve just gotta figure out how to get these fu*^ers out 😕😩. I mean I went over the panel 3 times, pushed hard. Came back later and there were like 5 small bubbles. It’s a full pickup job. Only issue with the greens is I went through a batch that would scratch the film brand new. That’s why I tried the fusion orange with handle. Idk not saying they’re bad, but it left me in a bad situation. 

Either of those squeegees should work, so it really is going to come down to technique.  Squeegee pressure is one facet, but there's also squeegee angle, overlapping strokes, working in sections, viewing from different angles, addressing bodylines, etc.

@European, once the adhesive is exposed to air, it starts drying out, so it will be a small miracle if you can get it to stick at all, much less without visible distortion in the adhesive.  I'd take it back to the installer, as they'll have the best chance at fixing it and will be able to replace it if they can't repair it.  Most installers won't replace a piece if it has been tampered with.

23 hours ago, highplains said:

I didn't think it was possible after seeing the 1500 initially but GM rose to the challenge and certainly accomplished it

On 1/7/2019 at 3:37 PM, alberts316 said:

Or 3500. It's a 2020 HD,  "available late summer 19" 

@wade_660 / @alberts316, @PoopcornPoppers' truck is a 1500 with the Custom package.  The upcoming HD's are a little different (by "different" I mean uglier).

@kikeb, look under the "XPEL Europe" region and you'll find whole car patterns.

I've never heard of such a thing as only offering 60" rolls!?

You can purchase a slitter, but that could be somewhat expensive if you aren't doing a lot of volume.

On 12/2/2018 at 3:27 AM, Matteo said:

 

"prolly not setting for a couple days afterwards" that could be a cause. Always wait a couple of day after the installation before delivery.

No need to let anything sit for days.  Impossible to run a scalable business if you can't move cars through in a single day. 

The key to success on kits is proper alignment.  Simply scan as you complete each section so that you can fix any alignment errors before the film is adhered to strongly.  If you happen to miss anything, it will be revealed by the compressor so that you can fix as necessary.  

Bulk installs can have lifted edges or adhesion issues as well, so I would recommend these techniques for all types of application.

On 11/6/2018 at 7:26 AM, PPFdistributing said:

Tisk tisk Jeff. Shouldn't you be recommending your gel............. 

I try not to be to salesy on the forums.  But yes, the gel certainly helps!

On 11/6/2018 at 9:32 AM, Matteo said:

 

Thanks Jeff for the answer ! 

So the main point is : leave the ends on a flatter surface !

 

We use air compressor on all edges before sending the car on its way. After that, if we found a "lifted part" it's ok to heated the part with hairdryer or heatgun ?

 

Anyway, in the case of the picture, the only solution is to replace the panel ? I think is impossible to clean that film...

 

Thanks

Usually, a lifted area will be dried out or have debris.  You'll likely need to replace the whole piece.

Dirt and brake dust can only get underneath the film if it has already lifted.  This is a simple case of the installer leaving the film edge on a less than ideal surface adn/or not securing edges completely before delivery.

Film does not do well when left on a tight radius, therefore installers should do all they can to leave the ends on a flatter surface.

You should always use an air compressor on all edges before sending the car on its way, as it will reveal many areas that are not adhered as well as you thought they were.  Once you have exposed these areas, you can use adhesion promotors like XPEL Surface Prep to increase the adhesion, but often it just needs a little moisture removed.

We don’t have a video, as we dont recommend this method, but you simply take a diabetic syringe a pierce the side of a bubble, then pull the moisture out with a plunger.  

Ultimately you should focus on the reason you are leaving moisture behind (squeegee technique and constant thorough inspection throughout the installation). 

5 hours ago, JoshVette said:

I respectfully agree and disagree with Jeff....

 

Yes you have to improve your skills and tweak you skills no matter what film you use.  

 

I have used multiple different films and consider myself a good installer and some are more difficult to install then other due to variations of adhesive being more or less aggressive as well as some films being able to stretch better then others.  

 

I would not want to have to learn and tweak my skills based on what brand of film I'm using.  Imagine doing 3 installs with 3 different brands and having to do them each slightly differently....  I say find the film you like the best and use it all the time.  You'll be a better installer and your installs will come out more clean with less flaws.

 

You don't need to offer multiple brands to your clients, just explain to them why you use one over another and what the pro's and con's are of each brand.  

You and I agree that installers should focus on a single brand.  I’m just of the opinion (and that’s all it is, an opinion) that an installer should be able to install any product with relative ease so that it doesn’t effect their ability to offer their customers what is best for the consumer (which is not always the product that's easiest to install). 

Also, what is best for an installer’s business may be the total value offering that a film company provides, not just the product.  Referrals, training, marketing, protection, software, etc. 

Not sure about the Avery Supreme, as it isn’t available in the US at this time. 

Pretty much any film out out there will go into Super Duty lettering though.  It’s more about technique than it is film. 

Hi Robert ( @gxdude ) ,

The Ultimate Plus adhesive is less agressive than the Ultimate and the clarity has been improved as well.  If you'd like to see it in person, John Gray at Gulf Coast Auto Shield isn't terribly far away from you.  He's a great guy.

In shop training does not work out well.

As for training in the SE, talk to Rick at Accent Distributing if you aren't wanting to take a flight.  I'd recommend on training with the brand that you intend on using , as some techniques are specific to certain adhesives (and you'll get certified by the brand).

On 10/28/2018 at 7:51 AM, k1k1 said:

Hello !

 

can we buy and use DAP without buying XPel Films ? 

 

We are in France 

 

Nico

Hi Nico,

If I remember correctly, you have to buy the film in Europe to have access to the DAP (it helps us justify the high cost of a Europe-based design team), but I am based in the U.S., so I don't know the specifics on France. 

If you want to PM me your contact info, I'll be happy to have a rep reach out to explain the options. 

None of the films on today's market are difficult to install if you focus on getting your ppf skillset nailed down.  You'll find that the better you get, the less of a difference you find between products.  You'll just tweak your methods and solutions slightly.

Feel free to shoot me a PM if you'd like a sample of XPEL film or software, or look into one of our advanced training classes.

Black smoothie should work just fine.  

As as far as install solutions, I’d switch from dawn to Johnson & Johnson’s (not generic).   It fares better with the Ultimate Plus adhesive. 

If if you’d like, you can send me some pics or video to jphillips@xpel.com and we’ll diagnose quickly. 

CB09 with a 45?degree blade has been our setup for 20 years without fail.  

Ot it sounds like you probably need to replace your cutting mat and adjust your blade strings more than anything.  

Call your software provider and they can walk you through it. 

3 hours ago, M Shine Club said:

I'm not use Xpel PPF.I never try DAP and i very interested DAP i heard of DAP is the best of PPF cutting software.How do i try this software 

If you can PM me your contact info, I will have an XPEL representative reach out with info about the DAP.

On 9/28/2018 at 12:52 PM, Doug said:

Children, behave.  I'm lookin for your experience & knowledge of PPFs  (isn't it amusing how we adults, professionals no less, can sometimes get into juvenile squabbles?  My life goal is senility, an irresponsibly playful second childhood).

 

Gettin back on topic, do I understand correctly that installers offer guarantees which may be better than manufacturers' guarantees?

 

The latest PPFs do not discolor when maintained with Speed (CMA?) spray?

 

Thanks, 

 

Doug

Any film CAN turn yellow, but any of the companies that I am familiar with will cover that under their warranty (make sure they pay labor to the installer though, otherwise you may have a tough time finding someone willing to replace it).

99% of white cars don't have an issue, but the times I do see issues usually involve film beghind the tires.  Folks will spray on tire shine a go for a drive, which splatters the film.  Being that their car was just washed, it sits on the film for days or weeks.  Repeated instances of that can cause a problem with any brand of film.

1 hour ago, Aden said:

I can't imagine the phone ever rings (for things being wrong) at xpel, xpel kits are unbelievably accurate. Installing them is easy mode (not faster though; more coverage = more time) because they are just that accurate. 

When you're trying to please everyone, it's pretty hard not to rub someone the wrong way.  The detail shops all want max coverage, but the shops servicing dealerships definitely let us know if we are too aggressive with the coverage (and vice versa).

We appreciate the kind words!

On 9/21/2018 at 12:02 PM, sokam said:

Looking for any tips! I have this coming in soon and I want it protected asap. https://imgur.com/w5jW6HG

 

Im new so just looking at it I think I think i can get away with 1 piece on black around the bowtie and 1 or 2 pieces on the bottom and top of the bumper.

 

 

If you're new, I'd definitely look at a precut kit for this one.  A lot of comlex things going on here.