Diablo's Tint

Wanted to say hello to everyone since it’s been awhile since I visited the best place on the internet for tinting!
Hope everyone is having a great start to the season and doing well! Life has been crazy complicated for me lately but that comes with age! 
cheers
stan 

Ceramics are pretty stiff and don't handle real smooth for a beginner, or even a seasoned tech some days.
 
For an affordable, durable, not too expensive film, I always recommend (and use myself) Global HP.
 
Since you have bodyshop experience have you also considered adding PDR?
 
I've made pretty good coin doing single panels with tint, PPF and PDR at bodyshops in order for them to close out a claim and stop the clock on cycle times. They have to have it and are allowed to bill for local market value.
Shops usually will then add 30% on top of that to their supplements to account for shop profitability when the claim gets closed depending on their repair agreements with the insurance companies.
 
I know of a few people who do nothing but service the collision shops and do pretty good.

ATR  

Here’s a video demonstrating this process. 
 
 

Hey guys, I just wanted to hear some stories of everyone else's tint story, for the previous 2 years I've dabbled with tinting family and friends' cars and just this year I decided to take this seriously, I've got got a shop space, and a plotter and I would my hand cutting skills are all right. For the last month, I've just been practicing and practicing before marketing myself to do actual customer vehicles. I plan on starting to do customer vehicles starting April after some more practicing but I just can't get over that feeling of messing someone's tint up and they end up being quite upset, so I just wanted to hear everyone else's story regarding how long did it take before you got comfortable tinting customer vehicles, and how long it took you guys to do a full car when starting! I would love to hear everyone share their stories thank you. 

I have a 72" that we've only used twice in Georgia. Email me at Sales@DynamicAppearance.com and I will send you some photos.

waterspots are generally on the outside and you'd need acid rain remover to get them off. it would help if you post a couple pictures so we can see what you're dealing with.

This is from almost 20yrs ago.
 
15gal of paint, $300 of vinyl, old classroom projector and a stack of cards. Everyone can do it if they are motivated. Wash, rince, repeat.
 

Turbo Jag coupe yesterday. Aluminum skin that has been repainted so no glue pulling and minimal knockdown work since I was worried it could flake. Since I didn't know who painted it I didn't want to chance it. The recolor didn't look great going in so I proceeded with caution. Luckily I found an access hole behind the plastic door sill trim that I could get a thin, sharp, pick tool into. Texas Toothpick from Finesse if you're wondering. Awesome set, great for aluminum and general hail dents.

 

 
I got it pushed out to here in about 30min.
 
Then spent another 20min just pushing clean up. 
Happy customer!
 

All shot, no chaser. You're welcome.
 
The shop I was trained in,1995, folded from an absentee owner and I still needed to eat. I literally would roll up into a parking lot with a 20"roll and hustle the first guy I could in an old beater for $75 or whatever I could get and do it on the spot with a small torch, triming the patterns on my own car. That lasted until I could find the next better gig. That next gig lasted until I could find a crappy garage and up the ladder I went. If I ever stop climbing that's my fault. Hustle and build relationships, never have to be hungry if you have enough trees to shake and you are willing to shake them.

@Sunbreakers do you have any more pictures of your set up and the whole vehicle from the outside? That is seriously impressive! I really like that peel/cut board 

That is a medium/high tack tape made for heat cycles in a paint booth. You can find it at a bodyshop supply store. I'll use about any tape I have handy but that is my favorite.
 
Heck, all I could easily spot was some duct tape yesterday so thats what I used. I would not have used it on the porche tho. The stitching was a bright yellow and the duct tape might stain it or be to aggressive when lifting.
 
Taping off the areas only takes a few minutes at best. I allows me to fit the pattern in quicker because im not a worried about picking up contamination. 
 
Yes, I charge according to my customers expectations. I'll get top dollar because they expect top quality, and that comes at a premium.
 
I also do a mix of average commuter cars for average folks who just need some tint on there. I'll serve them with just an average invoice. Of course if someone is a jackwagon I'll price that accordingly as well.
 
Fun, Fair & Firm is how I operate.
 
 

I guess their not wrong about the markups. Sounds a little salty tho. Some folks will gladly pay the markup just to not deal with chasing down a tech and having a solid door to walk in if something heads south.
 
I know a guy doing some of the pdr claims on the east coast. He says if people remember that they bought coverage that it's not a terrible deal, especially if they wait till trade in time. 
 
The writer should look at the markup on insulin or sunglasses if he really wants something to complain about.
 
 

Wow! Teslas often have dents on the rear doors that is caused by whatever machine they use for the lifting them. We know a guy that does paintless dent repair and half of his work is fixing just that.

I saw some crazy stuff when I was preloading dealership inventory.
 
Just last week a new $80k Mega Cab came in that looked like the whole left side had been repaired. Definitely not 'factory' alignment on the sheet metal. Less than 100mi on it and just delivered to the lot a few days prior. I was told by a transport shipper that it doesn't count as damage as long as it's still in the manufacturers custody.

We've dealt with several of these types of customers over the years. If he was that irate on his 1st visit after the job, I would simply offer to remove the tint and give him a full refund. I would not attempt to retint it because chances are he will act the same way and you just wasted time/film trying to make him happy. I would just cut my loses right there and move on. If you don't feel comfortable touching his vehicle again (like he might blame you for damage) then offer a 50% refund and he keeps the film. This way you still made some profit and if he has another shop retint it, he will spend even more money on the removal. So win win.

Going out on my own after 13years and I was struggling finding a logo so I drew this up and had it scaled and digitized. I’m over the moon with how it came out. 

Maybe they suspected you were both corrupt and evil and figured you had it coming.

All the effort of a post and you could of contacted the shop?? Just call the shop as they are the only ones that can help. 

@JohnGalt I see from your other posts that you are looking for more film. I'm assuming it's for the redo on the bad tint job you got previously. I'd suggest not buying your own film and paying someone to install it. That invites several issues. 
 
Just find a good shop and let them use their film. They will be able to do a better job because they are used to handing that film and they will be able to warranty the work. If they mess up a piece of their own film, they can just cut another, but if they are using your film, then there is no margin for error.

Agree. For some I'll switch out to a second rope thats dry between prep and install. Also I pull the pillar covers and stuff in a microfiber towel if there's room.

What’s the difference between a bmw and a porcupine? With a beemer the pricks are on the inside!

Even hit us with the "if you do a good job, I can bring you more cars" lol

Even hit us with the "if you do a good job, I can bring you more cars" lol

I’m perfect, never stuck a spec of dust in a window in my life . If that were true, I still wouldn’t touch your car with a 10ft pole. Too many red flags already, and  .