TintDude

Those are giant water and air pockets. Take it back and have them redo.

Couple from the weekend.
 
Ceramic w/ visor strip. I don't miss doing these qtrs on the regular.
 
Full ceramic w/ windshield, 18" H-F-HL.
 
Had a few other door sets but nothing too special. Full wrap coming at the end of the week.

Rivian. Weighs about as much as a diesel at 8,000lbs. Build/paint quality was pretty good. 

Sandbag?

Perhaps, but didn't have one handy.
I've sent the car away for now and will likely get it back on a day that there's two of us in the shop.

So, a customer brought in his new 2023 Volvo XC40 Recharge EV this morning for just the front doors to be tinted as the vehicle has privacy glass, as he was too much of a tight arse to pay for an upgrade film.
I knew it wasn't going to be simple right from the get-go, as I couldn't even find a start button on the dash.
I did notice though that the ignition lights had lit up though, which was weird since I hadn't pressed anything, so I put the shifter into reverse and sure enough it started to move backwards as I hit the "gas" pedal.
After getting the vehicle into the shop and making my template, I cut the film for the passenger front door and hung it on the peeling board.
Then I proceeded to prepare the glass, but the window wouldn't operate, even though I had just wound the window up from the driver's seat.
Turns out that the weight of your body in the driver's seat operates the start switch (if you have the FOB close by) and once you step out of the car the ignition turns off again. 
Looks like doing one of these on your own may prove a little difficult unless you have someone else to sit in the car while you tint the glass.
 
Any solutions welcomed
 

Just finished this one. Full front end + edges and door thresholds. Ceramic doors and hand wax.

Looks like I'm your first subscriber.  

Wow that worked really well, nice job on the video too.  

Here’s a video demonstrating this process. 
 
 

Dayuum, you guys and gals are tough. It's been awhile since I've asked here before, but someone stepped up back then and sent me some Solyx version of dusted crystal.
 
I was really wanting to see if I could get my hands on some crystalline/prestige. That's okay, I understand the reluctance.
 
My second choice was Global DR Ceramic 45, which I have just placed and order through Express. Did not know they had custom cut, which works out better since I won't have extra sitting on the shelf in the basement like the remaining dusted crystal look-alike from Solyx. Thanks to whoever dealt with me on that purchase, it worked out great!
 
Cheers.

Hey everyone, my name is jeff and i run Martin Metalwork LLC you might have seen my ad running on the side bar of the forum recently for wall mounted tint racks. Im coming here today to let everyone know that i am working on a group buy offer for the 8 roll rack. I currently am offering it in a vinyl wrap group on facebook. I wanted to extend it out here as well. I currently sell them for 150$ on a made to order basis. however if I buy the materials in bulk for guaranteed orders I can bring that down to $110 for a rack that will hold 8 rolls. they are made from 1/8th inch powder coated steel and have a modular design. to allow for 8 rolls stacked vertically or two 4 roll racks side by side.  I would need to sell 100 racks in order to get the discounts on the order of steel needed. You can see the racks in the pictures below or by going HERE. I do realise that someone on the internet hawking products without some sort of quality check may not be the most trusting. so i would like to enter into the record my Etsy reviews seen HERE My website reviews Which can been seen HERE and my Instagram which can be seen HERE. I can be reached at 207-891-9309 with any questions. orders can be placed on my website or i can take orders over the phone between 10am-5pm eastern. Thank you for taking the time to read this. 

Well, if you are determined, the best way to start is buy some inexpensive film to practice with. Tint your own car, your friends and family etc and get an idea what it's like. Maybe you'll have a knack for it, and practice more until you are confident enough to start charging. Maybe you wont have a knack for it and tear up some cars along the way and realized you dodged a bullet.

You should really get some experience under your belt before just opening a tint shop.
 
This is a difficult trade and good tinters rarely make good businessmen and visa versa. There's a lot to learn about this trade and you don't want to be learning on customers' cars as you can do plenty of damage as you go.
 
I'd suggest getting a job as a helper in a tint shop and develop your skills for a long while before even thinking about going out on your own. Just my opinion.

Wow, a lot has changed since 2018 and since this comment was posted, So the Long term truth is I have some folks still using the first sledgehammer they purchased. We still make them with the same material, The Dura-Tek blend has become the  Over Achiever we have 7 different durometers in 5" and 8" inch blades along with 4 different channel blades in 3mmx19mm .  https://www.gasketprotools.com/blades

Actually got to work on my personal vehicle for once.  5% over the back, 20% on the fronts, 70% on the windshield and 35% on the pano roof.  Also tinted my rear taillights, third brake light as well as the front side headlight markers.  
 
 

Came out rather well if I do say so myself. No rear interior panels (thankfully) and the rear glass had never been tinted. 
 
 

16" hood/fender/bumper, cups/edges, door thresholds, ceramic front doors and windshield. Hand wax and minor factory defect removal. 
 
Ceramic front doors/windshield on this pig Monday.
 
Dealership sent two guys to pick it up, neither one could drive a stick   

Dano, this caught my eye and reminded me of the early days ... well, five years in should I say.

Me and my crew began doing tint tattoos for any glass back in the mid-80's. We used overhead projectors to enlarge-to-fit any picture a person brought us. It started by tracing a pic's lines with super fine sharpie onto liner material (we saved liner when doing large commercial glass for this purpose). Film would be installed, liner taped to the other side and begin cutting away unnecessary film to achieve the end goal. Layering in colors, if they wanted it in color.
 
I've attached a couple 3 pictures showing the liner trace of one particular picture somebody was interested in, an entry door to a radio station in Estero FL and one with all of us pictured at window film art tint-off held in Orlando by Gila Films. We took first place in both auto and flat glass categories, blowing everyone else out of the water to the extent we were not invited back unless we bought their film.
 
Oddly, we eventually heard about a guy in Tampa doing the same type film art of commercial glass. His company was Solar Graphics and was sold to Solar Gard a few years later. I think Richard, the owner, was working for SG after the sale.
 
Fun days for sure. The picture with the three of us, well, I'm the long drink of water, Lee with his submission to the contest (we lost Lee a couple years ago) and Donna, who tagged team with me on the Blazer's back glass.

If you are getting debris visible from the outside while installing something is wrong. Perhaps better lighting in the shop because you can usually tell right away unless it's very small. Plus since there is some degree of contamination in every job, it should be inspected and any dust pressed down to make it invisible before it leaves the shop.

You might already be using this method and if so, why the heck haven't you told us about it?  
If not,  this method might just be your new favorite thing.  I discovered this method doing a removal on an SUV hatch and didn't want to get glue all over me from it being over my head.  I tried this method and will be using it on ALL removals from now on.  
 
By now we are all using some type of adhesive remover that works really well turning the glue to goo; but it's rather messy. 
Usually we pull the old piece off in one piece leaving the glue.  Spray the glue with remover and then put the removed piece of film back on the glass reversed and let it soak.  At this point, after it has softened the glue, I would pull the piece of film down and scrape the glue with a hard card and let the goo stuff fall on the film or a drop cloth.  Rather nasty but effective way to do it, BUT try this.  
 
Pull your old film and flip it over and soak your glue in remover. After the glue has softened but BEFORE you pull your liner film down - spray your liner with soapy water and then take a hard card or squeegee of your choosing( I use the 6" black & white) and start at the sides and pull as much glue as you can to the center of the glass; while leaving the liner on the glass. 
You will see the glue moving under the film. Your squeegee will stay clean because it's not touching glue.  Do this on both sides pulling the glue to the center and up from the bottom hat rack area.  The glue will stay on the liner when you pull it down and now all you have to do is a little clean up with some steel wool and a scrub pad.  This method is way less messy that pulling the liner down and scraping. 
 
I wish I had found this method years ago because it gets 90% of the glue off without getting you or your tools sticky. 

There really isn't anything we do normally that would cause scratches like that.
 
Once glass has tint on it, stuff like scratches we didn't notice before stand out.

There really isn't anything we do normally that would cause scratches like that.
 
Once glass has tint on it, stuff like scratches we didn't notice before stand out.

Correct. Painters tape, careful with the heat and use a magic marker. Don't get a blade anywhere near that top. Template your cut on a peel board.

Tuna boat. Surprised any are still on the road.