Tintguy1980

Lifetime warranty on a 1-mil product isn't unusual if weatherable polyester and high quality UV absorbers are used.
 
A 1-mil product can also be a 2-ply construction of dual .48 gauge poly layers. This would give the ability to add more UV absorber in the laminating adhesive. 
 
All depends on what you wish to spend to have it constructed to last.

😁

Wealthy area, Sarasota? Naples, about three hours south, now that's a wealthy area (per capita interest income for Naples' population in 1996 = 9000$ a year ... back when I moved away for a corporate job).
 
Much luck wherever you land!

Keep in mind film can only 'reduce' the amount of heat coming through the glass. I have CR 40 on my jeep, too. CR 40 reduces heat by 60-61%(?), so yes you will still need AC. And that reduction is attained with 7 mph breeze across the outside glass surface. The higher the wind across the surface the higher the reduction. If a film is sold by using it's infrared rejection number, it is a tad bit misleading since (near) infrared energy only makes up approximately half the sun's energy that produces heat. Visible light produces the other (approximate) half, with ultraviolet energy accounting for less than 2%.
 
CR40 does display a faint bluish hue to it from an exterior looking at the car perspective. Inside out has a earth-tone brown appearance. It really depends on the color of the factory glass, the lighting conditions (sunny or cloudy), a car's interior color scheme, and your position to the glass.
 
Best not to wear polarized glasses with window film of any type. The polarization dramatically increases 'thin-film interference' of a window film's scratch resistant coating. Tempered glass also will display a rainbow of color banding or splotching when looking at it with polarize sunglasses. Combine film and tempered glass and you have plenty of pretty colors to distract you.
 
Glass itself has what the industry knows as 'low angle haze' ... it's not noticeable until you darken the glass from the clear state it was in before film was applied. The film's polyester substrate can also have low angle haze. It's known as the 'brightness' and the higher the quality of the polyester, the higher the brightness (factor) providing the lowest haze.. Dirty glass displays haze, too. Multi-layers of film can have haze. Crystalline has an amazing brightness factor considering the multi-layer optical technology used to produce its performance values.
 
 

Highplains ... in regard to your mentioning in the last-1-2-post thread; that 4runner reflective coated glass is deposited on the surface. The brake light area may have been left clear so as not to have issue with NHTSA regulations of brake light brightness.
 
I remember doing a Ford years ago with similar glass. It was old at the time and had a decal inside on the reflective coated glass surface. When I removed the sticker the glass was clear in that spot. Apparently the adhesive destroyed the coated over the years it was applied to the glass.

Highplains ... in regard to your mentioning in the last-1-2-post thread; that 4runner reflective coated glass is deposited on the surface. The brake light area may have been left clear so as not to have issue with NHTSA regulations of brake light brightness.
 
I remember doing a Ford years ago with similar glass. It was old at the time and had a decal inside on the reflective coated glass surface. When I removed the sticker the glass was clear in that spot. Apparently the adhesive destroyed the coated over the years it was applied to the glass.

Highplains ... in regard to your mentioning in the last-1-2-post thread; that 4runner reflective coated glass is deposited on the surface. The brake light area may have been left clear so as not to have issue with NHTSA regulations of brake light brightness.
 
I remember doing a Ford years ago with similar glass. It was old at the time and had a decal inside on the reflective coated glass surface. When I removed the sticker the glass was clear in that spot. Apparently the adhesive destroyed the coated over the years it was applied to the glass.

The art contained in the thread thus far appears to be plotter cut, weeded and transferred to glass using transfer tape. There is talent in achieving the end result similar to what it takes to lay vinyl.
 
Back in the early to mid-80's the shop I owned in Cocoa FL began doing graphic art in window film on cars. We eventually graduated to doing window film pictures on flat glass to hang in a frame, which eventually led to store front work. Solar Graphics in St Pete area was doing this type work, too. Unlike Richard, our team mainly remained relatively unknown and did not pursue larger deals such as those done by Solar Graphics since that time.
 
We bought surplus overhead projectors to enlarge line drawings via liner material, sharpie marker and tracing the right sized projected image onto a large piece of liner hung to a white wall. These final 'templates' were then taped to the glass opposite the surface film would be applied to. A sampling of a liner/sharpie trace is below (I still have a book full of liner images). The trick is cutting the applied film in the right way to leave behind the image from the trace template. You can layer over and over to get darker coloring or shading effects.
 
The other picture attached depicts a large glass that would eventually be placed in the building opening above my head. But first, a seal layer of silver film would be installed over the entire surface sealing in the image and to accentuate the image. This large example was all hand cut because plotters cutting window film was unheard of in those days. The year was 1990 when I first arrived in Naples FL. When in Cocoa the team I had was myself, Louise, Donna and Lee. All of us have artist in our blood.

Madico, I believe, is the only film manufacturer that has offered 'blister-free'. It is a niche product so check availability. If you cannot get 'blister-free' or care to compare price if found, you can use paint protection film as the carrier for window film to be applied piggy-back.
 
Window film applied to poly-carbonate will bubble (blister) over time due to out gassing of that plastic (most especially sun exposed). It will not destroy the poly-carbonate; what it will do is hold on to the film's adhesive when you go to remove it. Removing the adhesive will cause irreparable damage to the poly-carbonate surface.
 
Blister-free and or paint protection film(s) have adhesive of a different chemistry, allowing it to release from the poly-carbonate surface without major residuals to clean away. This is why they are great as carriers for window film use on plastics.😁

LLumar, FormulaOne, Huper Optiks, Autobaun (Eastman Chemical Co)
 
3M
 
Global
 
Madico
 
Solar Gard
 
Private label: Express Films, SolarFx Films (Dragon Distributing).
😁

I would steer clear of Dow 995 for residential; it is more for commercial grade aluminum framing. 995 will definitely cause irreparable damage to your vinyl framing. This is because it creates a powerful bond that requires razor blade or putty knife use to remove. So, when it comes time to replace the film you would have to replace the framing or entire window system.
 
There are other (mechanical) attachment systems that may serve the purpose of reinforcement of film/glass combination however, mechanical attachments use double-back taping systems that will also be difficult to remove when time to replace the film.
 
Attachments systems are barely mastered by film industry installer let alone a homeowner attempting a DIY approach. Structural sealants are akin to working with peanut butter; do you really believe you would successfully apply an even coating throughout and not make a mess of your film installation, framing and window surroundings?
 
No mechanical system looks any better than wet-glaze system using Dow 99 or Tremco's Proglaze SS. There is a product known as 'Bondkap' that works with a wet-glaze system to improve aesthetics however, it only improves the interior appearance.
 
Attachment systems were developed for Commercial glazing to provide break-n-enter, wind storm or blast mitigation. It was not intended for residential use due to the varying design and composition in framing found in homes. By comparison, commercial framing systems have far less variations in design.
 
To my knowledge 3M's safety film does have lower quality optics compared with other safety film products however, their Ultra SS films do stand up much better in terms of mitigation performance. A comparison would be, 3m's Ultra 6-mil performs as well as any competitor's 8-mil product.
 
 
Now, for what purpose are you wanting this type of film product?
 
If it is for wind storm mitigation, it is a crap-shoot when it comes to high wind protection. Case in point; a film distributor out of Miami had varying degrees of protection on their center's windows when hurricane Andrew came through in the early 90's. Some glass had regular film, some no film and still others with safety film. The damage was extensive with some window literally ripped from the building, glass and frame. No film company can pass Dade County wind mitigation protocol without assistance from other materials ... such as 3/4 - 7/8 inch ply wood cover plank. Maybe one (less difficult) section is passed but, no one can pass the full regiment.
 
If you are doing this for break and enter mitigation then you will be fine using 3m's 6 or 8-mil (whichever has the better optics) for the job. The majority of your home windows are annealed glass (or Plate glass). Annealed glass break into large shards when impacted. These large shards allow the film to grasp a larger surface area, providing greater sheer strength if one were to attempt to break through. The amount of edge bite the glass has into the frame is of wider stance along the edge with large shards thereby, providing greater resistance to attempts at push through. There is little need for attachment systems on Annealed glass in break and enter scenarios for this reason. Also, if one were able to get through an annealed glass setting with safety film applied, the chances for residual/collectable DNA is greater due to its shards having razor sharp edges at every crack.
 
Tempered glass is found in entry doors (and any sidelites), bathroom glass and sliding doors. It is identifiable by a corner etching that states it is tempered or safety tempered. Tempered glass breaks into small, less harmful beads and is the type glass where the idea of 'it'll just push out in one piece' comes from. This too is dependent on the edge bite (how deep the glass edge goes inside the framing system). It can be very little, up to and exceeding one half inch, in some instances. Attachment systems assist in keeping tempered glass from a 'push through' attempt. At least, slowing an intruder down. This is key because it is a statistical fact that break and enter types will move on after ten seconds, if they are delayed entry.
Hope this was helpful.
 
 

Price hike ... accounts for additional labor and hassle factor.
 
Won't get a 2018 install on a 1990 vehicle.

Price hike ... accounts for additional labor and hassle factor.
 
Won't get a 2018 install on a 1990 vehicle.

I always gauge my bottom to land 1/8-1/4" below the inside rub rail. Compare outside sweep to primary inside and set (bottom) film edge accordingly before trimming sides and top. Have always taught that. 
 
Have always avoided installing below the secondary sweep since; 1) it is softer than the primary and 2) don't want me or another tinter to have hassles removing film and residual adhesive in the future.

Price hike ... accounts for additional labor and hassle factor.
 
Won't get a 2018 install on a 1990 vehicle.

😁Love that film.

😁

SolarFX from Dragon Distributing.
 
http://solarfxwindowfilms.com/index.php/contact/

SolarFX from Dragon Distributing.
 
http://solarfxwindowfilms.com/index.php/contact/

It's all in the angle of the dangle.
 
Always position the knife/blade with the cutting edge slightly angled off or away from any rubber (or molding), not towards. Rely more on the body of the knife to stabilize when cutting however, the key to keeping the blade's cutting edge from digging in is to pitch (or lean) it away while resting against rubber.
 
See the pics below:
Pitch toward will cut rubber.

 
Pitch slightly away does not.

@smartie2shoes yooooo! I just wanted to tell you while I was out practicing tonight using your angle advice... I cut my wife’s driver window out with virtually no issues. Then did it again, and again with improvement each time. Night and day difference! Thanks

Agreed but, sometimes it may be the best course of action based on client demeanor.
 
In this case, it IS a defect of the glass going back to its manufacturing and not the fault of the tinter. Just because window film was installed and may have sped up the growth of an inclusion does not mean the window film is at fault, nor the tinter. There is no way to 'see' and inclusion to be able to say, 'Hey bud, I don't think it'll be a good idea to install film to your glass'. The glass would have spontaneously broke sometime in the future without film being applied.

AMC Pacer, Porsche 944 (80's model)

Hmmm... I don't agree that you should eat the cost of this. But that's just me

😁