D34

9 hours ago, Roach said:

 

@D34 I will also add this -  By no fault of my own, I got hurt the other day. If things are worse then I'm hoping, I'll use what I was planning on doing since I won't be able to tint.

 

My point - it's always good to have a fall-back plan. So even if you don't pursue the tinting, I would try and do what you could to keep learning a bit here and there about it, practice here and there, etc. If not tinting, then something else you can make $$ doing, because you never know how life might change in an instant and you'll need to change gears.

 

 

This is great advice. I thought a lot about the fact that I dont want to lose the skill for the same reason you're pointing out. I will definetly keep this in mind in the coming months as I work and learn a different industry. 

On 6/6/2018 at 7:30 AM, wade_660 said:

Having peace of mind is a valuable thing. When I starting tinting I was either too hard headed, stupid, or crazy to let it beat me. I’m glad i stayed persistent, but 12 years later I don’t know if I would have had the same determination if I started tinting today. Kinda like golf, I enjoy it but I would never try to learn today if I didn’t have a long history with it.

Yea the way I look at it is that if Im not happy doing it then why would I force myself to do it?  Currently Im not tied to anything or anyone so Im glad and Im lucky to be able to explore other options. 

I have decide to not purse window tinting as a career.  I will continue tinting on the side to finish up the rolls I have and then I will concentrate my energies elsewhere.  I will be applying for a maintenance position for the city and if I am not chosen I will look for something similar.  Yes it's a shame, window tinting is not an easy skill to learn and I was there I had it, the contamination the shrinking everything I struggled and I improved and I got to a point where I can say I did good work.  But for where I am at right now and where I want to get to, window tinting will not be in my plans.  @jh812 you are right, it's best to be versatile and learn all techniques not only in this industry but on any, its the only way to become the best at what we do.  I worry too much about having the car ready when I said I would and that's stupid because I know I can take stuff apart I do it with my personal vehicles all the time I take them apart and I figure it out and I know I can.  I just worry too much about freaking people.  @Tint Slayer I appreciate your words because everything you said is 100% true.  I have printed your post and will be putting it up on the wall in front of my desk as a reminder of this opportunity that I let pass by but also as a reminder to grab on to my balls next time I am doubting myself on anything.  I do plan on succeeding I just have to look for opportunities and work my ass off doing something else.  Everybody else thank you for your advice this forum is great this post and your replies really helped me see where I am at and what I want to do.  I know you were all rooting for me and I have let you all down but don't worry even my close friends told me that I am stupid and I should keep the job but I am not stupid and I know I won't regret this decision, it just feels right.  

Today I went over to the detailing place to do the rr on the car the guy wanted me to do.  The client never showed, I waited for an hour and when I got there they even called him to let him know we were ready and the person still never showed.  And worst, the guy didn't even pay me for the work I did the previous week he kept dragging on telling me to wait another 15 minutes.  So I told him hey the guys not coming its been an hour you either have my check or I'll just come back for it sometime during the week.  He happily said yes yes on monday I'll have it for sure, so I left.  

I think I do have the skills but I am also well aware that all cars are different and in that there is some learning that I still need.  As far as the handling of the film, the shrinking, the hand cutting and the clean installs I feel confident and for the most part if I'm patient and take my time I do pretty good work.  The thing where I have doubts is electronics and breaking things.  On roll ups I've gotten really good at tucking the film,  but I also hung out with a guy for a while that taught me how to pull seals.  Whenever I do a car I haven't done I try to pull the seals and install that way but most of the time I either don't want to mess with the door panels too much or I tell myself to just do the way I know in order to save time.

When I decided look for full time window tinting I imagined I would work at a shop with other tinters that had more experience, I felt my learning curve would be small, it was just a matter of getting comfortable with various cars.  When this guy told me his plans and ideas for implementing window tinting into his detailing business I knew it was a great opportunity and I felt I could live up to it.  Later realizing that it wasn't what I was looking for I became overwhelmed thinking I might not be able to do it without someone else guiding me on cars I had never done before.  And that leading to me wondering if I even what to be involved with tinting in any way anymore, I guess that got me thinking a lot about what other work I can do or what I can study.  And leading to a lot of confusion haha.  I don't know, I have to make up my mind do I want to work at a shop and improve my skills, keep doing it as a side thing or just completely get out.  

Also yes to those that have suggested I take classes and that have offered your help and advice, thank you I know it would make a huge difference in my confidence and skills but I still have to figure out whether I'm into cars enough to do it.       

32 minutes ago, wade_660 said:

Sounds like they put more faith in you than you do yourself. I'd go in and do the job and get paid. Especially since they are being so cool about it.

Yea they have been really cool about everything.  Yes sometimes I do better than I give myself credit for but at the same time I feel they don't know much about the whole tinting process, all they know is it'll be profitable for them to add tint to their services. The employee gets it done doesn't matter how as long as its done, while I am conscious of the flaws and imperfections and feel the work is not "complete".  

Maybe you could put vinyl over it?

Yea I guess you're right after all it's just two doors, might as well do them and try to end in good terms with them. 

About weather if its really what I want to do, I don't know, I only started cause I thought I could make good money, now I just don't know. Yea I like cars but it's never been my biggest passion.

What do you suggest I tell them about matching the tint shade from the back windows? I think that's what the client wants.  More likely than not it will be a different brand of film and I wouldn't know where to get a meter to at least try to match it.  Just eyeball it? Let them make the decision? 

And thanks for the reply, it really helped to see things differently.

Need advice or different perspectives.  Last week I got a job at a detailing place, they don't do window tinting but they're looking to add it.  I told the guy I've never worked at a shop but I've been doing friends, family, and word of mouth work for about 5 yrs.  He was cool and said you'll be our main tint guy, you can continue learning here and whenever its not busy you can help with washes.  Great opportunity and everything but after the week was over I quit.  The reason I told him was that I didn't feel comfortable enough that I would be able to deliver with cars they might bring in.  Mostly I've only done the basic toyotas, hondas, nissans, etc and they work on a lot of luxury and some exotic cars.  Part of that is true but part of me says, " I don't care what car you bring me I'll give it a try  and if I get it good and if I don't then too bad". But thats kind of messed up to tell them I'll deliver when I know I might not.  

The four days I was there I only worked on 1 clients car and two of managements cars the rest of the time I was washing.  The client car was a mid-nineties bmw coupe, I don't know the model just that the guy said it was rare.  It was a remove and retint I did it and I struggled a lot with the front doors cause it was frameless and I don't have much experience with frameless and also cause the seals are so so tight.

The guy offered me $13/hr and eventually they agreed they would quickly increment it to $14. I don't know if thats good or bad in California but after thinking about it I thought it was fair because they don't know to what extent I can deliver and they don't know how much tint business they'll be getting in, and if it does get busy I can always demand more.  So no, pay wasn't a main reason for quitting.

Besides the fear of not being able to do any car they bring in I think the biggest reason is that I thought to myself "do I really want to work in window tinting?" I guess the answer was no because I did end up quitting.  Its crazy how you look for opportunities and when you get what seems like the best opportunity you could of asked for you turn away from it. What is wrong with me? 

Ok if you got up to this point this is where I would like you guys input.  One of the management guys called me today asking me to go in tomorrow to do a remove and retint on two front doors.  I kind of don't want to so I told him yea I don't think I'll be able to.  He says come on this is an appointment from last week, which is true I do remember he had mentioned the guy that wanted to remove and retint the same shade as the back.  Then in an indirect way he says, well I've got your check from the 4 days you worked last week so you have to come in so I can pay you or else I can't pay you. 

I don't feel I have the responsibility to do that car because he's had a whole week since I quit to either find someone else or cancel the appointment.  Also when I quit he offered me the $14 immediately instead of increments, since that didn't work he said to think it over for a week and if I wanted to go back I was welcomed.  I think by asking me to go in tomorrow he's just trying to convince me to work for them.  And I don't think he'll hold my pay against me if I don't go in tomorrow, he seemed a little shady but not like a complete a hole that would do that, it was his partner that was really cool but they both make decisions around that place. 

So my question is, should I go in tomorrow or not? Either way I'm gonna go get my money weather it's tomorrow or sometime next week.  But if I don't want to do it then what's the point? Why would I force myself to do something I don't want to?  I can force myself but if I'm not happy there then the work is gonna suffer.

What would you do?  What have you done?  

Solvent pop sounds interesting, on occasion I've seen cars that are bubbled up but the tint hasn't faded. Always believed that cheap film would fade first and then bubble up, at least with the cheap film I started with that was the case. Im thinking if it hasnt faded but it has bubbled up then maybe it was quality film but the solvent pop could have cause the bubbling. Again, I didn't ask if hers has faded so now Im really just thinking too much. 

She probably got was she payed for eventhough she thinks she payed a high price. I'll try to find out how much she paid. Also she should have gotten a warranty because in California anything is legal in the back. 

Would a reputable shop really be doing $90 jobs? I don't know I really have to find out more. 

Hi, hello hello, I've been tinting for about 5 years as a side thing mainly doing family and friends cars. I read a lot on this forum and I've learned a lot too so a big thank to all those who contribute to the posts with so much useful information. 

Yesterday a family friend asked me about her tint job that she got at what I would consider the most reputable shop in town. She asked me if the rear window bubbled up after only two years of being installed does it mean she got a bad install?

I immediately told her no that just means you got really cheap tint. She said well I didnt pay a cheap price. I didnt ask how much she paid but she did say that she even used a groupon discount. 

Did I give her correct information? Is it possible that it wasnt the film but the glass or the defroster lines that caused the bubbles after only two years? Also I didnt ask her whether the tint had faded or not.