csixer66

I can get the film to lay down and slide into seals. Its when I initially stick the front to slide down to lay down the rear. It fights me. Once I get it layed flat I can move back and forth to set it behind seals. 

Im watching guys in videos just set it and slide it straight in and where they want. No trouble. No extra steps, etc. 

I struggle with side windows just the same. Thats my biggest aggravation is the side rollups. 

Ive had this issue since I started tinting and being self taught makes it tough when you dont know how to remedy an issue. 

When Im installing my tint always seems to stick in place and I have to fight it. This is when Im trying to lay the front corner in and down to set the back

(I bottom load)  it like hits the window and stick. Have to fight it to where it releases and I can slide it around. 

Ive tried more slip. Soaking window and glass. Less slip and less water. Less slip make it horrible It does it to me on back windows too. I get it like 3 inches from bottom and layed out. Then have to fight it to slide down to bottom.

Once it get it finally laid out. I can get it to slide around okay and get it lined up to squeegee. This is just initially getting it onto place

Ive used enough slip that the film when installed and initial squeegee it will start to sag down from top edge. 

What am I doing wrong? I see videos of guys with minimal water and slip set film and slide it where they want with no trouble. Hell some look like they are using straight water. I actually see suds when I spray to install. Am I pressing too hard or what can I do to be better?

Im using express classic black, Global QDP, and Global ceramic. Im using Tint slime. Ive tried TS green and orang, also baby soap and Dawn. Doesnt make a difference. 

I can still install without any issues but its always a fight initially getting the film on window and set it place before final lining up and just wanted to ask you experts what Im doing wrong. 

Thank you for any advice you could give me. Its one of the last things I struggle with. 

I tinted a Accord yesterday and the install went prettu damn good for my first time and passable for a decent job. 

The trouble I had was on install. I use the same slip I use on the side windows. My film will start sliding down after intial squeegee if that tells you how much slip ratio I use. 

Shrinking went well and I reverwe rolled it. But on install after unrolling on the inside. You had to unroll to tuck on down at the bottom. That film jammed in place. I had to pull and yank of course adding debris and creases to the mix. I sprayed more slip and still did not help. What did I do wrong. Why couldnt I slide it at all. 

Im not too hard on myself as Ive been doing trucks and front roll ups for the last year. This was my very first back window install. Evem with the problems. I ended up with just a few creases at the bottom area that I chizled almost all the way out. 

Accords are a fairly easy back window to do as far as curve and shrinking is involved. Just curious why this happened. 

On 5/3/2021 at 5:30 PM, The ///Man said:

 

 

Your tint gets pushed both down and away from the short side with a gap along the edge.  I mean technically if both front and back have plenty of extra, it won't matter if you do what you are doing, but if you are having to make sure it's far enough forward to not have a gap on the front side, chances are the curve won't line up.

 

What you say def makes sense. I just did a full Acura TX tint job. Didnt center film and my top edge lined up much better. 

Now. Im seeing when I enter with my knife. That itial spot is jagged. I can fix it when I trim. But is there a way to avoid that jagged half inch section where my knife enters? 

Thank you everone for your input. Qll your suggestions have helped me get better. Self taught makes the learning curve massive

Okay. That top edge after day one os def grounds for redo. The one major spot could have been chizled out on the day of install. The other tiny spots. Thats getting picky. Install without one or 2 spots is almost impossible. 

But all of these could have taken care of before you ever saw them if they cared. 

It works great for chizling debris and laying down odds and ends. Ive used to shrink side windows but thats the extent. You will never shrink a back window. Way too weak. But for the listed above. It works great. Much easier too. Specially when your mobile

On 5/3/2021 at 5:30 PM, The ///Man said:

 

 

Your tint gets pushed both down and away from the short side with a gap along the edge.  I mean technically if both front and back have plenty of extra, it won't matter if you do what you are doing, but if you are having to make sure it's far enough forward to not have a gap on the front side, chances are the curve won't line up.

 

I do have a question. On windows where the back is straight back into the seals I wont center the film. But on windows with a radius at the back top like Toyota Tundra or older GM trucks. If you dont shift back to center I find it overhands that back radius. 

This self tought tinting thing is frustrating lol. 

Ive seen many of tinters not shift back before top cut. Always in my head thought that would throw it off worse. 

Sounds like it wont. Wonder why this is?  

I follow these same steps in a way. I cut front, shift, cut the back, center the film, shift down, then make the top cut. I think I might be changing my angle of my knife. I dont know. When I practice. Hard to tell how it will line up on install. 

Im a perfectionist and pretty hard on myself. Ive redone windows for customers in their disbelief as they saw no flaws but I did. 

Again. Ive resorted to filing edges just to make the install right when the top edge just isnt uniform. 

Cant seem to overcome this. 

I imagine I might be changing my angle but I try to focus on not doing that. Im left handed. So drivers side front to back cuts are hard to do with right hand. 

If I got back t9 front my arms hit the mirror. 

I have the film centered for the most part before I make the top cut from the outside. Its when I install that it doesn't want to line up even. 

Is there qny detailed videos out there that targets just the top cut? 

I have not found it. 

Im.sorry to bug you guys. 

Im struggling here with my top cut. I practice and practice and practice. Then when Im doing a car I choke. 

Cut is uniform. Just doesnt line uo straight across the window. It is either too close up front or in the back or on the leading edge. I have been shaving with a file to make it perfect for paying customers. I would love to get a micro edge everytime. 

I find with shaving I get trash more than I dont. 

Its so discouraging and not sure how to fix it. I watch vidoes and have Stans Series. Still doesnt get in depth on top cutting. 

Guess I could learn to shave but done want to go through a blade for every car. 

Any help or advice would be great. 

Thank you

I used CB for a long time. I switched to Suntek to try another film. Went right back to Classic Black and love everything about it. 

I do go Global for Ceramic but classic Black will be my only standard end film I will ever use. Tried Lumar, Suntek and A few others. CB is my go too out of all of them

Thank you for the vote of confidence. I read and read and read and watch videos over and over again. I am getting better. I have switched to a peel board and did do a lincoln suv absolutly flawless. First time for that and best job I ever did. Did have to chizel out a few specs but i was proud of that one. 

Ive learned to clean less. That has helped with debris as I think I kept flushing it out more than cleaning just were the film contacts. I practice with a roll of metalized film I have and am getting faster. I still struggle on some cars still. But I still feel some in person instruction would help me greatly. Answer some of my questions. Like: How to keep film from creasing and bunching up on front edge when the mirror is super tight to the edge.

Why I get jagged cuts in a certain scenario. 

Why even with a ton of slip in my solition does the film want to stick and not move. 

Things like this I cant learn from a video.

 Do you guys think I wouod benefit from Stans video set? 

Just fought this on Jeep GC. My film jept shifting everytime I rolled the window down to cut top edge. I had to roll the window down so far to get top it was creasing it on the front  by rhe mirror. 3rd attempt and 3 waisted sections of film. Told them they need removed 

Curious on this one as well

13 minutes ago, TintDude said:

 

Sorry about that, first glance I thought it was PPF I was looking at.

No problem at all. I appreciate that. 

Not sure why the mod moved it. Its a tinting question

Mod can you move this back to tinting general discussion?

I put this is a reply but figired Id make a post about it. Why am I getting a hole where my cut ends and I tear the film? Every window I do I have this jagged hole to deal with. I cut the front or back then tear away. Always tear away from film. But seems to leave this hole there. Is this normal. How do I prevent this?

On 7/15/2020 at 2:28 AM, bpbv6-6 said:

starting out is going to do this to you. When I started out my business I was really really afraid as I had no type of guidance from anyone. Its a great thing you're learning all these mistakes while providing the jobs for free because you're going to learn alot. It'll def mentally tear you down but try again and again until you figure it out. 

 

I went through the exact same issues as you and recently after about 8 months figured out what works best for me. I was using scrub pads but that didn't work. I went back to using a razor to scrape because it can easily get into the rubber seals and scrape away the contamination. Spray down the windows a couple times after scraping, wipe the outside rims of the rubber seals and along the top of the plastic door moldings. Back window use a scrubby pad or steel wool 000 or 0000, never razor as it removes the defrost lines...try that out and youll have clean installs. Trust me I had a few redos and finally decided to change my methods a little bit and its worked out well. Business is busy after close to a year but I didnt really market myself until after 5 months. Also, just stick with johnston's baby shampoo and water. I stopped using slip solutions. It'll save you money.

 

I use a blue max, go over the film twice, then wrap the black hard card with blue paper towel for one last pass. Thats what I learned from madico trainer.

Thank you for the inspiration. It def will defeat you if you let it. Another issue Im having is when I cut and tear. It leave a hole where my cut ends and I tear the film. I always tear away but I can't seem to figure out why

Im meaning if you shift the film a 1/4 inch to give you an 1/8 on front and back. If you shift it forward and leave it shifted that 1/4 inch. Cut your top then center it back when installing it. Wont that mess up your top edge? Im not speaking of window shift itself. 

I will give this a try. I do have a blue max. Might not be pressing hard enough 

Im a noob as youve seen from my other posts. I watch videos alot just to constantly keep steps in my head and to see how others styles work. 

I have a question. When cutting side windows. When you make your side cut then slide over 1/8-1/4 inch to then make your second cut. Some leave it slid over and cut the top. Makes sense to me you would center film up before making the top cut Correct? If not, wouldnt thay throw off your edge if you center it up after you cut the top. 

This has been bothering me as Ive seen many do it both ways. No tinter around me will let me pay for training so self teaching I guess. 

Thank you for any info

I just started tinting about a year ago. Im doing family, friends and small customer base and have done them ALL for free as Im not confident in my skills to charge. I have all my tools and I use Global, Solar FX, and Express Films classic black for the free jobs. I can shrink, install with no bubbles or fingers. 

Debris is another thing I struggle with. Sometimes its a month later and all these bubbles and debris mounds pop up. I clean and clean and clean. Not sure what Im doing wrong here. I use tint slime and distilled water. 

I struggle with my hand cutting side roll down windows and also debris. Every time I mess a job up I get super discouraged and get down on myself. How many professionals here started out like this that at one point thought you couldnt do it and should stop trying. To them become a professional with your own shop?