-
Heat shrinking car window tint
Just had a battle with some tinting film, and the film was victorious. Anyone know of any decent places to search for tips and hints on how to properly heat shrink tint? Or does anyone have any pointers and tips?
My biggest problem was that the shrinking seemed kind of random. Guessing due to me heating the wrong areas etc. I’m using Sott’s film at the moment, only brand available in Sweden that you can shrink AFAIK.
-
16 Replies
-
Hi Tobias
I have gain the knowledge of installing window tint film on car. This is the most difficult vinyl I meet in last couple of years as it doesn’t allow any space of mistakes in job. You must be 100% good to meet standard.
You will not find on Internet any quality film about heat shrinking rear window on car.
Actually I have really good film from Global but even with film I was not able to do it properly.
Youtube also contains several films but even that if you will watch for hours you will not learn to do it correctly.
So how to solve this?
Best is to go to training with somebody who does this on daily basis.
I tried my self…waisted almost 20m so far…..and I managed to learn on my own how to do heat shrink….you need the heat gun and to set the temperature to 450 degrees…than you must find the way on which you will know how to fix vinyl and still enable most of part to move for shrinking…(powder, soapy water or just soap)
I can make a movie which we can place on tutorial video section if administrator is interested…
And remember…your performance must be 100% because after the glue dries under the film and dust starts to show up….than your nightmare beggins…becouse to clean the glue will take you longer than installation of film…
Which means that you must prepare for long hours testing and removing on your car first….
And the most important stuff….you must, but really you must have proper tools for this kind of jobs…..seller will tell you that regular squeegee will do fine but this is not true…I’m using at least 10 different and changing them from car to the car…from window to window….
My last issue right now is only to avoid dust…so tomorrow I will visit friend who installs window tint film on daily basis.
Sasha
-
Going through a few of the videos I’ve found so far it seems I was on the right track, just need better technique/suck less. Think the car I tried first wasn’t the easiest one to do either.
We’ve got most tools needed to do window tint. We’ve done a fair few over the years, just never heat shrunk it before.
-
quote Tobias Redig:Just had a battle with some tinting film, and the film was victorious. Anyone know of any decent places to search for tips and hints on how to properly heat shrink tint? Or does anyone have any pointers and tips?My biggest problem was that the shrinking seemed kind of random. Guessing due to me heating the wrong areas etc. I’m using Sott’s film at the moment, only brand available in Sweden that you can shrink AFAIK.
Hi Tobias, the film need to be somewhat larger than the window to avoid damage to the edge (true window area). Next use some plexus or similar on window to avoid tack.
VERY important: after app. plexus to the window, lay down the film AND make an "H" with a squeeky to "attach the film to the window. THIS is because the film only shrink one way. Heat the film until it wrinkles, and move on.
When done cut of excess film (edge)
You need to practice it some times to get "a feel" of the material. I did it 9-10 times to get it – the film can take a good amount of heat. A good heatgun with high blow is good, then you just have to adjust distance to get more or less heat.I found this on youtube, it is showing the above.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-VQhIxu0ouY[/url]regards
Jan -
quote Jan Storgaard:Hi Tobias, the film need to be somewhat larger than the window to avoid damage to the edge (true window area). Next use some plexus or similar on window to avoid tack.
VERY important: after app. plexus to the window, lay down the film AND make an “H” with a squeeky to “attach the film to the window. THIS is because the film only shrink one way. Heat the film until it wrinkles, and move on.
You need to practice it some times to get “a feel” of the material.I found this on youtube, it is showing the above.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-VQhIxu0ouY[/url]regards
JanIt’s more or less how I did it, so just down to me sucking/lacking experience then. 🙂
I knew having those extra thumbs attached was gonna come back and bite me in the rear! 🙂
-
Just remembered…it’s really important how you take the film from the box.
Film can be shrinked just in one way…do not rotate it…
Pull film from roll like for example box is on your right side and you drag film to the left. The edge of film toward your stomach is also bottom of window…
It’s hard to explain for me…I hope you will get properly my advice….
I’m now shrinking in this way:
– take cloth, spill water on it and wash good hard soap in it (really a lot)
– apply with cloth soap all over the rear window
– dry completely the soap with heat gun
– take again cloth with soapy water….make H on window
– lay film on window
– draq over film with silicon squeegee where bottom H is to fix in position
– take gloves and heat gun (i’m avoiding squegge until I really flat it with my hand)
– start from right bottom corner and move toward bottom center and left bottom corner
– start from left top corner toward center and right upper corner
– take squeeggee put over it paper towel and flat film until it’s perfect
– place some light under the window
– cut with knife under straight angle to avoid scratches on windowSasha
-
search this site this has been taked about loads of times.
Ian
-
i’ve actually just actually watched some of those actual monkeysee tinting videos, now i’m an actual tint expert now, where can i find an actual turbo squeegee? i actually feel naked without one now 😀
seriously though…. (he does say actual too much), why would you tint the exterior of the glass anyways? surely it goes inside?
Hugh
-
Didn’t I do a heat shrinking tutorial here?
It was a few years ago.
Quick tips…Pull tint from box, tint will only shrink to the outside edge i.e the bit at the end of the rolls. Don’t ever try to shrink lengthways down the roll – It WON’T work.
You need to make sure the glass is very clean and you’re out of the wind.
Use some Mr Sheen on the glass to make it nice and slippery, make sure it’s buffed off.
Make an H on the window across the centre (width ways) and down the outside edges.
Use a finger wrapped in a cloth or a felt squegee. Shrink the film evenly across the width at the same time. I.e don’t just do one bit before moving on to the next bit.
Search for my bit on it (‘cos I’ve just got back from the pub and probably can’t type straight 😉 ) .
Even, small movements will do it.
L
-
Lee, the link to your tutorial is here….
http://www.uksignboards.com/viewtopic.php?t=17641
I remember reading that and deciding never to go near window tinting!!! 😀 😀
I am tempted to have a go on the side windows of my transit as they are flat….. but then again, after reading again, maybe not! 😀 😀
-
Cheers for all the pointers. Think I’ll just try to muster up some courage and find a suitable victi… umm, car to practice on. 🙂
-
I’ll send you a pm
-
Awesome, I’ll check that out. Done the rear sidewindows of my own car. Can’t get the rear window done in one piece though. Might just be to big curves for it to be done in one piece.
Feels like I have the basic technique down, just need practice, practice and practice. 🙂
-
Hi Tobias
On which car you are trying to shrink rear window?
I had this problem but as you wrote practice brings also results.
I shrinked so far: Audi A6, Renault Espace, VW Passat, BMW series 5 and I believe you will be able to shrink also in one piece.
Regards
Saso -
It’s a Mitsubishi Eclipse 1g, hatchback with a rather severe compound curve on the rear window.
(I’m poor, can only afford PoS cars. 🙂 )
-
Hi Tobias..
I see…really big rear window but I think you might work that out if you really make H positioning and if you try to divide big fingers into smaller fingers…
Put your squeegee into paper towel or cloth and try to shrink fingers.
On my first rear window I spent 4 films….5th time I had success…..
Handle with care as you would handle a lady on first date…very very soft and slowly :-)))
I know you will write to us soon that you made it 🙂
Sasha
-
Done my first rear window shrink on my MK4 golf and had success the 2nd time round after reading this thread. I must of wasted 10 meter’s previous to this. Thanks for the help. Oh and what I was doing wrong was shrinking the window the wrong way.
Log in to reply.