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Vehicle window tinting – advice and tips please
Hello from snowy finland, last day tomorrow then we can all crack the beers open and put on 10 kilos over the next week. :smiles:
So, vehicle tinting. This has been on my mind for a year or so and i would really like to start offering it. Theres a market i could tap into straight away as the nearest tinting firm to me is 45 mins away.
Now from my experience, i hate it… but like i said i keep turning away work and can see a great opportunity.
Over the years i have done bits and bobs, works vans, my vehicles, etc etc. I had watched plenty of youtube and got the technique down pretty well apart from what i think lets it down to be 100%, dust particles. No matter how much cleaning i do, how quick i get it onto the glass… there always seems to be areas with dust.
Any tinters out there that could give me some tips would be great. Im not sure how to improve from here.
Ive been tempted to go on a course but im not sure what i will hear that i cant find out myself.
Most importantly the quality needs to be upto standard, i dont want it to tarnish my businesses reputation which seems to be on point.
Cheers
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13 Replies
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I did a course years ago Martyn. £1000 to be told its just practice. When doing a practical with the group, I was asked what I did for a living, he then told the group to gather round & do it like I was doing it, ended up teaching the class, never really got interested after that
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Dust. The enemy of tinters, wrappers, signwriters, frosters.
I found out (after years of wrapping on a concrete floor, and not knowing the source of the dust that was often spoiling my work) that it is the concrete itself that gives off dust.
So If you have a bare concrete floor, the best thing to do is paint it with floor paint, or sealer, or whatever.
If you dont have a concrete floor, I cant help you! :smiles: -
Thats what i thought kevin, generally a waste on money.
Simon, i have done the work in the back of the van, in a workshop with concrete floors, and in my workshop which has shingle floor. All methods resulting in the same outcome. I can imagine that in an ideal world we have hospital conditions to work in but thats not reality. Ive also seen tinters working on site, and mobile tinters that come to your garage so im not so sure the floor is solely to blame.
I think my standard is fine for working vehicles but what worries me is when flash jack comes in with his 20k bmw and will pick up on every spectacle, it just seems like a battle i cant win.
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static could also play a part in dust Maybe there’s a liquid out there that can be used to make it less staticy if there is such a word?
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Just out of interest, what brands do people recommend for tinting? Looking at doing more of this myself in the future too. Got a sample of suntek i need to try out, but interested to see what’s popular
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There’s a fluid called "tint slime" that’s great for applying tint. We use "Max Pro" which great to use but it’s still a job I hate and try to avoid at all costs. Just makes me miserable due to lack of practice. One mistake and it’s in the bin.
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LLumar ATR serie. Its same as Suntek I believe but more popular in UK. Much easier to shrink then other brands.. To avoid dust, use rolling technique for back and top loading for sides. Spray water and squeegee it off top to bottom 3 times just before application, use fresh mix J&J baby 2-3 pumps per liter with distillate water – dont use slime… Less drought and movement = cleaner application. Heating is also a key, IR heaters wouldn’t move dust and air. Practice is a key to success here…
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quote Adam Nowak:LLumar ATR serie. Its same as Suntek I believe but more popular in UK. Much easier to shrink then other brands.. To avoid dust, use rolling technique for back and top loading for sides. Spray water and squeegee it off top to bottom 3 times just before application, use fresh mix J&J baby 2-3 pumps per liter with distillate water – dont use slime… Less drought and movement = cleaner application. Heating is also a key, IR heaters wouldn’t move dust and air. Practice is a key to success here…
You don’t recommend the tint slime Adam? Done a course for a day and that’s what they recommended but they were also selling it so maybe it was to benefit them more than us. Would love to learn to how to prefect it but just haven’t the time. There’s a guy that does work round the local car dealers and he has it down to a fine art.
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quote Adam Nowak:LLumar ATR serie. Its same as Suntek I believe but more popular in UK. Much easier to shrink then other brands.. To avoid dust, use rolling technique for back and top loading for sides. Spray water and squeegee it off top to bottom 3 times just before application, use fresh mix J&J baby 2-3 pumps per liter with distillate water – dont use slime… Less drought and movement = cleaner application. Heating is also a key, IR heaters wouldn’t move dust and air. Practice is a key to success here…
Thanks Adam – where do you buy your tint from?
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Great info adam cheers. Ive only used suntek so far. Was hoping to try llumar next maybe its slightly better
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based purely on demand of existing large companies we do sign work for, we have done windows in workplaces over the years. hundreds of them, largest windows being about 10ft x 4ft. Also done large volumes for Royal Mail offices around Scotland and their Head Offices in Edinburgh.
That being said, I still decline to do car windows for some of the same reasons you state. the main one being ruining your existing reputation over some tint jobs, which boils down to our installation inexperience of vehicles…
Yes, I have watched the videos online many years ago, and yes it looks very easy, or do I now sound like the typical customer asking me for a quote for vehicle wrapping and saying… "oh it looks simple, I saw it on TV or Youtube" as I mutter under my breath, yeh right, get a life mate!The bottom line is if you are going to do it at all, do it properly and not half-arsed!
As Kevin did, go on a course to get some sort of application guidance. create a list of questions before you go, note things being said and more… The trouble you will find with 9/10 courses is that they are geared around introducing products by a tutor with vested interests in one way or another.
Practice always makes perfect, frustrating to hear I know, but it is true!
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Its hard job to be honest, very easy to get dirt from seals, many times they also too tight so you need to remove them from vehicle. Saloons are also hard to do, where back window dont lift, very easy to pick dirt. Its very unforgiving job. Highly depends also on client, some don’t mind about martix dots, small specs etc, some will want it as factory tint which in my opinion is impossible.. J&J is tested and you not need tint slime or any other product. I’m not an expert myself but try get more into automotive industry with wraps and tints its high demand in my area, and no lot professional tinters or wrappers and I like it more then doing boards and prints… Look for LLumar UK, Nik is rep I get deal with. Suntek is same film, but dont go for lowest range as its thinner and easier to crease..
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Do what I do – Outsource it to a reputable company to do on your behalf. Obviously not going to be cheap, but all the Onus is on them if anything goes wrong. I use a specialist to do all my tint work, both cars and premises, and as many have already mentioned, any application takes time, patience and practice. Truth is, you will never be as good as someone that does this work day in day out no matter how much you practice unless you dedicate 100% of your time to, which if you are like 90% of the sign makers on here, that’s going to be impossible.
Whatever you decide, good luck and Merry Christmas [emoji106]
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