window tinting

[smoker]

ah yes......the roll of auto zone tint......is it gila? basically it amounts to this, automotive window tint is all made out of polyester, the stuff you buy at auto stores is cheaper because it is a single layer of poyester that is clear, the tint is actually in the adhesive backing. This is what causes it to turn purple real quick, it is also what makes it so hard to work with. think about it, how much easier would it be if it was thicker? it would crease less and hold its shape better and squeegee without tearing. I manage a glass shop that does window tint and i have to do about 90% of out tinting because we are a small operation.(soon to open a car audio shop though right next door) anyway the tint that we use is from Johnson Window Films out of California and the lightest shade we carry 35%, is still twice as thick as the auto parts stuff and the darker it gets the thicker it gets, the reason being that with professional stuff the tint is in the polyester so they manufacture a few shades and then layer them to get darker. for example if you want 20% tint they layer 50% and 35% and they also use a metallized clear layer toward the interior of the car that helps to prevent scratches...in short if you want i can give you some tips (like get it inside) and im not the worlds best but i do a good job, (the older i get the less patience i have) but we have had people bring us that cheap stuff and even we cant get it on worth a damn without screwing up a few pieces.

[MrSo0h0o]

its called secret zone

http://www.3aracing.com/showroom/produc ... 5acf71ee92

[smoker]

ha....please tell me you didnt get the rainbow tint...................it all looks good in their ads..trust me there is a huge difference. are you cutting your tint on the outside of the car? put a shop light inside the car and it will light it up enough so that you can see the glass through the tint. spray the windows down with a soap and water mix, about a quick squeeze of ivory or baby shampoo to a quart of water and then squeegee the tint on the outside of the glass, for stationary glassjust cut as close as you can to the edge being sure to cover all the glass, for door glass spray the glass down on the outside with the window rolled upand then lay your tint on making sure you have top,bottom,front and back covered, what they dont tell you is that during the manufacturing process tint is heated and stretched, the factory cut edge is most forgiving and should be used as the bottom edge on your windows, then cut the front and back about an 1/8" larger than the outside of the glass, then making sure not to move the tint roll the window down while lifting the outside lower edge to make sure you dont crease it as the window goes down but only far enough so the you can use the top of the window as a guide. cut your top edge, clean, wet, peel, wet tint as you peel and apply. not really that easy but this may help get you startd i hope......

[MrSo0h0o]

wow that was one huge run on sentence lol... no i didnt get the rainbow... picked up limo black.. pretty sure its illegal though.. hmmm...

i think where i went wrong is that i measured the cuts from the inside, didnt put enough solution on the window and tint.. after finals are over i will try again...

[smoker]

yea we aint real big on edumication or book learnin here in ky........and yup most states are 35% on the front doors and the rest varies state to state.

[GlassWolf]

get the tint from a tinter. they have much better tint materials.
if you insist on applying it yourself, you'll need soapy water, distilled water, a squeegie or three in various sizes, a razor knife, and a heat gun.
you want to wash the glass thoroughly, then lay the tint on the outside of the glass, so the 'outside surface' of the tint is against the outside of the glass. wet the glass with clean water to insure it holds to the glass.
trim the tint to fit the window, with about an inch or so overhang at the bottom to tuck under the sill.
wet the window on the inside thoroughly and peel off the tint backing. apply the tint and position it on the glass as desired. use masking tape to hold the tint in place at the edge in a couple spots if you really need to.
use the squeegie to push out all of the water from between the glass and tint, working from the center outward. get every little bubble out of the glass tint, and get it all lined up on the glass.
use the heat gun to dry the water carefully, which adheres the tint to the glass. if you don't heat gun the tint, allow the window tint to dry for 24 hours before rolling down the windows. otherwise you'll push the tint out of place or cause air bubbles.
that's your crash course in tinting. for back windows, you may need to use overlapping strips of tint to cover complex curves without leaving creases.

more info can be found at http://www.tintdude.com

[GlassWolf]

state laws vary a lot. I know NJ doesn't allow ANY non factory tinting. they're bastards.
here in MI, they have different laws. No two cops seem to agree on them though. Best to ask a local tinter.

[MrSo0h0o]

i just read http://www.tintdude.com... i think i will be much better off getting it done professionally ^_^ i think my friend said he got his done professionally for ~100 labor included! i think he has something like 15 or 20% all around.. its dark.. so ill ask him about it.

[Mithrandir]

heh pa doesnt even allow factory tinting well atleast thats what ive heard, i guess they figure you didnt have to buy the tinted one lol

[Chris from Washington]

Some states are so cruddy when it comes to tint laws.

I think my state is 35%, but I've had 20% on both the Camaro and the 4Runner and really never had an issue.

Once, I got pulled over for tinted tail light covers and they gave me a warning for the window tint. But other then that, never had a problem.