New tint on my side windows. VERY dark (Updated with a how-to writeup!!)

[MTMike]

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by BadLiLBowtie:
mines that dark... try driving at night, you'll probably be taking it off after that. :mad: <hr></blockquote>

I had 5% on my old car. Driving at night did kind of suck. I've got power windows and if need be, I can drop them.

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Devilboy28:
I have 5% on my car on all glass and you can't see in at all, but those pics show the interior through your windows. Are you sure it's 2.5%? 5% looks a hell of alot darker. <hr></blockquote>

Again, I had 5% on my old car. This is definately darker. I know the pictures don't depict the VLT very well, but trust me, its quite a bit darker than 5%.

-Mike

[Camaro_SLP]

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Devilboy28:
I have 5% on my car on all glass and you can't see in at all, but those pics show the interior through your windows. Are you sure it's 2.5%? 5% looks a hell of alot darker. <hr></blockquote>


It also depends on the angle he took the pics at..If both side windows are tinted, and you take a pic straight on, you shouldn't be able to see through..but if your at an angle with the windshield with no tints, then you should be able to see through..

Looks good btw [img]graemlins/thumbsup.gif[/img]

[camaro_speedemon]

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by PewterBird:
I thing I am going to seal off my side windows with some sheet metal, and paint it black, I mean who needs to see out the side windows. A car drives foward, not to the side.
I will have 0% visability. [img]tongue.gif[/img] J/k

Tinting the window makes the car looks so good, I would go that dark, if I could get away with it. [img]graemlins/thumbsup.gif[/img] <hr></blockquote>

[img]graemlins/rofl.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/rofl.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/rofl.gif[/img]

Looks good.

[Everglades W68]

I agree with what somebody else said Mike; just go for the high gloss black spray paint.

[JVT007]

omg how did u do it yourself

WRITE UP WRITE UP WRITE UP WRITE UP WRITE UP!!!!!!!!!!!!

[speedy-v6-camaro]

Most tinting comes with instructions...just don't be a dumbass and half *** it so you get huge bubbles.

[JVT007]

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by speedy-v6-camaro:
Most tinting comes with instructions...just don't be a dumbass and half *** it so you get huge bubbles.<hr></blockquote>

i understand that but i have a ***** of a time cutting around the window edges his looks soooooooooooooo clean!!

[MTMike]

I took a lesson from a pro tinter before, so I learned a bunch of tricks. Between his lessons and my previous 20 tint jobs, I've got it down pretty good.

First - Size the tint on the outside of the window with the clear liner still on it.

Make sure to do it with the liner-side up. Use a soft rubber squeegie and water with a very tiny bit of a mild dish soap (for lube). It's best to use a pressurized water bottle - one that you pump and can spray a continuous stream. You can get one at in the wal mart gardent dept for $4.

Soak both the ouside of the window and the tint. Squeegie it out to fit, and trim it down about 1/2-1" outside the parimiter of the window You should start to see runs in the tint due to the windows curve. You will need a heat gun to heat-shrink the tint to the curve of the glass. You can get a heat gun from WalMart's paint dept for $21. You will see vertical runs in the top and bottom of the tint. If you have them on the left or right side then squeegie them around so they pop up on the bottom or top.

Turn the heat gun on, let it heat up for 5-10 seconds, and then start at the top of the run, and 'chase' the run down until it stops moving. Don't overheat the tint by keeping it in the direct heat for more than a couple seconds or it will damage the tint. Do this to all the runs that pop up. Re-squeegie it, and repeat until most of the runs are gone. You can get rid of the few stragglers when it's actually on the glass.

Once most of the runs are gone, the film will be mostly shrunk to fit the curvature of the glass. Now, if ALL of the glass is covered, cut it to fit. On the top, just follow the edge of the glass with the edge of the razor. Use a brand new, ultra-sharp razor. If you use even a slightly dull blade, you will tear the tint and have to start over.

Once you've got the top & back edge of the window cut to the contour of the glass, you'll need to lift the tint and re-apply enough water to slide the tint around on the glass freely. Once you can slide it, you want to pull the tint up and back about 3/4" - 1". Then, cut along the bottom edge following the bottom edge window of the rubber trim and along the front. This will allow overlap to the visible edge of the window, and allow you a little room for error in positioning.

Once it's cut to size, you're ready to apply it. Clean the inside of the window like you've never cleaned a window before. If there's not previous tint on the window, you don't have to be as thorough about it, but you still want a good cleaning. First, go over it with windex 3 times. Then, spray it with your soapy water solution and use a razor blade over the enitre surface - going in paths similar to mowing a lawn to be sure to cover every square inch of the glass. Then, spray it with water again and squeegie it dry (to remove lint from the paper towel or the windex rag, and any debris the razor may have dug up). Then, drench the window with the soapy water solution. You can never use too much water. As quickly after that as possible without rushing, separate the tint from the liner, exposing the adhesive side. Do so by putting a small peice of scotch tape on 1 corner of each side of the tint with the sticky-sides of the pieces of tape facing each other, and then pull them apart. As its separating keep the adhesive side moisened with the soapy water solution. It's best to have a second set of hands to help the tint from folding over & sticking or from creasing. Do so quickly to avoid dust & hair getting stuck to the film. Make sure it is so soaked on both the window and the tint's adhesive side that you can put the tint to the window and slide it around with ease to position it in the right spot. Position it so the edge of your cut is about 1/8"-1/4" inward from the edge of the window. Once you've got it positioned, squeegie it out - from the inside-out. Then trim back any overlap on the bottom and front of the glass, making sure to leave enough overlap as to not be visible from inside or above the door panel.

Re-heat shrink any runs that reappear.

What I had to do on the drivers side was tape a small ruler to my knife so it had a guide 1/8" from the blade so I could cut the tint 1/8" from the top of the glass.

You'll want to check it every couple of hours and work out any remaining bubbles or runs that may form.

The film will look kinda cloudy for the first couple days while the adhesive dries, and during this time you will want to avoid rolling your windows up or down.

It is inevitable that some dust will get in there and have a couple small bubbles. You can not ever get a 'perfect' tint job. It is impossible. A professional job is one that you can step back 5-10 feet from the window and not see any noticable blemishes or bubbles.

I'd say my tint job is 85% as good as a pro job. I'm slowly getting better [img]smile.gif[/img] Patience is the key. Your first few times will look like sh*t. Plan on that and keep trying.

I hope this helps!

-Mike

[ June 04, 2003: Message edited by: MTMike ]</p>

[Camarobabe]

WOW [img]graemlins/omg.gif[/img]

That is super dark. Looks good!

[ June 04, 2003: Message edited by: Camarobabe ]</p>

[speedy-v6-camaro]

I did the same thing as MTMike except I didn't do the heat forming. I feel that on the side windows it isn't really necessary. You will be able to get all the "fingers" out with a squeegie. I highly recommend doing this inside, as doing it outside will up the dust contamination. I also don't agree with the 1/8" from the top. I do recommend leaving a 1/8" over the top of the window until the tint has almost completely adhered to the window (4hr). Then trim along the edge of the window using the top as a guide to get the tint right at the top of the glass...do not close the door at any time. This creates the top to bubble up and cause a bad seal and will eventually break away. I recommend leaving your window down about 1/2" for 2 days while it completely cures. I have done many tint jobs with going right to the top of the window. If you try to heat form make sure you don't crease the film (I know you will) because that ruins it. There is no repairing creased tint.

[calvo]

kinda looks like my double 4% [img]smile.gif[/img]