fiestaturbo.com

[festajon]

Was just thinking about tinting my windows the other day and as i'm gonna take all the glass out anyway soon i thought would it be easier to tint them this way, with the glass layed flat. Everyone i know that has done it has bodged it but done it with the windows still in the doors etc, with loadsa bubbles! surely it's just like applying a big sunstrip ie loadsa soapy water and pushing trapped air-bubbles from the centre out with a credit card or professional tool? Is it a good idea?

[TJ]

Yeah do it, while they are out. Its not that hard when they are on either.

But would be easy as pie, with them removed.

[Dan Xr2i]

I was told the best and easiest way to do your own window tints is in the bath.

[Andy Si]

I think your getting that confused with sh@ggin a bird up the.......

[G-Forze]

Well, a shower works fine too!!!

(for the bird though........)

[halfpint]

nope - dan you was right the first time - i've tinted two sets of windows (niether for myself) and both of these were done in a bath, i find it quite fun tinting windows - so if anyone wants to give me a few quid for doing theirs - emails me

oh and a good pointer - a short stanley knife blade to cut the edges and a pot of nail varnish - preferably clear to stop the edges peeling away. And leave them inside somewhere fairly warm to dry out throughly before putting them back. (otherwise the film will peel off again

[Tom SX]

can you do mine for me shelly?

alternatively how much will pro's charge if the glass is already out to tint?

[Matt_Steves]

DIY tinting is very easy and gives good results if you TAKE YOUR TIME!!!

You must:

1) Rigorously clean the window.
2) Keep the film extremely wet to allow you to move it around (use hot water and washing up liquid in a window cleaner bottle).
3) Use a squeegy, the ones that have a rubber strip on the other side. Use this instead of a credit card to avoid scratching the film.
4) Leave the windows out at least 24 hours in side the house to dry and seal all the sides up with clear nail varnish.
5) Choose the smallest height film for the side windows. This will mean the film is longer so you can cover more lengthways.
6) TAKE YOUR TIME!!!

If you rush it you screw it up, the film may be cheap but I bet you'd rather spend the cash for a replacement roll on something else!!!

[Project]

ummm, couple of quick pointers I picked up at UK Autofilm (who did my entire car for considerably less than a bag of cake):-

* DON'T USE A BATH! if you can afford to buy yourself a spray-pump - the bath will have grit and do-do in it and this will end up in the film.
* Room temp very soapy water is good
* Mk3 Fiestas have dished glass surfaces (curved in two planes) so you will need a heatgun. You can only shrink the sides of the roll - the ends you cut cannot be shrunk (it's got something to do with the way the film is formed from long-chain polymers). Use a professional squeegee to do the job - you can buy these.
* A little pink thing called a li'l chizler (made in USA) is ideal for flattening air bubbles and pushing out little bits of water. A cupboard with a room heater in it (or better a big cardboard box down the shed with aforementioned heater in it to avoid fire) will help the water left under the film to evaporate and the glue to bond to the glass.
* Buy the film from a window tinting company - they buy 600mx3m for about £300, you can buy the equivalent amount at Halfords (in rolls of about 2mx1.5m) for about £9,000 - !!!

Al - useless when it comes to degreasing gearboxes

[festajon]

Thaks for the help guys and gals. When u say put some nailvarnish on u mean on the edges of it right as opposed to near the edges on the face of the glass between the tint film and the glass?
Hey matt i don't suppose u tinted your windows on the grey beast did u? they are the shade i'm after really, a light smoke, and they look good too.

My shopping list now comprises of:
-a squeege
-the tint film
-and some Mr Muscle to clean out the bath with!!!!!
cheers

[TJ]

Shelly, if i give a couple of extra quid, can i get in the bath as well?? LOL