Easiest Way to heat shrink hard bg's

January 13, 2008

Today I tinted a Mazda 3 hatchback, and all went well until I got to the back glass. I use the mdog soap method and for the past 10 cars I've done its worked fine. I use Global QDP and for some reason it doesn't want to lay down in one piece. Is there another method I can use that will make it easier? Also for those who have tinted this car, how do you go about cutting the top edge of the back glass with that wing in the way? I was about to rip out my hair after trying it 4 times.

autoez22 · January 13, 2008

As far as seeing the top edge, Have you ever thought of backlighting the glass. As far as the wing being in your way you gotta take your time. I have used a little QDP but not much. The best way I found to srink it was to srink the whole window and then lay it down wit a card. It shrinks a little diffrent in my opinoin.

TNTLady · January 13, 2008

The old fashion way, put you some light inside the car and you should be able to see the dot matrix. I use a four foot, under the cabinet, type of flourescent light. Mark it with a silver permanent marker. Finish the cut on your table or peeler board.

Trick to shrinking it is to not trim the film to size until you shrink it . The back glass realy is easy. Shrink and pull, shrink and pull. :lol2

Practice makes perfect, that's what I always say! :spit

Oh! I finish shrinking the top by lifting the film and repositioning it lower on the glass and shrinking and hard carding away.

January 13, 2008

I did one of those today also leave it long when shrinking I did it in 5% I piece also did the old rsx 1 piece limo today :spit

January 13, 2008

What works best for me is after you shrink with soap method put a slit at both ends on top where the matrix is then pull down a couple of inches then line your cut marks up with the defroster line reheat the top that you could not get because of the spoiler and finish you cut along the defroster. that will give you your top cut. Finally install. I hope I explained this good enough and it may not work good for you but my :spit

TNTLady · January 13, 2008

What works best for me is after you shrink with soap method put a slit at both ends on top where the matrix is then pull down a couple of inches then line your cut marks up with the defroster line reheat the top that you could not get because of the spoiler and finish you cut along the defroster. that will give you your top cut. Finally install. I hope I explained this good enough and it may not work good for you but my

Basically the way I do it except I mark it with a marker and dont slit the film. :spit

TintWizard · January 13, 2008

I do so many of these cars that I ordered a back glass for it and leave it soaped permanently and do templates in my spare time :lol2 I figure the day I don't need it anymore , I'll sell a brand new glass never installed for 80% of value , costing me only about 50 out of pocket ...well worth it over the 3 yrs I've been using this glass. :spit

On a realistic note, what I USED to do is slide the film down about 2 inches below the top of the window , shrink it , slide it up, shrink the rest, bring it over to the peeler board and use a template I made up to finish up the top edge where the knife doesn't reach ..not THE way, only A way :dunno

January 13, 2008

I did one of those today also leave it long when shrinking I did it in 5% I piece also did the old rsx 1 piece limo today

I usually just cut the film to fit the entire back glass, then after shrinking cut it to size......should I just not cut it at all and leave it long so I can pull on it? Class on Glass.....how did you go about cutting the back glass?

January 13, 2008

As far as seeing the top edge, Have you ever thought of backlighting the glass. As far as the wing being in your way you gotta take your time. I have used a little QDP but not much. The best way I found to srink it was to srink the whole window and then lay it down wit a card. It shrinks a little diffrent in my opinoin.

Its not that I can't see the dot matrix, I just can't get my hand in there to get a good cut.

January 13, 2008

Is the soap method the best way of doing it? I usually anchor in an H, that alright? it all goes good when I am doing it untill I get down to the last 2in or so of the bottom of the glass, idk if its the film or me but it always wants to crease....sometime creases just by using the heat and I don't even touch it.