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CSOB Window Tint: Wouldn't it be great to have a really nice modern window
look on your Bonanza or Baron, like your automobile, with interior temperature
reducing benefits. Everyone knows we cannot use the conventional tint films
used on glass because of their aggressive adhesives and the fact that our
acrylic windows has a coefficient of expansion much different than glass.
Beech Lister
Max
G., blazed
the trail a few years ago and spoke about a Static Cling Film he found at
Wal-Mart. With no prior experience in window
film he got a great result. Two years later, Max is still pleased with the
static cling film he installed and look on his Bonanza. He even shared a few install tips with me and
my installer buddy. Thanks Max!
Being based in Dallas, Texas and formerly in
Tampa, Florida (yeah, it's mega hot in both those places), I knew a little
about what it felt like to get into my plane after even a little while of
being on the ramp. Not fun at all! So, I finally got around to trying Max's
idea and here are the results.
I selected 20% film initially and after
further review at night on the ramp, the clarity is not quite what I'd like on
the front windows, so I replaced the 20% film with the 35% Visible Light
Transmission product. The 20% is excellent, IMHO for the center and rear
windows and possibly an "eyebrow" at the top of the windshield for about 5 to
7 inches. The 35% is quite good for the front windows, IMHO, your definition
of success may vary.
Click
HERE
to go to my web album and click thru eight tint pictures.
The 20% film I used is made by and
comes in 26" x 78" rolls at about $13/roll. Three rolls did all six windows. It
also comes in an "eyebrow" roll 5" wide for $3/roll. Total time
for a first timer with tint guy help was about 5 hours. Here's the
stuff I bought for the project:
three boxes of 20%
stuff 26" x 78" each
one box of the 35%, 5" wide eyebrow film
1 gallon distilled water
1 bottle Baby Shampoo
1 Quart pump sprayer bottle
Plastic squeegees (like hotel card keys or Bondo
squeegee/scraper)
Here is how I applied my
Static Cling Tint Film:
Clean inside and outside of windows normally.
Prepare a quart of distilled water in a spray bottle with about 1/2
teaspoon of generic baby shampoo WITHOUT CONDITIONER
Squirt the outside of one window well with the solution.
Essentially you place a sheet of the film on the OUTSIDE of the window with
the paper liner facing you.
Rough cut the size sheet you need.
Mark the outer edge of the window on the paper with a sharpie or ball pen.
Now cut your film and take it to the inside of the plane and squirt well
the inside of the window with your solution.
Place film in place and slide around to get in position. Use credit card
room key type squeegee or Bondo style squeege to remove air from center to
outer edges.
Excess film can be lifted and cut with scissors without removing the entire
piece of film from the window.
Film can be stretched in place via squeegee.
Here are some application tips from Beech Talker, Chester J. of the Dallas
area:
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* use plenty of spray solution
* it's much much easier to cut while the paper is still
attached
* the film will stretch to cover your mistakes.
* buy some extra film and be willing to throw away the
first window
* makes sure the windows are very clean
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Update 7/16/2011: My cling film is now about three years old and still
doing fine. Mind you, my plane is hangared except for occasional trips where
I'm on the ramp in the sunshine.
Click
HERE
for
Locations to Buy the Axius Film (Wal-Mart, Target, AutoZone)
See the PDF Spec Sheet
HERE.
Scroll down to the Insta-Cling Film section.
Another Cling Film is made by
www.gilafilms.com and can be purchased at
AutoZone. I changed my 20% film in my front windows and used the Gila 35% Cling
Film. It is noticeably thinner, clearer and visibility at night is better. Gila
recommends Cling Film for "plastic" windows
HERE. Note their comments about conventional auto film adhesive should never
be used on plastic windows.
I did engage the services of
an automotive tint guy in the
KATW area,
Tony, who was extremely reasonable (less than $75 for the 5
hours work). After seeing the install, I could say most anyone with average mechanical
ability with a razor and a squeegee could easily accomplish this project in one
day or a weekend.
NEWS FLASH 16 July 2011:
Bonanza owner, Justin G. from MS just
informed me of a residential cling film with very good UV & Heat reduction
properties from Gila that is available at Home Depot.
BE SURE YOU USE THE CLING VERSION!
I say again: BE SURE YOU USE THE
"PEEL-N-CLING" VERSION
Gila calls this product
Energy Saving Titanium.
Could be worth checking out. It may provide
better UV and heat reduction performance that the auto films and the ad copy
boasts of improved clarity. It is priced at $38/roll (3' x 6.5'). Check it out
HERE
Here is a picture of BeechTalker, John B.'s
V35B after he spiffed up his windows with the Gila Bronze static cling film.
John reports that the 4
windows he did took him about 2 hours and $25 in film material, using the
guidance in this narrative.
Here is a pirep from G35 Bonanza
owner David L. of Texas (yeah it's hot and sunny here) on his cling film
install:
Mike - I just did the static cling window tint on the Back 4 windows on my
G35 and it turned out great. I took a poster board and made shape/size templates
(one front & one back) from the outside and then cut the film based in the
template. That allowed me to cut it with a straight edge on a table. Only a
little trimming was required in the field. I also cut the film to leave a 1/8 to
1/4 inch gap all around the window instead of trying to make everything tight
and that worked well and looks good. The next time I do it I think I will try a
squirt bottle instead of a sprayer ... Seems like the sprayer created a lot of
bubbles you have to deal with. Also another tip I would put out there is to be
generous in using the liquid solution. I figured out after a little while that
more solution makes it easier. I will probably only leave the tint on for the
summer and then re-tint again next year. Now that I have the size/shape
templates, doing it again will be a snap.
Thanks,
David L
Dallas, TX
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Static
Cling Window Tint
