MorBid
09-16-2006, 11:49 PM
In our last episode our hero he was contiplating installing a PPF Kit on his rocker panels (here (http://autopia.org/forum/showthread.php?t=77425)). We will now re-join our hero after getting the kit...
ClearMask (http://www.Clearmask.com) is a another distributor of PPF (paint protection film). They are unique in that kits they make are made with a DIY`er in mind using 3m Areospace film. Thier lineup from top to bottom includes Clearmask AR, Areogard, and Areogard Utra. Kit`s come in Standard and XL (the latter provides more coverage).
Once you select your vehicle and they present the available packages each is rated on a scale of 1 to 10 for difficulty. They include a instructional DVD which among other things shows a guy doing a install on a Porchse (front bumper, hood, and fenders) with commentary on how to do each part.
I think it`s a special they are running cuz I got their Headlamp kit for my Audi (lightgard) and a install kit (two industrial spray bottles. a squeege, a exacto knife, and a hard card) included in my order for free.
okay let`s get on with it shall we.
Everything arrived well packaged but the Rocker kit was all on one Cap Sheet, so I needed to cut each pattern out seperately using the exacto knife.
When I got my front end done in the early part of spring the installer used Avery Stoneshield and I am still not too pleased with the Orange Peel. This film has no OP and is clear as can be.
Now I`ve never done PPF installs before but figured I taught myself everything else about Autobody and Engine Repair I should be able to learn this. I figured I would start with the headlamps cuz they are small and I stll have the one`s from the Avery Kit (just in case)
I mixed up the Slip Solution in one bottle (they say to use dish soap but anyone who knows me knows how I feel about dishsoap and cars). So I used Johnson`s baby shampoo.
Mistake one: Don`t use too much soap in the slip solution.
They said to use 1 tablespoon to 32 oz of distilled/purified water. Well to me that didn`t feel slippery enough so I used 6. Big mistake and I`ll tell you why later.
Getting the damn film of the liner is a PITA. Make sure your GF is over if you don`t have nails.
I can now say I see why people say it`s very difficult to install this stuff. It`s not like you just lay it out and squeege it down. Once you put that Slip Solution down the film wants to move all over (if your working on a vertical surface).
In addition you need to smooth/stretch the film to conform to the part/panel with one hand while using the squeege with the other.
Parts with curves are harder for that reason. If you don`t get the film flat, you`ll keep getting bubbles around the edges. Fortunatley this a DIY`er product so you can lift the film up and reposition it lots of times. Just keep it wet with the slip solution.
Ohh now back to that. I was having a hellava time getting this to seal flat around the edges. I was spraying the alcohol/water mixture beneath it and squeege`ing my little azz of but the film kept popping up. This went on for a couple hours till I realized I must`ve used too much soap and now the alcohol/water stuff can`t get it all out. I went back into the house and dumped it out and made some more the right way.
Well long story short (thanks for hanging in) the first one I had been working on now for several hours was getting all cloudy and I still couldn`t get the edges down, but feeling more confident now that I had learned to work the material and with the right slip solution I went over to the other one.
Piece of cake, knocked it out in less than 15 or 20 minutes and it looks great. Just like a pro did it. No bubbles, not cloudy and fits exact.
I then went back to the other one and lifted the whole thing off again (for the 5th or 6th time) and began all over. This time (with the help of a hair dryer) I got it into position and the edges are down. I managed to put a little scratch in it and am hoping the cloudiness will clear up.
This is my long way of saying you can do install`s of PPF if your careful and game. Don`t expect to get it right the first time (it is really a skill) but once you get the hang of it you`ll be all set.
Now tommorrow those rocker panels.
Morbid
ClearMask (http://www.Clearmask.com) is a another distributor of PPF (paint protection film). They are unique in that kits they make are made with a DIY`er in mind using 3m Areospace film. Thier lineup from top to bottom includes Clearmask AR, Areogard, and Areogard Utra. Kit`s come in Standard and XL (the latter provides more coverage).
Once you select your vehicle and they present the available packages each is rated on a scale of 1 to 10 for difficulty. They include a instructional DVD which among other things shows a guy doing a install on a Porchse (front bumper, hood, and fenders) with commentary on how to do each part.
I think it`s a special they are running cuz I got their Headlamp kit for my Audi (lightgard) and a install kit (two industrial spray bottles. a squeege, a exacto knife, and a hard card) included in my order for free.
okay let`s get on with it shall we.
Everything arrived well packaged but the Rocker kit was all on one Cap Sheet, so I needed to cut each pattern out seperately using the exacto knife.
When I got my front end done in the early part of spring the installer used Avery Stoneshield and I am still not too pleased with the Orange Peel. This film has no OP and is clear as can be.
Now I`ve never done PPF installs before but figured I taught myself everything else about Autobody and Engine Repair I should be able to learn this. I figured I would start with the headlamps cuz they are small and I stll have the one`s from the Avery Kit (just in case)
I mixed up the Slip Solution in one bottle (they say to use dish soap but anyone who knows me knows how I feel about dishsoap and cars). So I used Johnson`s baby shampoo.
Mistake one: Don`t use too much soap in the slip solution.
They said to use 1 tablespoon to 32 oz of distilled/purified water. Well to me that didn`t feel slippery enough so I used 6. Big mistake and I`ll tell you why later.
Getting the damn film of the liner is a PITA. Make sure your GF is over if you don`t have nails.
I can now say I see why people say it`s very difficult to install this stuff. It`s not like you just lay it out and squeege it down. Once you put that Slip Solution down the film wants to move all over (if your working on a vertical surface).
In addition you need to smooth/stretch the film to conform to the part/panel with one hand while using the squeege with the other.
Parts with curves are harder for that reason. If you don`t get the film flat, you`ll keep getting bubbles around the edges. Fortunatley this a DIY`er product so you can lift the film up and reposition it lots of times. Just keep it wet with the slip solution.
Ohh now back to that. I was having a hellava time getting this to seal flat around the edges. I was spraying the alcohol/water mixture beneath it and squeege`ing my little azz of but the film kept popping up. This went on for a couple hours till I realized I must`ve used too much soap and now the alcohol/water stuff can`t get it all out. I went back into the house and dumped it out and made some more the right way.
Well long story short (thanks for hanging in) the first one I had been working on now for several hours was getting all cloudy and I still couldn`t get the edges down, but feeling more confident now that I had learned to work the material and with the right slip solution I went over to the other one.
Piece of cake, knocked it out in less than 15 or 20 minutes and it looks great. Just like a pro did it. No bubbles, not cloudy and fits exact.
I then went back to the other one and lifted the whole thing off again (for the 5th or 6th time) and began all over. This time (with the help of a hair dryer) I got it into position and the edges are down. I managed to put a little scratch in it and am hoping the cloudiness will clear up.
This is my long way of saying you can do install`s of PPF if your careful and game. Don`t expect to get it right the first time (it is really a skill) but once you get the hang of it you`ll be all set.
Now tommorrow those rocker panels.
Morbid