Flame and tribal-tinted windows are the rage these days. Everywhere you look, you'll find the artfully cut renditions of our favorite paint schemes laid out in the micro-thin film that covers our rides' windows. It's almost funny to think that what we consider the hot trend today has been going on for years. Several years ago, a man began offering his customers the ultimate in window treatments. After performing everyday show-quality standard tint jobs for his customers for years, he decided to do something different for once. So he got out a piece of chalk and sketched some flames onto a sheet of tint. He liked the results; the rest is history. If you've ever wondered how they get those awesome patterns cut out of tint, then wonder no more. Follow along with the masters at Mike's Tint Shop and you'll be schooled in the fine art of window tint customization. If you have any more questions, give Mike a call or visit his Web site using the information in the source box.
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 1. A section of tint is laid...  1. A section of tint is laid on a glass wall, and the flame pattern we desired was drawn freehand onto the tint using a chalk pencil. |
 2. After we were satisfied...  2. After we were satisfied with the look of the flames, they were cut out of the tint using a sharp razor. |
 3. Here is the full pattern...  3. Here is the full pattern that will grace the windshield of our Toyota. |
 4. The tint was then heat-shrinked...  4. The tint was then heat-shrinked to the windshield using a heat gun (it looks like a hair dryer). It was then cut to the exact contour of the bottom of the windshield where the tint would go. |
 5. Next, the tint was placed...  5. Next, the tint was placed on the glass wall, and after peeling back the adhesive liner on the tint halfway, the flames were carefully laid on top. |
 6. Once the flames were laid...  6. Once the flames were laid down, the rest of the adhesive liner was removed. |
 7. The inside of the windshield...  7. The inside of the windshield was carefully cleaned of any sticky stuff using a razor knife. |
 8. The tinted flames were...  8. The tinted flames were then carefully pressed onto the inside of the windshield. |
 9. Once it was positioned,...  9. Once it was positioned, the pattern was then smoothed out with a plastic spreader and the excess water was removed with a squeegee. |
 10. After laying tint down...  10. After laying tint down on the inside of the window, the flames were drawn by freehand, drawing them on the outside of the glass. |
 11. On the inside of the glass,...  11. On the inside of the glass, the flames were carefully cut out of the tint. |
 12. The excess tint was r...  12. The excess tint was removed. |
 13. The window was coated...  13. The window was coated with soapy water and and a lighter shade of tint was laid onto the window as a background for the flames. |
 14. The tint was smoothed...  14. The tint was smoothed out using the plastic spreader again. |
 15. Mike's Tint Shop then...  15. Mike's Tint Shop then went one step further and heat-shrunk the tint to the window using a butane-powered torch. This ensured that the pattern stayed put. |
 16. The final touch, and a...  16. The final touch, and a truly professional one at that, was to file the edge of the tint using a flat file. This will keep the edge of the tint flat so that it never catches on the door molding and peels. |
17. How ya like me now? |