History of Tinting

Robert Shipman • January 9, 2018

Ridin' in style since the 1940s.

America - the land of the beautiful and creator of the tinting world. Flash back to the 1940s, post-World War II when Americans were riding low - Impala style. It didn’t take long for them to notice the heat blaring into their windows, and cue - the act of the window tinting.

Window film wasn’t the mechanism of window tinting used back in the day though. This was a time of window spray, where the resulting product was dark and usually uneven. Window film was invented in the 1966 and thankfully we advanced past spray. Although it was a good idea, it poorly rejected heat, which was the sole reason it was invented.

Dye-Based Films

Moving away from tint spray introduced window film. Dye-based films were an upgrade compared to spray-based, but also had their own set of problems. Heat caused these films to display unattractive bubbles and discoloration, which in turn reduced the amount of heat being reflected.

Metallic Films

The next advancement happened in the early 90s. This film was produced on transparent polyester and finally solved the problem of heat absorption with the metallic particles embedded in the film. As cars advanced, so did window film. Metallic films presented an issue of interfering with electronics and therefore a new window film was invented.

Ceramic Films

Longer lasting and no electronic interference made ceramic window films the top of the line and highly valuable. Providing maximum visible light while simultaneously cutting 45% to 50% of solar heat by infrared light, makes this film the most effective in terms of heat reduction.

About Us

An online collection of the most informative videos in the tinting industry, the Tintstitute aims to provide cutting edge resources to all skill levels - whether one wants to start tinting, or a seasoned professional is looking for technical detailing. And the videos don’t stop there - the duo provide entrepreneurial tips & tricks, workshops and more, including how to run a business, building your businesses reviews, or setting up your show room.

The Tintstitute is committed to delivering an educational experience to those interested in producing professional film installation and business operations.



Building a Community

By Robert Shipman • February 5, 2018
What's the most accessible platform to share what we know? Online communities. That's why The Tintstitute bases their overall effort online as a supplement to hands on training programs.

6 Ways to Motivate Your Employees

By Robert Shipman • December 30, 2017
6 ways to motivate your employees to produce the highest quality work and keep the team effort going.

How To Keep A Clean Shop

By Robert Shipman • December 29, 2017
How to keep your auto shop clean, free of contaminants, for happier customers. Our top precautionary tips that ensure your shop floors and surfaces will be free of dust and dirt.

 10 Ways The Tintstitute Can Help You

By Robert Shipman • November 22, 2017
Started from the bottom, now we here Our videos start at the beginning of the learning curve - introducing tools, brands, beginner techniques, and advancing from there. Interested in traditional schooling? Understand the principles before your first day, and spend the rest utilizing them.  2. At your own pace, anywhere Stream videos from any device. Take the power of portable education into your own hands.  3. Wallet friendly Invest in your future. The Tintstitute offers a variety of packages, benefitting our Members at multiple price points.  4. Redefining the industry We’re opening the doors of a closed industry to share professional tips and techniques with motivated individuals.  5.Never one step behind Access to new products, services, and techniques are at your fingertips with the evolution of the industry.  6. Cash back Your Membership will put cash back in your wallet as you advance your professionalism and career.  7. Community The Tintstitute isn’t just an online learning platform, it’s a community of like-minded individuals to openly discuss their experiences, knowledge, and opinions in the industry  8. Tinting plus Once you are a member, you have access to new videos added weekly - ranging from window tinting to paint protection to entrepreneurial advice.  9. Experience The founder & educator at The Tintstitute does the hands-on work every day. Consider the difference between learning a business course from a business professor, vs. the CEO of a company.  10. Professional As a current shop owner of the leading tint shop in the region, Austin knows what he looks for in potential Tint Technicians - making his expertise the leading factor in deciding topics of the provided videos. Signed up yet? Let me make it easy for you.

5 Reasons OLFA Really Is The “Best Made Cutting Tool In The World” 

By Robert Shipman • November 8, 2017
Simply put - their motto rings true in the world of tinting. Precision is necessary when outlining window tint templates. Sliced to the very edge, OLFA will be your best tool. 1. Revolutionary Snap-Off Don’t switch blades, snap it off. It’s really that simple. There are plenty of companies that have taken suit of the snap-off blade, but OLFA was the first. 2. Durable for days OLFA products are known to last long, staying with their customers for years. There’s a possibility some knives have been with their customers for longer than you’ve been alive. Don’t believe me? Check out their reviews! 3. Versatile There are plenty of brands that focus on more than one industry & do so mediocrely. OLFA is not one of those brands when it comes to blades. Their knives are highly regarded in industries ranging from aviation, to restaurant, to tinting. 4. Gold Metal A statement is merely an opinion - until justified by an award . 46 OLFA products were awarded “Good Design Award ” and 33 more products boast the “GS mark” for safety. 5. Top Notch Customer Service A business is only as good as its customers. With a dedicated fan base, OLFA proves to continue providing razor sharp customer service to their well-manufactured products. Customers need a brand they can trust, and OLFA is exactly that.

LLumar Full Steam Ahead

By Robert Shipman • September 26, 2017
When Austin acquired his first tint shop in 2008, he was introduced to LLumar Window Film. After conducting hours of research on competitors and nearly 10 years later, he stays true to LLumar. Why? As with every industry, there are a variety of manufacturers to choose from when supplying your tint shop - 3M, ASWF, SolarGard, LLumar, Sun-Gard, and more. What drives people to decide on a specific brand - Cost? Accessibility? Variety of films? How about - popularity? At The Tintstitute, LLumar is our top choice for many reasons. LLumar not only lives up to the highest standards in the industry, they set the standards - being the only manufacturer to specialize solely in window film, making their product centralized. They take the time and use the resources to make sure they deliver a quality product - something they have succeeded at for nearly 60 years. We have compiled a list below to further discuss why The Tintstitute chooses LLumar: Serves under the Eastman Chemical Company - the world’s leading manufacturer of high performance films LLumar advertises statistics about their window film, providing details on the content of the film itself Other manufacturers sell a variety of services and don’t focus on the quality of their film Example: 3M contributes 3% of the company to window film Longevity of their film outlives competitors LLumar takes care of their dealers so the dealer can take care of their customer LLumar takes lifetime warranty seriously - allowing customers to go to any LLumar dealer in the country with warranty issues LLumar covers replacement and installation costs, making the customer experience cost and hassle-free Don’t believe us? Read a forum, ask a peer, or try it out yourself.