Windshield Border (aka Frit) Tool

[Alphamacaroon]

I will be having a professional install my windshield, but they wanted me to mask the frit so they knew it was going to be exactly how I wanted it. I tried playing around with a caliper, ruler, and whiteboard marker to trace and mask the border, but I just couldn't seem to get it right. So I figured, why not 3D print something to do the job for me?

Introducing the edge masking guide (or windshield frit) tool! It's designed to align, lay, and set 6mm masking tape at exactly 1" or 2" from the edge of the windshield. Nothing groundbreaking, but thought I'd share it if it might help someone else.

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Using the tool it only took about 3 minutes to tape the whole thing perfectly.

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Here you can see it being used:



I don't have any video showing the corners, but it works great around the tight top corners— just use a lot of downward pressure to keep the tape in the groove and drag the tool around the corner.

The only difficult part is when the frit transitions from 1" on the top and sides to 2" on the bottom, so I created a template drawing for the transition, printed it, and taped it to the bottom corners. You use the 1" notch on the tool to run the tape along the top edge and side, then when you meet the corner template, you lift the tool and finish the transition curve by hand by following the template, then once you reach the end of the template, you put the tool back down on the 2" notch and finish laying the tape. The whole thing was done in a single continuous line.

Anyway, maybe it's a bit over-engineered for people who are really good at masking, but it took me all of 45 minutes to design it, print it, and lay the tape, so I'm happy with it.

If anyone is interested in 3D printing their own you can find the files here: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4610688/files

I also included a PDF template for the 1" to 2" corner transitions which might come in handy even if you're not using the guide tool. Enjoy!

[Alphamacaroon]

Follow-up question: are people generally running a 2" frit on the bottom? I know the manual calls for it, and I've seen other builders do it (like edwardb), but after looking at a bunch of other pictures it seems like there are also a lot of cars that have an equal 1" border around the whole windshield. Any ideas why FFR would recommend 2" on the bottom only? General thoughts on one vs. the other?

[Shades]

Learned a new word today. Had to google that one. Are they going to do the dots too, or just straight edge?

[Alphamacaroon]

Are they going to do the dots too, or just straight edge?

That would be cool! But I’ll leave the dot version to someone smarter than me.

[edwardb]

Follow-up question: are people generally running a 2" frit on the bottom? I know the manual calls for it, and I've seen other builders do it (like edwardb), but after looking at a bunch of other pictures it seems like there are also a lot of cars that have an equal 1" border around the whole windshield. Any ideas why FFR would recommend 2" on the bottom only? General thoughts on one vs. the other?

I noticed the same thing. Many were doing even one inch borders all around versus the going to two inches along the bottom. After studying, went with the two inch for two reasons, and glad I did: (1) The wipers park along the bottom, so arguably look a little better mainly parked on the black frit versus plain glass. Obviously wouldn't matter if you're not installing wipers. (2) The wider bottom tends to hide the wider bottom flange and dash transition along the bottom.

[John Dol]

I noticed the same thing. Many were doing even one inch borders all around versus the going to two inches along the bottom. After studying, went with the two inch for two reasons, and glad I did: (1) The wipers park along the bottom, so arguably look a little better mainly parked on the black frit versus plain glass. Obviously wouldn't matter if you're not installing wipers. (2) The wider bottom tends to hide the wider bottom flange and dash transition along the bottom.

What Paul said!!

John

[Alphamacaroon]

What's good enough for Paul and John, is good enough for me! (Also good that I don't have to redo it) Thanks guys.

[smithtlw]

Great idea - thanks for sharing!

Todd