Yet another invisibleshield question: Leave it be or remove and reapply

[japa-fi]

Hi.

 

Got my inisibleshield and instead of reading forums etc for installation hints, I went and put it on. I'm not totally happy with the results. Reading now, I should have used plenty of the solution or even made my own soap solution and installed the shield with garmin totally sumerged in the liquid.

 

Question: If I am to remove the shield to have another try putting it on, will it mess up the invisible shield?

Is it realistic to expect better results with the second try than the current one?

 

(click thumbnail for image)

[Motorcycle_Mama]

If you remove the current invisible shield you have installed, you will not be able to reapply the same one. You will need to use a new one.

 

As a side note, did you squeegee it after you applied it before it dried. It doesn't look like it was squeegeed at all.

[japa-fi]

Did squeeze it and managed to remove one big bubble of liquid under the screen. The smaller ones that are visible are next to impossible to be moved anywhere.

Thanks for the note about screen not being removable and reinstallable. Guess I have to live with my scratch protected but less than optimal looking screen.

[DonpK]

I was not able to do much better than you. When the receiver is angled as you did in the photo so that a bright light reflects off of it, I think the Shield material itself has a slightly bumpy surface to it. In addition there are bubbles visible.

 

However when viewing the screen at the normal reading angle these irregularities don't seem to affect the readability. I would be interested in seeing whether anybody was able to apply the Shield and achieve a surface as smooth as the original screen itself.

 

I also had a problem with the Shield and the rubber banding which goes around the edge of the etrex units. As reported elsewhere on the forum, the adhesive on this rubber banding when exposed to warm weather conditions can soften allowing the banding to become loose. Garmin provides a free replacement strip of adhesive for repairing the banding problem. I found that if this adhesive gets on the Shield it can damage it.

 

The Invisible Shield manufacturers replaced the shield free, however, the shipping costs a 30% of the new price.

 

Don

[Motorcycle_Mama]

In the future, I would recommend Best Skins Ever. It's the same stuff at one-third the price (without the lifetime guarantee). They don't have a precut one for the eTrex, but they have a 3"x9" Do It Yourself piece that you can cut and fit to your eTrex. You can get several shields for the eTrex out of a single piece. I put it on the screen and the area above the screen on mine without any bubbles.

[+Prime Suspect]

In the future, I would recommend Best Skins Ever. It's the same stuff at one-third the price (without the lifetime guarantee).

 

It's the same as their old film. It's not the same as their new film, introduced last month.

[bobbyshaw]

I managed to remove the screen from my 60CSX after I was not satisfied with the result (small bubble in the viewing area). I was able to successfully reapply with better results. This was only one day after the initial application, so it may not have set-up 100%. I *think* I removed the one from my digital camera several days later after having a piece of lint under the screen, with successful results.

 

At this point, what have you got to lose? I'd remove it and take a shot at reapplication. If it doesn't work, try to get a replacement from Invisishield.

 

Robert

Edited October 6, 2008 by bobbyshaw

[+vwaldoguy]

I've got a new 60csx and an invisible shield on the way. So what are some tips on installing this stuff? Their website makes it sound like it's a piece of cake. Liberally spray the solution, apply, then squeegee out the bubbles. Any other tips?

 

Van

[+webscouter.]

I've got a new 60csx and an invisible shield on the way. So what are some tips on installing this stuff? Their website makes it sound like it's a piece of cake. Liberally spray the solution, apply, then squeegee out the bubbles. Any other tips?

 

Van

 

The secret is in the word liberally. You want the thing dripping, messy, all the solution you can squeeze out of the tube wet. It doesn't hurt to get the gps damp in the sink before hand either.

[+Prime Suspect]

I've got a new 60csx and an invisible shield on the way. So what are some tips on installing this stuff? Their website makes it sound like it's a piece of cake. Liberally spray the solution, apply, then squeegee out the bubbles. Any other tips?

 

Van

Install it under water. It's virtually impossible to get air bubbles under the screen using that method.

[japa-fi]

The secret is in the word liberally.

This was my mistake. Instructions that came with the screen told not to use too much of the liquid. I guess that's because they don't want liability of someone getting their ipod wet and broken. Garmin is water proof for some extent and I could have installed the screen under water if I had known better. I think some of the bubbles have got smaller (+1 day since install). Only "errors" that catch the eye are at the edges, on the black area or very near to it.

 

I've decided not to remove and reapply

[+paconlacellars]

I've been using Palm screen protectors for several years on both my iPaq and my Garmin. They were on sale at a 'Liquidators' (12 sheets for $5). I cut them in half and one sheet coverrs both screens. Never had a problem with bubbles, peeling or visibilty. Maybe luck of the draw.......

[+GerIRL]

I've got a new 60csx and an invisible shield on the way. So what are some tips on installing this stuff? Their website makes it sound like it's a piece of cake. Liberally spray the solution, apply, then squeegee out the bubbles. Any other tips?

 

Van

 

The secret is in the word liberally. You want the thing dripping, messy, all the solution you can squeeze out of the tube wet. It doesn't hurt to get the gps damp in the sink before hand either.

I applied the solution LIBERALLY to the back of the invisible shield before applying it onto my PDA (HP iPAQ Pocket PC) and when I squeegied from the center outwards, the solution went into and behind the display and ruined it. Cost me $80 to get a replacement on eBay. So the term LIBERALLY is really only applicable to products that are reasonably water proof!