just ordered..

Discuss all aspects of headlight restoration, including marketing, technical, and business advice.
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Brent Deines
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Re: just ordered..

Post by Brent Deines »

That sounds like pretty cheap radio advertising compared to what we have around here, but the key to radio is consistency. Typically you need to run the ads frequently and consistently for an extended period of time to see the best result. If you only plan to run a few weeks or a few times a day you may be disappointed.

I personally would not have drilled cracks that were only 1/4" long. Heck that isn't even a respectable star break. In fact, I rarely drill anything under 3" long.

There could be a number of reasons for the break not filling, but if you were using a Delta Kits injector I doubt it was because it needed to be drilled. Were you using a UV shield? If you were working in direct sunlight without one it may be that your resin was curing prematurely. Before I start listing all of the other possibilities I need to know if you are using one of our injectors, and if so, which one. Many injectors look similar but function very differently. You will find that Delta Kits methods often contradict advice our competitors give. All I can say about that is that I know what works with our system, but I am certainly not the best person to give advice on a competitor's product. I guarantee you that you very, very seldom ever need to drill when using a Delta Kits system.

The primary purpose of a windshield repair is to keep the damage from spreading but it is also important, and very easy, to make the repair flush with the sufrace so it will not leave wiper streaks, collect dirt, etc. The cosmetic improvement is secondary, but it is what sets a good windshield repair technician apart from the competition. Making an invisible repair is not realistic in most cases, but it should be your goal to get as close as possible. Frankly I believe all three of these things are tied together. In order to keep the damage from spreading you need to replace the air in the break with resin. If you do that successfuly the cosmetic appearance will be as good as it can get and if finished properly the completed repair will be flush with the surface of the glass. Polishing adds the finishing touch. Because the severity of the damage varies greatly, so do the cosmetic results. While a properly filled bullseye or simple star break my be "nearly" invisible, a combination break with a 1/4" pit and a lot of crushed glass will be more visible. For that reason I use a percentage to set expectations for my customers. I tell them my repairs will look at least 80% better and guarantee they will be satisfied with the results or they don't have to pay me. I fully expect my repairs to look far better than 80%, so customers are always pleasantly surprised by the end result. Everyone has a little different approach based on their experience and confidence, but this has worked very well for me.

I have a great staff so if you are using a Delta Kits injector I would encourage you to call in and have one of us walk you through the entire process of a repair start to finish. I don't mean to sound arrogant, but we often find one or more minor details that make major differences in the way repairs turn out. Worst case is that you find out you are doing everything exactly by the book, but from your description of this repair I do not believe that to be the case. I also learn a lot from customers so to me tech support calls are a win-win situation.

I agree that windshield repair takes more skill than headlight restoration, but it does not have to be difficult. I often hear extremely complicated procedures being touted, but have never found that necessary. My staff uses the same basic procedure for every repair, with only slight variences when necessary, which makes it very easy to teach to others. Hope this helps.
Brent Deines
Delta Kits, Inc.
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candyman
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Re: just ordered..

Post by candyman »

All of my products are from Delta kits. Iam using the B300. I got your double bridge kit back in May of this year, with the scratch removal items, and the HL kit. I have seen so many Videos on you tube, Iam on over load for the WS repair section. I saw one video, where the technician is using what appears to be your B300, load the injector from the bottom, then mount the bridge to the WS. Thats what I tried on the WS I did, instead of how it was in the book. The rational after seeing that video, indicated that the resin was already at the white tip and would not setup due to the heat while sliding down the inside of the injector. My small Resin eye dropper clogged before I could rinse it w/denatured alcohol. I already had my UV shield set up. The one that has 4 suction cups along the corners. I looked to make sure the resin was running. I also used a quarter of the eye dropper to make sure I had plenty to start with, instead of trying to count 7 drops. I left the B300 on the WS 15 minutes pressure to start, followed by a 30 second vaccume. Thats when I decided to drill. I have a customer that is pleased with my repair of her Maxima HL's that I restored on Monday. She has two small bullseyes near the bottom of her WS, on the passenger side. I told her I would do them for $30, and if she was not satisfied, there would be no charge. I did that just to get her to let me do it. She stated, if it would only improve by 80-90% it wasn't worth the money (no insurance). This will give me actual experience working on breaks that I didn't create. She said she would call me later this week to get that done. I have a typed sequence for quick reference on the face of my clipboard. I Put in BOLD letters, DO NOT DRILL. I have reread the book that came with my kit and looked at the DVD. I know what to do. Its just a matter of the break filling like it should. Thats where my problem lies. I do great on some while others seem to be more difficult. It doesn't matter if Iam in my office or in the sun. I get the same results. Iam using the star maker you sale to make my breaks. That works great! Thats why I think I should have traveled to Oregon to take the class when I purchased the kit. I always have a smooth surface after the repair and most of the time only a small blimish remains. However, from the inside of the glass I can see some faint lines that didn't clear up when I made the repair. I was doing 5min pressure, 30 second vaccume, and repeating. I'll let you know what happens when I do her vehicle. Are you saying we should call Delta each time we make a repair, to ensure we are doing it correctly. I thought we were suppose to call only if we had a question about a repair. Thanks for the information. How often should the white tip be replaced on the injector? I clean mine after each use, and have not put a new one on either of the injectors. They still look white and feel about the same as the new ones. That might be part of my problem. one injector has about 40 repairs, while the other about 10 or 12. ?????
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Kgobin
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Re: just ordered..

Post by Kgobin »

Delta Kits only endorses and recommends the videos posted on our website. Also, the views and opinions from technicians on the world-wide web using our equipment does not necessarily state or reflect those of Delta Kits. We always recommend that technicians get formal training from our trainers who are Delta Kits certified, National Glass Association and National Windshield Repair Association certified.
candyman wrote:Are you saying we should call Delta each time we make a repair, to ensure we are doing it correctly.
You do not have to call into Delta Kits each time you do a repair, but we do recommend that you call-in if you have any questions or concerns. All of Delta Kits staff is trained and certified on the equipment so anyone here can walk you through a windshield or headlight restoration.
candyman wrote:How often should the white tip be replaced on the injector?
We recommend that you change your seal every ten repairs and it is a good idea to clean your equipment after each use.

We look forward to having you out here for our Factory Training & Certification Course in Eugene, Oregon. You can be assured that we will take your repair quality to the next level.
Korey Gobin
Delta Kits, Inc.
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candyman
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Re: just ordered..

Post by candyman »

Thank you for the reply. I talked to Cory yesterday when I placed an order. I basicly screwed up. I will either come to Oregon this fall or see you at Clearwater, Florida in January.
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candyman
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Re: just ordered..

Post by candyman »

Sorry about that. I forgot you sent the reply. Thanks for getting my order for me. I already have a confirmation del time of the 11th:
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Kgobin
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Re: just ordered..

Post by Kgobin »

Candyman,

Thank you for the order! There are a lot people in the windshield repair and headlight restoration industry that deviate from Delta Kits recommended procedures. I wouldn't classify what you did as a screw up, I would say that you were curious but now you know that the method you tried is not recommended by Delta Kits and the end result was not successful. The most important thing is that you are back on the right track, and I promise that we will take your repair quality to the next level when you attend our Factory Training & Certification Course.
Korey Gobin
Delta Kits, Inc.
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