Legs - pop a bulls-eye?

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r21420
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Legs - pop a bulls-eye?

Post by r21420 »

I own an automotive repair center in Phoenix, AZ and decided a couple years ago to get an enormous kit from a manufacturer that rhymes with Bass Field. I regret not getting the Delta, but the money is already spent. I have been giving free repairs to my customers so that I can get practice. I didn't want to charge anyone money until I felt the quality of my repairs was something to be proud of.

I have problems with stars, in getting the points of the legs filled in completely so that in the AZ heat, they don't start growing again. Because I haven't mastered this I am still not charging customers. I have watched a few videos on popping bulls-eyes so that the points don't continue growing. Popping bulls-eyes makes me nervous, sometimes the legs grow and the repair looks worst when I am done than when they came in.

What's the secrets to getting these legs to stop growing in high heat areas like AZ?

I try the delta training video techniques with alternating vacuum and pressure, but I still can't get the tips. GRRR!

I listened to one guy say to pop a bulls-eye at the end of every leg ... really, then your going to have 4 to 6 pits?

By the way, every time I have a glass repair guy come into change a windshield, which I had done today, I show him my repairs and he says that they look great and they are better than most people. But many times you can still see a tad bit or air at the tips of the legs and sometimes when my customers come in for their next oil changes, I can see that they were not 100%.
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Re: Legs - pop a bulls-eye?

Post by GlassStarz »

There are a couple ways that work for me. The first is the easiest for those tough breaks go with the thinnest resin and take your time. Lots of cycles and a long time under pressure. The second I hate to use and try to stay away from. Heat the inside with a lighter while under the vac mode then place injector into pressure. The action of the glass cooling will pull the resin into the points. Good luck :)
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Re: Legs - pop a bulls-eye?

Post by candyman »

I agree with GlassStarz. Unless those legs are more than a few inches, I dont pop a bullseye. Its more like a judgement call. I use DK resin the majority of the time. I have a thin resin that was sent to me and it works great on some of these tight legs. Time sometimes makes the biggest different. You may need to ride with someone or take a day class with your supplier to fine tune your skills. After I attended a class, I felt better about my repairs. Iam still learning and making technique adjustments as I need to. I've learned there is more than one way to repair a break. I still dont do long cracks, 6 plus inches. Takes a lot of time if you dont have the proper method & tool. Some Insurance companies dont want to pay for it. I know some techs that are repairing breaks 15 plus inches while getting paid for only 1 break, and using a lot of resin & time.
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r21420
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Re: Legs - pop a bulls-eye?

Post by r21420 »

Thanks for the tips! Thinner Resin ... Hmmmm. Never thought of that.
I have crack resin that I never use. Outside of practice glass, I haven't done much with cracks.

Is there an issue or gotcha's with using the crack resin on a star or combination break where you have more volume to displace?

I've been too afraid to try a flame on the glass in vacuum. Occasionally, I will flex the glass a little from behind, but every once in a while, that will cause a leg to creep. I have cycled vacuum and pressure before for an hour and not filled the tips in. I guess sometimes you got to bite the bullet and turn up the heat.

I have been periodically reading this forum since 2009. I have picked up so many tips and tricks and suggestions. I have to say that this is the most courteous, professional, and caring group of people on a forum that I have ever seen. You guys share tips, suppliers, marketing strategies, wavers, invoices, etc. That just doesn't happen in other similar markets. I am always impressed when I read how you exhort and pick each other up.
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Re: Legs - pop a bulls-eye?

Post by sunshine wr »

your problem isn't equipment. if you're using gw you should have no problem getting resin to completely fill with the right technique.
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Re: Legs - pop a bulls-eye?

Post by Nomad »

First, maybe resin too thick.

Second, are you flexing the crack with a probe when under pressure. I expect you are. Hold pressure on crack until resin is right up to the end.

Third, Pull a vacuum after doing this, then flex the legs under vacuum. Hold for a few seconds and you will probably see a thin dark line in the leg. That is air being drawn back out of the leg.

Fourth, apply pressure again, flex leg, watch resin flow into leg, it should flow much easier. You may have to repeat this process.

For legs that just won't fill, I drill short of the end, just to one side of the crack, then pop a bulls eye with the slide hammer. It will form a half moon or what I call a crescent break right alongside the crack. It should fill just fine from this spot. If you have two legs adjacent to each other that won't fill, then drilling between them where they are close together and popping so as to cause the bulls eye to intersect each one so you would only have one drill hole to fill two legs will work too.

I normally don't drill the ends of star cracks unless they are really long. Get a slide hammer, it will work much easier and give you a lot of confidence as it is so easy to use. Yeah, I know I invented it but I still think it's one of the most useful tools in glass repair.

Practice practice practice!! It sounds like that is exactly what you are doing, keep it up!!
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Re: Legs - pop a bulls-eye?

Post by screenman »

Nobody else has mentioned this so I shall, UV any chance you are working anywhere near some, if so the resin can thicken and set before it gets near the end of the legs.

Personally I never use heat nowadays without using the heat sink afterwards, testing showed me legs can easily close up and stay closed for a very long time after using heat, this gives the look that they are filled.
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Re: Legs - pop a bulls-eye?

Post by candyman »

Screenman brought up a good point. Make sure you are using a UV shield. I've seen some use nothing to shield the bridge while filling the crack/break. Also prior to removing the bridge, use your UV light to cure the legs area. The DK new UV pin light works great. You can get in close without removing the shield. I've seen a market improvement since I started doing this for legs.
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Re: Legs - pop a bulls-eye?

Post by Windshield911 »

All great points, make sure your resin isnt to thick would be first thing I checked.
screenman
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Re: Legs - pop a bulls-eye?

Post by screenman »

Personally I have never found the need for so called thin resins.

I would say the OP seems to have invested money in a kit, he is also prepared to work for free which in effect is costing him money and the rest of you jobs. It is time to invest a little bit more to learn the job correctly.

Way to many people learning and practising this trade on customers cars for my liking.
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