plastic cure tabs

[jonnyques]

Just wondering how many times you use the same cure tab before tossing it? I have found I use the same one over and over again. I ask this because when you buy them you get so many! Im thinking I wouldn't use that many in a life time. So Im wondering if I should be tossing them after a certain amount of use?
Just wondering

[mafsu]

I use them for a long time. I buy them 200 at a time and those last me 6-9 months.

[glassdoctor]

I use tabs until I either lose them or they get all beat up... bent, wrinckled, and creased. Thick tabs don't really get beat up, so you can used them almost indefinitely. They will eventually get hazy and scuffed... you can polish it clear or toss it.

I only use thin tabs anymore so I go through quite a few... probably half I lose on windy days.

I like clean fresh tabs so I don't mind tossing them, but still probably use the same 3-4 tabs at least a couple weeks... never really kept track.

[screenman]

I use overhead projector film cut into small pieces or whatever size you want it costs about £6 for 12 A4 size sheets or 10 x 12 inches if you dontknow what A4 is. Yes it does let uv through a pack will last me about two years as I tend to use the same piece over again.

We are very lucky to be in a business where the overheads are so low £100 will do me about £10,000 worth of repairs I have had the same bottle of pit polish for 16 years
injectors seals well I use plastic injectors and the seals will last me for months. UV bulbs once every six months or £30.000.

I think it costs me less than £1 to do 3 jobs cant be bad.

[StarQuest]

I also use the overhead transparency sheets. Found them at Office Depot on special......$8.95 for box of 60 (8 1/2"x11"). One box will make around 5,000 cure tabs. Needless to say.... at that price I don't even bother to reuse same cure tab twice.

For those of you that buy these from a windshield repair supplier, my advice is to stop throwing your money away!

[jonnyques]

Thanks guys! I never would have thought about the projector sheets. I may have some in a old desk. Her i thought this would be a dumb question.... turns out i learned something new!!

[Dave M]

I can't remember where I read this and for the life of me can't find the material from which I read the info but......
maybe Jeff can correct me if I'm wrong. Curing tabs should not be used once there is oil or dirt or dried resin on the surface. Wouldn't that hinder the curing of the resin or maybe cause problems after it's cured? If my tabs have been used 3-4 times, they go into my trash. I like them pretty clear and clean.

The tabs I use are thicker, I think Delta's are the thicker ones also.

Tabs are used when curing the pit filler on the finished repair. They are used to prevent air from contacting the resin during the curing process. Correct? Should a special type of tab be used or does it not make a difference?

[mafsu]

What kind of resin are you guys using with the projector sheet tabs? I tried some of these this summer and they stuck to the resin so much that they would tear if you tried to remove them.

[glassdoctor]

Yes, I tried some projector material and it stuck to the resin bad for me too.

I use polypropylene sheet protectors... the heaviest mil. you can find. These make thin tabs adn they don't stick at all... even to half cured resin.

They also don't make gas bubbles in the cured pit like thick tabs can do for me.

They are cheap and easy to find also.

I have tried a few different pit tabs from windshield repair suppliers and some of them were terrible. My "walmart" supplies are much better. Sorry Jeff.

[StarQuest]

Mafsu,

I have to be honest with you, I've tried different projector sheets in the past and had the same results as you. I pretty much gave up on trying them. Then one day while I was at Office Depot buying supplies I seen these on special. Seen a open box and ask sales rep if I could just buy a couple sheets to try out. They said just take them. Went home hit my practice shield and they worked great. Ended up going back and purchased 3 boxes. (wish I had bought more) Only information on the box aside from item number is they're manufactured for Office Depot in Italy. I quess it was my lucky day! They're thicker mill than I've purchased in the past from windshield repair suppliers but seem to work much better than the thinner tabs. Never had one stick, peel out or left dimple with any used pit fill product.