help

[northidahotim]

Situation: I am a chip repair guy who just had a yellow page ad come out. Am getting 5-10 calls a week all for replacement. I helped replace windshields in my Dad's auto body shop growing up but that was 15 years ago. I'd like to enter the replacement business. Is there any training I can take that will bring me up to speed on how to replace a windshield. Or do you have to work for a replacement company to learn how.

[terryalex29]

I am a self taught glass installer. I found several web sites that had certification requirments and read and studied them. Then I searched out the glass suppliers and aquired the pricing. I then found a replacement shop that would sublet their laor out and watched them do one repair. I then went online an studied the tools, purchased a few from the local tool truck and started.

[Lee]

The most important part of Auto Glass is in the removing the old glass without damaging the vehicle. If you don't expierence the removing of the glass as a helper/worker in a auto glass shop you will not get the expierence you need to be a top installer. Auto glass installers don't see all of the variations of installations/removals in a year. Most of the newer vehicles are similar as urethane installations are the norm. But you need hands on expierence to really get the feel of installing. Good luck to both of you as this business needs all the motivated people it can get. Any questions or help you need let me know.

A. Lee Festich
Alan Auto Glass
599 S Bonnywood Place
Burbank, Ca. USA 91502
phn 818-845-7300 fax 818-845-7355
http://alanautoglass.com/
AAAGLASSS@AOL.COM

[Brent Deines]

I recommend contacting the NGA, and taking the training and certification course offered by them just to get up to speed on current methods and safety precautions. I believe they also have some videos on installation that you may find helpful.

You could also contact the Auto Glass Journal and purchase the latest annual foreign and domestic installation guides to review some of the newer installation challenges. AutoGlass Magazine and AGRR Magazine may also be helpful, but the Journal’s annual installation guides will give you the most bang for the buck.

Next I would contact your local auto glass suppliers for information on the most popular tools, urethanes and other supplies that are used in the industry today. Ask if they are having any open houses or hosting any vendor seminars in the near future. Often times you can gleen a lot of information by talking to the leading urethane and equipment suppliers in the auto glass industry that frequently attend open houses and industry trade shows.

I’m still not sure I would want you to replace my windshield at that point, so if at all possible I would recommend hiring an experienced installer until you are confident in your ability to perform professional installations on “any” automobile. If that is not an option, at least pull the windshields out of your own vehicles and replace them a few times for practice before tackling a customer’s windshield.

Good luck!

NGA website: http://www.glass.org/