Lost confidence

[Sneck]

WOW!
Ok... that's it. I have now made a managerial decision in my humble little one-man windshield repair business. NO MORE HEAT! I have been reading alot about using heat which I have used in the past (mostly from a bad habit I developed early on), but the story by "cure4glass" has got me convinced. Heat-no-more.

Man that news anchor could have covered her own story and had it on the 5:00 oclock news! You dodged a bullet with that one!

Sneck

[mafsu]

My ex-business partner and I had been in business for two weeks, and a lady at his wife's office needed us to do a repair. Nice quarter sized star in the center of the windshield. Being as it was his wife's place of work he started the repair. After about ten minutes of not being able to get it filled, he asks me to take a look at it. First thing I do is try flexing the legs, POP ran all the way across the windshield. Like everyone else has said we went in with our tails between our legs and offered to replace the windshield. After a 20 minute reaming by his wife, we start making calls to get a windshield. A certain large glass company quotes us $1800 for a Mazda MX-6 windshield. At this point running away seems like a viable option, Since we have spent every dime we own(and then some) on equipment, training, and a truck. So I decided to call a guy I knew at a body shop and he got it installed for $120. No referrals or repeat business in this story, but things definitely got better. There have been other bad days along the way, but they have been far outnumbered by the good days.

[jaydog]

Sneck, Jeff, cure for glass, gold star, glass star, and everyone else who responded, thank you so much. I feel so much better and I know I'm not alone. It was a hot day of about 82 degrees and her break was over a year old, and the car was sitting in the sun for about 5 hours before I tried to fix it. I just did my reugular routine in repairs with all the steps not thinking about heat and contamination. I know better now. THANKS TO ALL!!!! Jay

[jaydog]

I thought about offering to pay her deductible for a new windshield or using my $500,000 liability insurance. But her deductible was $250. and she signed my damage waiver form. Without reading it of course. But then I thought " her windshield was already damage with a large star I was just trying to repair it" I'm not going to pay for a new one. I know I need to explain results and potential problems thouroughly now.

[screenman]

To all those people who say do not use heat I hope this only means after you have dried the repair we have had wet windshield everyday for the last 7 months how do I dry them without heat you tell me.

Jaydog just for the record did you do the 100 or so practise repairs that most of us old folks recommend before you started to do jobs for the public.

[GlassStarz]

Screenman Put the pint down! ok pick it up again ;^) wet has to go and heat is a good way to give it the boot. Having been stationed at Mildenhal for 2 years I can understand your weather problems and also understand you dont ever experience the problem that caused his break out. Hot sun on the windshield ) it just doesnt warm up over there does it? This old surfer froze his keester of 12 months a year while there.
For those in warm environs if the glass is warm dont apply heat unless you like replacement its a big ole crack monster
For those of you in cold wet areas MOVE! if this isnt an option you have to dry out breaks before you fill them and heat in varying forms works well just be careful and slow (hey that comes with experience)
Myself Ilive in an area where it below zero in the winter and often warm and sunny in the summer so just when I get used to one way i have to change to another its an endless cycle

[jaydog]

You guys are GREAT!!!! I'm glad I'm not alone!! Jay

[jaydog]

The answer to your question? "Did I do the 100 practice repairs?" No I did about eight and thought I was the king! I'm going to get a scrap windshield tomorrow and also practice at the junk yard. I learned alot about heat. I live in the desert, today, it's about 80 degrees.

[boyd]

Jaydog, I too had a screw up with a neigbor. My first week repairing w/s's I had a small chip on the upper portion of glass and went to put a littlle heat to it and when I did ..... I burnt a hole in the tint !!!!! Now I very rarely ever use heat at all. If it's 30 deg. outside I"ve found that parking the car facing the sun warms up the inside well above 50 fast. And w/ the temp above 40 i don't use heat. NEVER>. Good luck.