I should start with a little background on myself and experience. I initially got started about 5 or 6 years ago working with Vision Auto Glass in Colorado Springs and spent about a 1 year working with them. I was trained on the job by some of the areas more experienced trainers and never had a failed repair.
I've been out of it until the 15th when I did my first repairs on my truck. Went to a local junkyard and performed about 20 repairs that day and all went well considering what I was working with. I've done another 20 repairs at work on vehicles of friends all successful.
The repair yesterday was on a 2001 GMC Denali and the hit was 1 day old.
The intial part of the repair went very well and resin flowed just as it should, filling all the area's of the flower. If you'll notice in the picture the darker area is where the crack stopped and so did the resin. As I was going through the pressure and vaccuum cycles and working the air out of the break, the crack jumped all the way to the #2 spot. I was not applying thumb pressure at this time as I was working out the last remaining bit of air in the flower.
By this time the sun was setting and I know that the resin was not curing at this time because I could see it move around in the break.
After trying to get the resin to flow into the break by pressure and capillary action and it not working, I decided that my best bet would be to go ahead and cure the main part of the break so as not to allow air back into it and seal that part off. I drilled a small hole on top of the dark black area to open that enough to allow resin in. I used the small burr drills suplied in the double bridge set. I also drilled a small hole just beyond the end of the break, marked #2. I found, in my practice at the junk yard, that if I drill to the point that the ball of the drill tip is just below the surface that I can make a good bullseye with a darning needle.
EDIT::
Instead of it making a bullseye, it made a star break, also indicated in the picture.
After trying to get the resin to flow into the crack, I called Tech and spoke with Jeff. He walked me though everything and spent 20 minutes on the phone. We lef t the conversation after a few heat and pressure cyles and when I could see the resin begin to move into the break.
Jeff - I cured shortly after getting off the phone with you. I wicked in some more resin as well. The windshied had cooled to be cold to the touch when I cured. The crack could still be seen however but do feel somewhat confident that it had resin in it. When I pushed on the break area as I was when the resin wasn't cured, there was no movement. This break should be good though, right?
The client said that he was very happy with the repair even though I wasn't completely. He even said I am apparently somewhat of a perfectionist. I told him that if he ever becomes unhappy with it or since he's going to be selling it soon that if any potential buyer has a problem with it I'll get him a new windshield. The way I see it is that I would rather have a happy customer than make a few dollars.
The image is coming up rather small so here is the link for it. http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e290/ ... rbreak.jpg
If anyone can offer more advice, please do so.
Mike