what happens when curing?

[tooldini]

I have noticed lately at least several times that once I cure repairs that do not look so good they end up looking much better. Do resins swell at all during curing? I have not had any complaints about my repairs but lately for some reason have been beating myself up lately over them. Kinda like a doctor that ends up with a patient that dies. Seems to me that the more I try and really tweek my repairs the worse I think they look. Once cured they look much better but still could I just be difficult on myself? The other day I did a GMC envoy, the shield had a star with 5 cracks about 3/4" total across each direction. It started cracking further(about 1/16") just after a light flex to test it. I knew it would be difficult but continued. The thing continued to crack with almost nothing being done to it about 1 inch down. Everything I did just seemed to make it worsed then when trying to pop a bullseye like normal the damn shield just kinda chipped some glass around the drill hole and cracked more LOL My wife thinks it was the windshield or something. the customer was cool about it and understood it could happen since the shield already had a chip that was only about 2 hours old. Sorry for the lost post I just have been worrying,, I have several dealers that seems to need and want my service and sudenly I have these crazy problems I HATE STARS and that is all I get here. thanks guys for letting me vent some LOL

Jeff

[toab]

I know what you mean about those stubborn stars.the part I hate is trying to get those unattached legs to fill.

[screenman]

I love stars, they are and always have been my favourite damage to repair.

As for looking better when cured some resins have a slightly different refraction index than glass before they are cured. You must learn to recognise this. If you drilled and popped and glass came away from your drill hole you either used a punch to big for the drill hole or you were not lined up properly. I do not know your experience but this skill will come with the more repairs you do.

I hate to see guys getting stressed with repair techniques by the time you finish training and practise you should be comfortable with every situation and believe completely in your ability. Practise some more.

There is absolutely nothing complicated about a starbreak, all you are doing is filling a air gap with resin. Do not get into hating any type of damage or the business will fail or fall short.

If you come across a damage that is hard for you to repair, then you must replicate that damage on your practise screens, until you have no more problem with them.

[tooldini]

Thanks screen man I think your right about the probe I was using it probably was bit big for the drill hole. I use to not mind stars but lately they just seem to be a problem for me, and when I practice they turn out great. I guess I just need to keep practicing, buy a smaller probe, and not get worked up over a simple star LOL. I have been doing repairs for over 3 years part time but recently have been getting more busy. I just never had one crack so easily I felt bad about it but customer was cool and knew that the shield was already damaged and may end up needing replacement if it cracked more.

Jeff

[screenman]

Tooldini,

At least you sold the job right that is a major point.

Best of luck and keep on repairing.

[tooldini]

Thanks screenman,, this forum is great.

Jeff

[screenman]

toab.

Unattached legs, that is one of the resons drilling and popping was invented.

Do not be afraid to give these legs a knock or 2 to break them in the pit, if they do get bigger they will fill easily. Get those legs connected before you start filling. Use a magnifying glass if you have problems seeing them.

A lot of guys see hard to fill legs as unconnected, in wet areas it could well be that there was moisture left in the leg prior to filling resin will not flow past this point.

[toab]

Thanks screenman for the advice.I will have to practice the drilling and popping star breaks on the practice glass first as I was always hesitant to drill AND pop the center of a star break due to the inherent instability of this type of damage so I only drilled and went at it but the problem is that the drill hole does not always catch allthe legs.I will have to get a feel for how hard to tap the hole without blowing the damage into a big mess on this type of damage.Screenman...I am guessing that you drill more than halfway to the laminate so that a light tap is good enough to get the pop??

[Sneck]

Tooldini, you mentioned that the probe you were using may have been too big for the drill hole. Were you using your steel probe? The steel probe I have is for flexing star legs and removing loose glass from the pit. It is not to be used for popping a mini because the steel probe is most definately too big to be used in the pop a mini process.

I was trained to use a sewing needle in the drill hole and give it a light tap or two with a tappet (which is nothing more than a small plastic rectangle shaped piece of plastic to be used like a hammer).

The drill hole depth is somewhat critical, as too shallow won't produce a mini and too deep won't produce a mini either.

With a lot of practice, you can pop a mini quite consistently without any fear of spreading damage. The trick is knowing how deep to drill, and how hard (or light) of a hit with the tappet on the sewing needle is required to give consistent results.

Best of Luck.

[tooldini]

Well I had been using the fixed tip probe which has a fatter tip then the replacemtn tip probe I had. the replacable tip probe broke so just the other. I think i worked before since I had drilling into a pit were the glass had already been shallowed out. I was looking at sewing needles the other day and wondered it the sharp point would be a problem so I didn't get one. Were could I get a tappet? Thanks for the info.

Jeff