Visible leg even though it is filled?

[starstruck]

Every now and then I encounter damage that has a leg that accepts resin all the way out to the tip yet still maintains a shiny silverish look to it after the work is completed. If you look at it from a cross angle it is obviously filled in yet it still stands out from other angles. Is the cause of this simply light refraction?

Also, does anyone notice any differance in the apperance of repairs on Ford windshields? Another tech friend of mine seems to think that there is a direct connection between the fact that Ford owns and operates it's own windshield production plants and that equals low quality windshields. Any thoughts on the subject?

[t4k]

I know what you are talking about on cheap windshields. Cheap replacements are the worst. It may just be my imagination but high end cars do the best if they still have their original windshields.

[screenman]

I await to be corrected but I assume all windscreen glass regardless of manufacturer would have the same refraction index ie 1.51. Most of the cases that I have come across where the tech says he has filled the leg and it is still silvery is because it has not been dried out properly. In our training session we make every damage wet before we commence starting the repair process, this is to get the tech into the habit of drying out properly. In the yeras I have been doing repairs I have not noticed any one glass repairing different to another, age and condition of break will of course always make a difference. Starstruck there is a slight difference in the refraction index of resin between cured and uncured, were you talking about after you have fully cured a repair when you still see the slight outlines? We have also found that when your UV bulb is on the way out a few extra minutes curing will improve the cosmetics of the job.

[Glasseye]

Windshield quality can & does vary, the glass itself may not be the problem since it will be supplied in flat sheet form to the windshield manufacturer and will have probably been manufactured using the "float" process. If the glass has been made by an O.E.Manufacturer for that car then the glass will be well shaped and will have minimal problems due to stress. If the glass is made by an aftermarket manufacturer, incidentally that could be an O.E. Manufacturer but not for that car, then the risk of mishapen and higher stressed glass increases. Add to that varying production line control and that could compound the problem. Most car producers do not make there own Winshields, there made under pattern license by a windshield manufacturer who then stamp the car companies name on it. If you look closer it will normally tell you who the actual M/F is.

[screenman]

Glasseye thank you very much for your contributions to this forum they are always very enlightening, your knowledge of glass manufacturing and the trade in general is of interest to many on here myself included.

[starstruck]

Dryout was not the issue. No moisture present. Fully cured.

[screenman]

Although you say moisture was not a problem with your particular break
( how I would love to work in an area where it is not) It is often the case as we have found in most circumstance of what you have found. I am sorry I cannot throw any further light on your problem as I have given you the only answers I could think of.

[StarQuest]

I've noticed this happen when some type of pre-contamination exist in damage (i.e. rain-x or other car wash treatments) If you have a practice shield available try inducing rain-x into the star damage prior to injecting your preferred resin and you'll more than likely see the same result. That why I always ask customers before repairing a bunch of questions.

[screenman]

I will certainly try that, I must say in the UK Rainx etc. has not found much of a market I have only once come across a customer who used it, to the best of my knowledge of course.

[jayjacque]

I had it explained to me (the only explaination that makes sense so far, although I have to consider Screenman's trapped moisture as a possibility sometimes) is that the leg is filled but not fully. Under ideal circumstances more time given would fill the leg more fully. But those are the kind that get me into trouble. Cuz I'll do extra things to try and get it filled like adding too much heat or re-drilling which seems to work only once in a while.