Where Can I Find Cheaper Bridges...etc.

[WinkyTheWindshield]

I realize that most people on this site use Delta Kits equipment. However for a small start-up without any capital we've run into more business than we have equipment for.

Eventually we want to move into the top notch Delta bridges and equipment. But for now we just need some of the cheapies that worked for us before.

We've worked with the blue colored, plastic, 3-pronged bridges, with plastic pistons. We've also worked with the Chauvet UV lights.

Does anyone have any idea where can get some of the the cheaper bridges, pistons, injectors, and UV lights for now?

Thanks...

[NCWindshield]

I think the ones you are talking about were the ones I saw in an entrepreneur magazine... Hit up your local book store.

[GlasWeldTech]

This is a LOADED question.....

[GlassStarz]

Come on Scooter your playing games with us right?
If you cant afford to invest $250 in a proper bridge and injector you shouldnt be going into buisness for yourself you can cut corners in a bunch of places Use a battery operated black light buy a $15 dremil and a $4 collet buy your resin 1 bottle at a time and drill bits 5 at a time but when it comes to the injector and bridge thats not the place to cut corners.
Ask your mechanic why he doesnt buy his tools from the swap meet

[WinkyTheWindshield]

Come on Scooter your playing games with us right?
If you cant afford to invest $250 in a proper bridge and injector you shouldnt be going into buisness for yourself you can cut corners in a bunch of places Use a battery operated black light buy a $15 dremil and a $4 collet buy your resin 1 bottle at a time and drill bits 5 at a time but when it comes to the injector and bridge thats not the place to cut corners.
Ask your mechanic why he doesnt buy his tools from the swap meet

Actually, the company I used to work for uses the cheaper equipment and it has worked fine for them for the last 10 years. I've personally done almost 1000 repairs in the last year with this equipment and only had one crack out on me.

By know means am I saying that the cheaper equipment will do for long term. However, in a state where the temperatures don't get too extreme, I've seen the cheaper injectors work, and are going to have to work for now.

[screenman]

I agree with GlassStarz on this one. You tell us how succesful you are but want to do the job for your customers on the cheap. Speculate to accumalate. Nobody ever regrets buying quality. Delta bridges come to about the price of 5 repairs, that is peanuts. I have a problem over here with guys doing very poor quality repairs with even poorer quality equipment and do you know what if you ask them they are all convinced they do a good job. For your sakes and our do the job well using proffesional equipment and with a proffesional image, not micky mouse coloured plastic bits.

[WinkyTheWindshield]

I agree with GlassStarz on this one. You tell us how succesful you are but want to do the job for your customers on the cheap. Speculate to accumalate. Nobody ever regrets buying quality. Delta bridges come to about the price of 5 repairs, that is peanuts. I have a problem over here with guys doing very poor quality repairs with even poorer quality equipment and do you know what if you ask them they are all convinced they do a good job. For your sakes and our do the job well using proffesional equipment and with a proffesional image, not micky mouse coloured plastic bits.

Maybe I didin't explain myself correctly.

I never said that I was successful.

What I said was my previous employer uses the cheaper equipment and it worked fine for a number of years.
None of my work was "poor quality"
Most of the customers that I serviced when I was with my former employer, understood that the object of the repair is to keep the damage from spreading any further. The cheaper equipment has done a very good job of this. As said before, I've kept nearly 1000 windshields from further damage with this equipment. (While I was with my former employer)

I realize it only takes about 5 repairs to pay for the state of the art injectors. However, my business has taken off a lot faster than we expected, and we need something to complete the work now.

We fully plan to get the best equipment as soon as we have a little working capital.

Think about it. These same injectors were used by any and everyone in the industry less than 15 years ago. They sufficed then, and I've personally seen them suffice now.

Just because Goodyear makes a better tire, doesn't mean the old, outdated tire won't get you where you need to go.

[screenman]

I completly agree with some of your remarks, although a little more explanation of your position might have helped in the first place. The plastic injectors from certain companies do work well, however some of the plastic bridges are not quite so good. Investment wise is there really much difference between quality and not so good. As for saving damage extending on a 1,000 screens a lot of that damage might not have extended any way, I am often consious when being shown a damage not to say it will crack out if left, just for the customer to say the damage has been there 10 years without a problem. Not every damage will spread, just that most large cracks started off as a much smaller one.

I am sorry if you were upset by our posts, but as you can imagine our industry has been messed up over the years by poorly equiped and trained guys jumping in for a quick buck, and your original post did indeed read that way.

[Brent Deines]

Winky,

I can't tell if you actually prefer plastic injectors and are just being polite, or if you really are on that tight of a budget, but if you are interested in Delta Kits products I may be able to help you out. Like many other windshield repair technicians on this forum I don't really understand buying cheap equipment now and then paying more to upgrade later. In the long run that will cost you more money, and as has already been pointed out, it only takes a few repairs to pay for a top quality bridge so if your business has taken off faster than expected as you said it has, it would seem that buying the equipment you want up front makes better business sense. Still it is your decision to make, so rather than try to tell you how to run your business I will just throw out some options and leave it at that.

We haven't sold injectors for over 20 years, but if you want to give me a call and tell me what your budget is, I can probably hook you up with a high quality screw type injector and a good bridge for a very reasonable price. The screw type injectors are less expensive but if you stick with stainless steel and take care of them they will last forever. If you want to save even more money I still have some brand new anodized aluminum injectors that we quit selling years ago, but are still going to serve you better than plastic. These are the same style injectors I started with and although I would not care to go back to them, they are far superior to plastic and certainly served me well for many years.

We also have some products that we have used in training or trade shows that we can make you deals on, so your options are numerous, but I don't think you need to sacrifice quality.

Let me know if you are interested. I won't give you the high pressure sales pitch, but will just try to find something that fits your budget.

[chips1144]

Winky, I can vouch for Brent, he certainly is not high pressure or pushy in any way, Ive give him a call, Myself Id buy the best equipment and put it on a Credit Card and pay it off over a few months, logically its the cheapest way to go.