Upcoming Winter Months

[Mikedoby]

Since I haven't struggled through my first winter of WSR, I was wondering what is the best way to continue gamefully employed with my WSR business when I am strickly mobile and don't have a warm shop to work out of. The winters here in North Carolina will sometimes get down into the upper teens but normally stay around 32 degees in the early mornings. Is it acceptable enough to just run the defrosters on heat or do we have other outside temperature issues with the resin? How about some advise from my upper state friends.

Thanks

[StarQuest]

Probably the most important issue with cold weather repairs is making sure you get all the moisture out prior to injecting resin. Some prefer using a dry star to accomplish this and while others like me will use a heat pen. This is done using short heating and cooling cycles. You can use the defrost to warm up shield but make sure you don't have it on high temperture setting because you risk shocking the glass. Always use a medium to low setting. I have to constantly remind my dealer accounts of doing this every winter or they'll crack out 30% of my repairables before I even get there.

Resins? Make sure you contact your supplier and ask them what resins they recommend for your temperture conditions. With the right resin application and procedures you should be able to accomplish good repairs well into the the lower teens. I quess the only other advice to offer for winter repair is to be patient. Because resins thicken in colder temps it may take longer to fill those tight legs. Always use a good cure lamp on every repair and try to keep bulbs warm in your car or truck for best results.

Not to poke fun at you..... but North Carolina winter repairs would be a walk in the park for people like me in Michigan or GlassStarz on the east coast. I think we'd both still be working in shorts

Check out all the old archives on this forum......lots of good info concerning this subject.

[GlassStarz]

NC winters? Dude i have been looking at a 40 ft sailboat with the goal of working the Carolinas in winter while living on the boat wont happen this year but thats the goal for next. Why you ask? cause it gets frigging cold up here! Iworked in below 0 deg weather over 40 days last year and the weather down there would be considered beach weather here
That said i worked out of a Car Wash last winter with great success in the winter around here a couple hundred cars a day go through but only about 25-35 a day in the summer so i dont work it now look into one in your area it might be the solution it sure worked for me

[Repair1]

Winter Repairs

Man do we need to talk about that already As we see snow in our mountains today

Well cut your day in half which isn

[magicogar]

I repaired an suv a couple days ago in the shade and the temp. is about 94F. I live in the south and with this kind of temp and the humidity, I was sweating like crazy. I would definitely prefer working in cold weather than in hot and humid ones.

[screenman]

One of the things I reccomend is personal comfort by this I mean dress yourself as warm and comfortable as possible I wear isulated one piece overalls this way when I do see work I do not try and talk myself out of it.

Do not get fed up when you do not get the same targets as summer.

I set myself summer and winter targets Summer I aim to do

[mafsu]

Nice tip, I hadn't thought to post that before. I also keep a "diary" dayminder. In it I keep a running tab each day and week of the money I have earned. I also write down lists (to take to whomever needs to approve the repairs) when necessary in it, or dispatch #s etc... when doing ins. work. Not only is it a great reference as to what repairs on which vehicles I do on a certain day, the written running totals really serve to keep me motivated to meet my goals.

[gold star wsr]

screenman, in addition to wsr, you run a dairy too?... what' milk going for wholesale? Just joking... I know you meant diary LOL. As far as the season goes... wouldnt it be lovely to have spring or fall all year round?

[screenman]

Well spotted. we are just coming to the end of summer here and it has been one of the wettest on record . rain for about the last two months I cannot remember the last time I did not have to do a full dry out procedure.

No matter how bad it gets this business is still better than going to work.