Ds100 Windsheild Moisture Evaporator

[starstruck]

Not dangerous and very effective when used correctly. It's that simple.

[jasonsresin]

so basicly the heat evaporates the water. how do you make sure it doesn't spread. i've seen that some people are measuring the glass temperature. what's that about?

[Mr Bill]

My brother gave a small pencil torch and just for fun I tried heating some chips on a piece of scrap windshield. I was able to crack the glass really easily; and yes I did move the torch around.
There is no way I would use a torch on a real windshield.
I have a drystar which is very useful and manageable if used for 20 seconds at a time to dry out chips.
Some people describe it as a cigarette lighter on a stick, but I dont think I could dry out chips using a car cigarette lighter. I'd have to keep plugging it in all the time.
More accurately, it is a switch controlled heating element from a device like a car cigatette lighter which is mounted into a manual fixture so that heat can be applied with precision to a chip on a windshield.
I have never experienced a crackout using it.

[maxryde]

My brother gave a small pencil torch and just for fun I tried heating some chips on a piece of scrap windshield. I was able to crack the glass really easily; and yes I did move the torch around.
There is no way I would use a torch on a real windshield.
I have a drystar which is very useful and manageable if used for 20 seconds at a time to dry out chips.
Some people describe it as a cigarette lighter on a stick, but I dont think I could dry out chips using a car cigarette lighter. I'd have to keep plugging it in all the time.
More accurately, it is a switch controlled heating element from a device like a car cigatette lighter which is mounted into a manual fixture so that heat can be applied with precision to a chip on a windshield.
I have never experienced a crackout using it.

I have cracked one with a dry star. I probably heated it to long, the chip was very unstable also so.... still the best tool for the job though. One other thing, your power supply need to be up to snuff while useing a dry star as it consumes a fair amount of power. I reccomend plugging it into the vehicle's supply when ever possable.

[chips1144]

Fix A Chip Australia.
The inventor of the Drystar / DS100 recently posted on this site, an interesting chap, It took lots of work to get that product to market and with very little profit, maybe you can search for that thread, People seem to love it, Screenman swears by it, well worth the money.

[SGT]

I use the DS100 and would not be without it. For me it is one of the most important tools I own. IMO weather you use the DS100 or other proficent means of drying out a chip, it is a must have in your tool kit to accomplish structurally sound repairs that are wet.

At well less than 100.00, it will pay for itself over and over and over.

[sgailey]

so basicly the heat evaporates the water. how do you make sure it doesn't spread. i've seen that some people are measuring the glass temperature. what's that about?

These are small handheld thermometers that measure the temperature of the glass. I myself use my hand to judge the temperature. If the glass is so hot it causes your hand to immediately reflex away, it is too much. Ideally, you should be able to hold your palm on the heated area for several seconds before feeling a burning sensation.

Also, (a method learned from screenman) keeping the glass around the break cool is an effective way to keep any possible crackouts in check. Cracks run much faster in warm temperature than cold.

Different breaks have different thresholds for breakage. You should test these thresholds on a practice-windshield to learn more about them.

[jayjacque]

Another moisture evaporator user here. Swear by it in rainy season. Like Screenman said I've seen it cause a break to run a few times, but then you pull back and it only goes a short distance which easily fills.

[harrellbenjamin]

I use one and will heat coil to red and release switch.I then put over damage and count to 18.Let glass cool down and repeat.My repair quality has improved very much by using the Drystar on most repairs.Im a believer.