Question about drilling

[kbarnes]

I would recommend only drilling around 10% of the time. Understanding how to qualify the damage is very important. When you drill a damaged area, you are making a conscience decision to sacrifice more of the finished cosmetic look.

Try it for your self! On one of your practice shields, make two star breaks. Use a drill on one of them and pop your mini bull. Repair the other without drilling. Unless your using poor tools you will see the difference. The repair not drilled will always look better!

When you get your new bridge and other tools try this out.


Kevin
Certified Windshield Repair

[kbarnes]

I would recommend only drilling around 10% of the time. Understanding how to qualify the damage is very important. When you drill a damaged area, you are making a conscience decision to sacrifice more of the finished cosmetic look.

Try it for your self! On one of your practice shields, make two star breaks. Use a drill on one of them and pop your mini bull. Repair the other without drilling. Unless your using poor tools you will see the difference. The repair not drilled will always look better!

When you get your new bridge and other tools try this out.


Kevin
Certified Windshield Repair

[kingmonkey]

I tried fixing a chip today without drilling but it's not going to happen with the home-made equipment I have. So until I get the funds to buy a proper bridge I'm going to have to drill away. I did four repairs today and watch the guy I'm working with fix probably another 20 or so and none of the customers complained about the little spot in their windshield. Most were happy enough with the job and were satisfied that it will keep their windshield from cracking.

[Brent Deines]

It's not so much a question of the customer not being satisfied with the way it looks, but rather if the job is done as well as it can be done. I hate to hear technicians say "it's good enough". To me a windshield repair is only good enough when it is done as well as I can do it, and better than anyone else can do it. If that is not the case, I'm not satisfied.

I know my expectations are higher than most, but that has allowed me to get and keep customers that others cannot get or keep.

[kingmonkey]

I agree. But for now I'm going to have to settle with "good enough" until I can get some proper equipment, which I hope will be in the next couple of weeks.

[Glassdoc]

It's not so much a question of the customer not being satisfied with the way it looks, but rather if the job is done as well as it can be done. I hate to hear technicians say "it's good enough". To me a windshield repair is only good enough when it is done as well as I can do it, and better than anyone else can do it. If that is not the case, I'm not satisfied.

I know my expectations are higher than most, but that has allowed me to get and keep customers that others cannot get or keep.

I disagree with "if the job is done as well as it can be". Sorry.. But there is no "almost repaired". Or 'should be alright".. its either repaired or its not.. There is no middle ground and no excuses for accepting anything less. Its the "almost repaired" & "looks pretty good" guys that give the industry the black eye.. The "job" is not done until the repair is 100%.. Period.. 99% is just as bad as not having a repair performed. I've seen and heard the "its as good as I can get it guys". My thoughts on their statement is. "If you could not repair it 100%, you should have never touched it".. I personally do not settle for the best I could get it.. Its either right or its free.. I can not charge ethically if there is one ounce of doubt.. And I'd never tell a customer, well its better than it was.. I mean come on, a piece of duct tape over it makes it better than it was..

[Brent Deines]

Glassdoc,

You completely misunderstood what I said. I agree with you 100%, unless of course you are saying that you can make a windshield repair completely invisible every time. You and I both know that is not possible, therefore we are limited to getting the best results that can be obtained with the current technology.

Please re-read my post. I said that I am only satisfied when my repair is "better than anyone else can do it", which includes you my friend. So if I am only satisfied when my repairs are better than yours, and your repairs are 100%, we are on the same page.

I am not perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but I have had the opportunity to compare my repairs with those of my competitors at trade shows for many years, and with those of technicians using a variety of different systems in the field for many years, and I am quite confident in my ability as a windshield repair technician.

I believe my windshield repairs to be as good or better than anyone else's, and I hope you feel the same way about your repairs. Anyone who does not feel that way should be doing everything possible to figure out how to make their windshield repairs better than anyone else's.

Now we can argue all day long about who does the best repairs, but that accomplishes nothing. What I think is important here is that we are both striving for perfection, and we both produce the the best repairs possible.

[splitpit]

Some repairs are not going to look 100% no matter how good you are. In my opinion, most good repairs still only acheive about a 90% improvement in regards to appearance.

[Glassdoc]

I re-read it, sorry for the rant.. We are both perfectionist. I'm just tired of seeing the repairs made by the "should be ok" guys..

Glassdoc,

You completely misunderstood what I said. I agree with you 100%, unless of course you are saying that you can make a windshield repair completely invisible every time. You and I both know that is not possible, therefore we are limited to getting the best results that can be obtained with the current technology.

Please re-read my post. I said that I am only satisfied when my repair is "better than anyone else can do it", which includes you my friend. So if I am only satisfied when my repairs are better than yours, and your repairs are 100%, we are on the same page.

I am not perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but I have had the opportunity to compare my repairs with those of my competitors at trade shows for many years, and with those of technicians using a variety of different systems in the field for many years, and I am quite confident in my ability as a windshield repair technician.

I believe my windshield repairs to be as good or better than anyone else's, and I hope you feel the same way about your repairs. Anyone who does not feel that way should be doing everything possible to figure out how to make their windshield repairs better than anyone else's.

Now we can argue all day long about who does the best repairs, but that accomplishes nothing. What I think is important here is that we are both striving for perfection, and we both produce the the best repairs possible.

[Brent Deines]

No sweat, I understand completely Glassdoc. Let's face it, everyone says they do good work, but we all know that is far from the truth.