Windshield Repair Forum

Hi guys

Did my first long crack today out in the "real" world (meaning I got paid).

A combo 3" from the bottom left corner of the screen resulted in a crack from it to the edge over the black painted section, then about 12" across to the centre of the screen the other way.

I have a query...... the part of the crack over the black painted area it was impossible to see the crack side on...only from above was it visible. So I couldnt see if the resin was travelling in it OK or not. I had set the injector over the combo and set to pressure, filling nicely, so I wicked some resin along it about 1" with a Q tip.( a Screenman suggestion I read somewhere on the Forum...thanks...very helpful) It was impossible to see anything. The only way I knew it was filling was that resin was seeping out along it from the injector under pressure and started to pool a little at the end next to the rubber seal of the windscreen. So it had obviously filled it as the only way it could have pooled there was via the crack itself.

Any easier way to tell if these are filling ok or are filled?



Thanks. By the way, the customer was very very happy with the repair and couldnt believe it was nearly invisible, especially from the inside.

Generally, the part of the crack at the edge is the widest and easiest to fill. The easiest way to be sure it's filling is to use good lighting (not UV) and watch the profile of the crack closely. If you look close, at the right angle, with the right lighting, you can see it fill. But usually, this is the easiest part of the crack to fill.

Most long cracks you'll see are from a small chip/nick within a couple inches of the edge of the windshield, and the crack shoots out from the edge toward the middle of the windshield. The edge will be very wide (run the corner of a razor blade over it and you can tell how wide it is), and the crack will narrow/tighten significantly as you get close to the tip.

I hope this helps.

-Marty

Get one of them head flashlights with a good light so you can see crack in frit (black area) and use both of your hands to work.

Get a Scorpion, they are great for holding torches when you need to. Being somebody who works mainly fleet I end up in some dark on holes, this invention made life easier for me.

Thanks so much everyone...I do have a good torch so will try this next time.

I agree with Windshield911. I keep a headlamp in my kit (with extra batteries) and use it all the time. It's a very inexpensive investment too.