The Wise Crack

Windshield Repair Newsletter

The Wise Crack, published monthly, is the most widely circulated windshield repair newsletter available! It includes windshield repair tips, news, & marketing advice.

February 2009 Issue

Full Version:
www.deltakits.com/wisecrack/

Delta Kits Home:
www.deltakits.com

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Vertical Repair Instructions using the Delta Kits I-100 Injector

When speaking of vertical repair we are speaking of windshields that are set at a 90 degree angle, or perpendicular to the ground. Repairing vertical windshields takes a little more practice to perfect, but can easily be done with the same success as non-vertical windshields. 

 

It is important to note that vertical windshields are typically installed in buses, large trucks, and motor coaches. The glass and the laminate are often thicker than a standard passenger vehicle, and the windshields are larger.  Because of the thicker glass, repairs may take longer to fill and you should allow for this in your scheduling. Remember, a repair is not complete until all of the air has been replaced with resin. 

 

When setting up the bridge on any repair, try to locate the injector below the vacuum cup. This will assure that excess resin does not run down the glass on to the vacuum cup. Resin on the cup is not only messy to clean up, but may damage the cup. On most repairs you want the injector to be as perpendicular to the glass as possible to achieve the best seal. On a vertical repair however, it is necessary to adjust the bridge so that the top knob of the injector is angled slightly upward. It only takes about 5 degrees of angle to keep the resin flowing down the injector, so don’t create more of an angle than necessary. More than a 5 degree angle can result in resin leaking from the end seal. 

 

It is important to use a dropper or small syringe to load the injector with resin.  Insert the dropper or syringe as far into the injector as you can so that the resin goes directly into the end seal. Use of a squeeze bottle or trying to count drops from a dropper will result in most of the resin ending up in the inside threads of the injector, rather than in the end seal. You may find that using a little more resin will also aid in the end seal filling completely. Adding a couple of additional drops of resin should be more than enough to aid in filling the seal.

 

Assuming you get a good seal against the glass and plenty of resin into the end seal, the rest of the repair process is the same as the basic procedure described in the Delta Kits instruction manual for all repairs. With a little practice, most technicians find the preceding method to be the best way to repair vertical windshields.

 

For technical assistance, don’t hesitate to contact Delta Kits via our web site at www.deltakits.com or call us directly at 800-548-8332.

-Wade Schlichenmayer

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Mobile Tech 2009 and On the Road Training Recap

The 2009 Mobile Tech Expo in Clearwater, Florida had a good turn out this year.  While it seemed as though the attendee numbers were down from 2008, those in attendance were there to improve their business. At larger trade shows people may be interested in one or two out of the hundreds or thousands of items on display, but at the Mobile Tech Expo you can count on just about everyone coming by the booth. Bruce and I were so occupied on Friday, doing demonstrations and sharing product information, that we were several hours into the show before either one of us had time to step away from the booth to meet other exhibitors.  We made several new friends and spent time with many old friends as well. It was everything we could have hoped for.

My favorite thing about the Mobile Tech Expo is the fact that most attendees are from small companies and in most cases the technician is the owner. These are the hands-on people that take great pride in their profession and understand that their reputation is their best business card.  These folks always seem to be open to hearing about new ways to expand and/or improve their business. They understand expenses and the true bottom line of their business.  This is one reason the seminars that go on throughout the days are so well attended.

I was fortunate enough to present two seminars at this year’s Mobile Tech Expo. On Thursday afternoon I presented “Business Opportunity-Windshield/Windscreen Repair”.  Meanwhile, Bruce was visiting one of our customers in Ft Myers, conducting product awareness training for twenty customer service representatives. We ended our presentations on Saturday with the “Additional Profit Center-Is Windshield/Windscreen Repair for you?” seminar. The participants of each seminar were very focused on improving their businesses.

There was only one other windshield repair supplier at the show this year, which was a little disappointing, but the PDR companies were out in force. We displayed the new Delta Kits Headlight Restoration System for the first time and it was a big hit. Headlight Restoration is definitely becoming more commonplace within the mobile services industry. There was also a good showing of interior repair supply companies, along with vendors selling gold plating equipment, window tinting, paint touch up systems, PDR tools, and various detailing supplies.

Brian Fenner, a Delta Kits customer won the award for the Mobile Tech Windshield Repair Person of the Year. If you know Brian or SGT as he is known on the forum, be sure to visit www.windshield-repair-forum.com and congratulate him. Click Here to read about Brian’s other accomplishments this year. 

On January 18^th Delta Kits held an On the Road Factory Training and Certification class in Clearwater, Beach Florida, which is just across the bridge from Clearwater. We had ten attendees for the class, including two coming from the Bahamas and Canada. All technicians that attended the Delta Kits training class were doing good repairs by the end of the day and they all passed Delta Kits’ certification exam. Good job guys!

Being back here in Eugene and reflecting on the previous week I am excited to do it all again next year. If you have never attended a Mobile Tech Expo but would like to, keep your plans open for mid-January 2010, you won’t be disappointed. Every year we hand out discount coupons for the expo, so let us know if you plan to attend.

If you are interested in attending a Delta Kits training and certification class please visit our web site at http://www.deltakits.com/windshield-repair-kits/training/ or call us at 800-548-8332 to get locations, dates, and other relevant information.

-Wade Schlichenmayer

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Person of the Year 2008

Delta Kits equipment user Brian Fenner of Safe Glass Technologies wins the 2008 Windshield Repair Person of the Year presented by Mobile Tech

 

During the Mobile Tech Expo in Clearwater, Florida Kevin Halewood of Mobile Tech presented Delta Kits equipment user Brian Fenner of Safe Glass Technologies with the 2008 Windshield Repair Person of The Year Award.  Brian Fenner, who won the silver medal at the Walt Gorman Memorial Windshield Repair Olympics in November, has been very helpful and encouraging to windshield repair technicians around the world on the world’s largest and most popular windshield repair forum.  http://www.windshield-repair-forum.com/ “The award marks Brain as someone on the leading edge in the windshield repair industry” said Korey Gobin, Account Executive for Delta Kits “Brian has really taken great pride in learning more by obtaining numerous certifications in the windshield repair industry.” During a recent interview Fenner stated “It is very rewarding to know that others are actually benefiting from my knowledge and experience just the same as I have and continue to benefit from others. Helping each other by sharing is a great way to help ensure a professional industry image.” Fenner went on to say “The windshield repair industry, although 30 plus years young, is still in its infancy. As the industry evolves we as technicians, especially the independent repair only technician who have a pure interest in our industry future, need to be as proactive as we can to protect ourselves and this industry. We can make a difference if we are heard.”

-Korey Gobin

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What is New on the Windshield Repair Forum?

Delta Kits hosts the largest and most popular windshield repair forum in the world. This is the perfect place to ask questions, and get advice from thousands of windshield repair business owners and windshield repair technicians all over the world.

 

Below are some of the hot topics from January:

 

 

The 2009 Mobile Tech Expo

Windshield Repair Person of the Year

Repair Kits?

Will insurance continue to waive ded?

Met Life

 

 

As of January 26, 2009 the world’s largest windshield repair forum included 33,355 posts on 4030 topics.   

 

If it’s happening in the windshield repair industry you will find out about it at www.windshield-repair-forum.com.  Membership is free, so join the windshield repair forum today. You’ll be glad you did.

-Korey Gobin

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"A cheerful look brings joy to the heart, and good news gives health to the bones. "
Proverbs15:50

-Mindy Baaver

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