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.

June 2010

Full Version:
www.deltakits.com/wisecrack/

Delta Kits Home:
www.deltakits.com

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Delta Kits Training and Certification Dates in Eugene, Oregon

Eugene windshield repair classes are FREE with a purchase of a Delta Kits windshield repair system. However, space is limited and reservations are required.

June 18th, 2010
July 16th, 2010
August 20th, 2010
September 17th, 2010
October 15th, 2010
November 12th, 2010
December 10th, 2010

**all dates are subject to change

-Korey Gobin

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Question: When performing a windshield repair, where do you store your toolbox?

A forum member called “ATX_Windshield_Repairs” shared this experience:

“I was in the process of repairing about a 12" crack on the edge of a Toyota Tundra windshield. As usual, I had a fender protector over the hood with my kit on top of it, close to me. I was about 90% finished with the repair when a gust of wind hit under the back side of the fender cover and caused the kit to go smashing to the ground. So, I got off the step stool and start picking up everything. As I was doing this, my 10 speed dremel (twice the size of a regular dremel) was still on the fender cover on the hood, and another gust of wind blew the cover and dremel to the ground. But before the dremel hit the ground, it landed bit first on the top of my foot!

It went through my shoe and not only did it stab me, it just so happened to pierce a large vein that caused blood to squirt from my foot all over my shoe, and sock!

It messed up my shoe, broke my bit and my light, and it just put me in a foul mood....

So, just be careful out there, even the repair business can be dangerous ....”

So the debate began: Where do you store your tool box when performing a windshield repair? Numerous forum members posted their preferences but in the end, everyone agreed to disagree.

 Click here to read all of the posts

-Korey Gobin

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Headlight Restoration with Previously Coated Headlights

Members of Windshield-Repair-Forum.com are asking about headlight restoration scenarios that require more work than usual. “Time2Shine” is a member who posted his experience with “scabbed” headlights, meaning they had residue remaining from a previous restoration. After an hour or two on the job, he was still able to restore them to like-new condition.

We at Delta Kits recently serviced some headlights on a Honda Accord, similar to what “Time2Shine” described. It was obvious the headlights had a coating on them. Regardless, our technician was still able to restore the headlights to like-new condition in less than a half-hour. Below is a time-lapsed video detailing the process.

Be sure to visit our windshield repair forum! The forum offers a wealth of information on windshield repair, windshield replacement, paintless dent repair and headlight restoration.

 

Click on the Image to Watch Video

-Korey Gobin

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What’s New on the Windshield Repair Forum?

As many of you know, Delta Kits hosts the world's largest and most popular windshield repair forum.  This is the perfect place to ask questions, and to get advice from thousands of windshield repair technicians and business owners from around the world.


Below are some of the hot topics from the month of May:

Warm glass a coming note for the new techs

Wind + Light Tool Box, could equal danger!

Air in Bullseye?


As of May 31, 2010, the world's largest windshield repair forum included 39,501 posts on 5005 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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Delta Kits Certified Windshield Repair Technicians

 

Congratulations to all of the new Delta Kits Certified Windshield Repair Technicians!

 

-Korey Gobin

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Delta Kits Customer Speaks Out

“I would like to tell everybody about my experience with Delta Kits.  I bought a windshield repair kit from my super awesome sales rep Korey and it arrived April 2nd.  I immediately popped in the DVD and watched it several times over and over again.  I then went out and luckily had several damaged areas on my windshield to practice on.  I also found 2 junk cars that had windshields with tons of damage and I fixed every crack and chip on them.  I can't tell you how many times I had to stop and call Korey and ask him questions and his opinions, but he was there with the right answer each and every time.  It is now April 27th and I have made over $4,000 during my first month in business.  I now have a location with great traffic and have had to upgrade to a 2 bridge kit.  I have reordered supplies 3 times already, (which is a great problem to have!) Thanks Delta Kits and Korey for helping me make a GREAT living while I am going through the police academy.  I am about to open my 2nd location!

– (Wes G., Santa Fe, TX)

-Korey Gobin

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Tech Tip-Warm Weather and Windshield Repair

The summer repair season is approaching and that means dealing with really hot windshields.  What does it mean for the end seals on your bridge?
Question:  If you place a bridge on a really hot windshield, will the end seals melt? 
Answer:  The material Delta Kits uses to make end seals is injected at 482 degrees Fahrenheit, or 250 degrees Celsius. The seals may soften slightly in the heat you’re working in, but it's not likely you will ever see one melt.  The suction & vacuum cups Delta Kits uses are made from a different material, but they too have a very high melting point.  Even the nitrile gloves Delta Kits sells have a working temperature of up to 230 degrees Fahrenheit or 110 degrees Celsius.  So, when you start to see the tires melting on your car, you may also start to see a problem with your Delta Kits end seals. – (Brent Deines, Delta Kits)

 Following are tips to help keep business running smooth while reducing the risk of crack outs:

Whether You're Doing a Mobile Repair or Working in Your Shop:

•    Remember, if a windshield is too hot to leave your hand on comfortably, it’s too hot to repair. Delta Kits also offers the IR-102 Infrared Digital Thermometer to give you the exact temperature of the windshield.  The optimum temperature to repair a windshield is 70-100 degrees Fahrenheit. 
•    Do not spray cold water, alcohol or any other liquid on a hot windshield.  When checking for the presence of a hydrophobic coating (i.e. Rain-X, Aquapel, etc.) the temperature of the water needs to be similar to the temperature of the glass.
•    When cooling the windshield, make sure to do it gradually.  Sudden temperature changes greatly increase the chances of a crack out. 
•    If you’re using the air conditioner to cool the glass, use the floor vents to cool the entire cabin of the car to minimize the risk of cracking the glass.  To direct cold air onto the damaged area is very risky.
•    Always make sure the resin temperature is within 10 degrees of the glass temperature. Cold resin on hot glass or vice versa may make the damage spread.

For techs working in shops, remember that UV can still reach your windshield, even if the car is pulled into the shop.  So, make sure the car is pulled far enough into the shop.

Mobile Techs:
 
•    Move the vehicle into a shaded area.  Before you drive out to the job, you can ask the customer to park the car indoors, under a tent or under an awning so the glass will be cooler when you arrive, saving you time and energy.
•    If you’re stuck in the middle of a lot and can’t find shade, make sure to roll the side windows down or open the doors to let built up heat escape from inside the car. 
•    Cover the damaged area with a Delta Kits BD100 Bubble Dome or UV shield.  If the UV shield you use is clear, be sure to shade the glass using a hood protector or a towel to help keep it cool.
•    Protect your injector and other equipment from the sun.  Be sure to clean your injector in accordance with your manufacturer’s instructions to keep it functioning properly.  


Three Common Problems Resulting from Doing a Repair in Direct Sunlight (Without Following the Proper Procedures):
•    For damage with legs radiating from the center, it’s quite common for the resin to begin to cure before it reaches the ends of those legs if proper UV blocking procedures are not applied.  Resin begins to cure as soon as it’s exposed to the UV light.  If you find that you are having trouble getting resin to the very ends of your star break legs, this is likely the cause.   

•    Another common problem is a form of delamination, often referred to as a “flower” or a “daisy effect”.  A repair performed on an extremely hot windshield will often lead to a breakdown of the inner safety layer of the windshield.  When the glass is hot, that inner layer is much softer and more easily breached when resin is injected into the damaged area.  The resin displacing the laminate causes the resulting watery looking flower shape around the repair. 

•    Resin can cure in your injector and in bottles.  Equipment and supplies left out in direct sunlight may become inoperable if not properly cleaned and/or stored.

Be sure to check with your tooling manufacturer regarding specific products and remember that your goal should be to avoid rapid temperature changes to the windshield you’re repairing



 

-Brent Deines

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Windshield Repair Safety Tip | Working with Sensitizers

A sensitizer is defined by OSHA as "a chemical that causes a substantial proportion of exposed people or animals to develop an allergic reaction in normal tissue after repeated exposure to the chemical."

Two Health Problems Caused by Sensitizers:

Skin sensitization - Skin sensitizers can cause an allergic reaction including redness, a rash, itching, swelling or blisters at the point of contact or elsewhere in the body.
Respiratory sensitization - Respiratory sensitizers can at first cause symptoms similar to a cold or mild hay fever.  However, severe asthmatic symptoms can develop in sensitized workers including wheezing, chest tightness, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing and/or coughing.  A severe attack can cause death.
One should generally try to avoid sensitizers.  Nevertheless, during a windshield repair or headlight restoration, technicians don’t have a choice.  You should always remember to use personal protective equipment such as nitrile gloves and a respirator mask when using sensitizers.

Before Working with Sensitizing Materials:
•    Technicians should understand all of the hazards associated with windshield repair and headlight restoration.
•    Technicians should refer to the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) for information on hazards, and for precautions to follow for sensitizers they are using.
•    Technicians should be aware of the typical symptoms of an allergic reaction, and they should know the appropriate first aid procedures.
•    Report any signs of illness to your physician and/or supervisor.
•    Prevent unnecessary exposure to sensitizers by always utilizing appropriate personal protective equipment.
•    Only use small quantities of sensitizers in well-ventilated areas. 
•    Always remove any contaminated clothing and wash your hands thoroughly after handling a sensitizer.

Delta Kits has an impeccable safety record and continually strives to provide the safest products in the industry.

 

-Korey Gobin

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"Matthew 6:34 (New International Version)"
Delta Kits Monthly Encouragement

Don't let life get you down and above all, don't drag yesterday's failures into today or tomorrow. In the words of Jesus Christ, as written in Matthew 6:34, "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own" In other words, there are enough challenges already in tomorrow, and you need not bring yesterday along. Philippians 3:13-15

-Korey Gobin

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