first and second repair

[Anonymous]

Hello I finally did my first and second practice repairs.they actually turned out pretty good I think.How visible should the repair be.It looks better then the one I paid for.I actually repaired the repair that fell out from the company that did mine. Should the 1/4 crack be visible from the inside to due the angle the light is hitting it?I also did a star break on a junk car at my house and it is almost invisible from the outside except the pit. Is there any way to get my pits less visible?I guess my main question is How visible should a repair be.The only repair i have seen is the crappy one done to my car.

thanks
Jeff

[Anonymous]

tooldini,

I would have to say the most correct answer to that would be "Dramatically Different". There are to many variables that are present and differ from repair to repair to put a an accurate percentage on it. There is a average industry percentage margin which is usually 80-85% and better. Don't mislead anyone though...It will never be 100% invisible. Some say you should undersell the appearance factor and far surpass it. This is to keep the customer in check if its not in the high percentage range and if it is they are thrilled that is is better than their expectations. I just tell all my customers that it will look dramatically different but it will not disappear to eliminate false hopes that most have of WSR even after explanation. If repaired properly...it will always look dramatically different. This was just my outlook though.

Pay it foward,

Brian
www.safeglasstechnologies.com

[email]"info@safeglasstechnologies.com"[/email][/email]

[Anonymous]

Two words I avoid using in windshield repair are "disappear" and "invisible". I tell clients that there will always be a scar that will be visible when the light enters the repair at certain angles. I prepare them for the worst case scenario...that way when the repair turns out wonderful (which is most of the time), they are amazed by it, and if it is a little less than wonderful, they are still happy because it is always better than what I prepped them for. As for making the pit less visible: a good pit polish will blend the pit with the surrounding glass and finish the job nicely. We tend to be more critical of our own work than even the average client will be, getting up close and personal with the repairs. But if we back off a bit and view the repair from 2 to 3 feet away, very few repairs will actually be visible from the outside. Looking through the glass from the inside, they are generally a little more visible. I ask the client to sit in the driver's seat, and explain what s/he is looking at.

[Anonymous]

Tooldini, the question you ask has several answers. The varibles ie: dirt, soap film, water stain etc., all play a major part in any repair. If, you can get a stone shot that is less than 48hours old, never been rained on or washed chances are you can achieve a 95-98% clarity factor. The main thing to remember is unlike a bodyshop that repaints a fender, we strive for clarity and adhesion. We cannot cover up the damage to make it invisible like the bodyshop can. What constitutes a great repair is adhesion strength, clarity, and customer satisfaction. Its glass, its clear and you will always be able to see some scarring. The customer may not, but you will. I can only say this, do not be too critical on yourself. I have done some repairs that I was not happy with. But, ask the customer what they think, and they point to the wrong spot on the windshield, saying its great. Then I know, I was being to critical on myself, point out the actual repair and smile.. So.. yes.. you will always be able to see something, 4 months from now you may have to really look for it, because now its not looking right back at you and your mind isn't focused on it. But there will always be a scar..always.

[Anonymous]

thanks guys. the chip I repaired was 6 months old and a redo from another repair.It is also right in my line of sight LOL while driving.The one I did on my junk car is pretty visible still from the passenger seat,, and barely from the outsided except for a small mark in the center were the impact was. Like you say I am probably being to rough no myself is my first 2 thanks for all the help and insight

tooldini(jeff)