Stopping Cracks...

[Brent Deines]

I haven't broken a drill bit since 1987, the year I started repairing windshields. Once I figured out what I was doing wrong that became a non-issue. I have cracked a few windshields, but only a few and not in quite awhile. I've also dasied a few bullesyes on old and/or hot windshields, but that is typically avoidable as well so I don't make a habit of those things either.

To be fair, I no longer do a high volume of windshield repairs myself, but it's pretty rare that any of my technicians have these problems in our shop. As for breaking drill bits, I can't even recall the last time anyone in our shop did that. If you are breaking drill bits there are several possible reasons. In any case, there is most certainly a problem that needs to be addressed.

[Windshield911]

14u2ponder, are you trolling or being serious?

[bill lambeth]

I use drill bits everyday. I have not broke a bit in at least 2 years. I generally use the bit too just clean it out real good.I never hit laminate.

[Windshield911]

14u2ponder, are you trolling or being serious?

Can you please elaborate on what you are asking me about? Otherwise I have no idea what you are talking about.

Do you have an opinion about the topic or just an opinion about me in general?

Are you saying its ok to hit laminate and drill a windshield with a dull bit?

[Windshield911]

I always drill, i dont hit the laminate though. I always drill stars, usually bullseyes i dont have to drill

[screenman]

Disregarding your previous remarks about me, please explain why you feel hitting the PVB with the bur helps in filling a damage.

[Windshield911]

14u2ponder

a troll is someone who posts inflammatory,[2] extraneous messages in an online community, such as an online discussion forum, chat room, or blog, with the primary intent of provoking readers into an emotional response[3] or of otherwise disrupting normal on-topic discussion.[4] The noun troll may refer to the provocative message itself, as in: "That was an excellent troll you posted."
While the word troll and its associated verb trolling are associated with Internet discourse, media attention in recent years has made such labels subjective, with trolling describing intentionally provocative actions and harassment outside of an online context. For example, mass media has used troll to describe "a person who defaces Internet tribute sites with the aim of causing grief

Not everyone here is in the U.S, many are from other countries 14u2ponder, and have different ways of saying things. Bur instead of drill bit may possibly be one of those.

[Windshield911]

You are right, I have been making remarks towards you that I probably shouldn't have. We will agree to disagree on the drilling to laminate . I'm gonna jump out of the conversation and I'm sure you are a good ws repair tech. On a side note, I am very pro long crack repair

[Windshield911]

I use a windshield glass repair kit that name of is not allowed on this board. I can do 24" b/c that is pretty much what the injector will hold. I don't pop a bullseye at the end and call it done. I actually fill the crack. As someone said earlier if its more than 2 months old its prob not gonna look all that great. Although it usually still will, you're kinda pushing it b/c of amount of dirt and debris built up in it. I've done many 2 months or older that came out great. Newer cracks I can fill and sometimes you can't see anything, others it looks like a hairline and its hard to see.

I've been doing long cracks for many years, but only 1 and a half on my own business and have had 1 or 2 that had to be redone. One was a friends hunting truck and the crack had been there for at least a year, I was just refreshing my skills since I had been out of it for awhile at the time. I fully believe in trying to keep a customer from ever replacing a windshield b/c of safety concerns when done wrong and having aftermarket glass put in. Plus long crack repair is cheaper on the wallet.

I tell every customer multiple times that long crack repair, THE CRACK WILL STILL BE VISIBLE before I come out to their house, as soon as I get there, and right before I start, I tell them that. So far its been great, and all of the customers that I called after, I usually wait 6 months to call, have been very pleased.

Don't get me wrong, sometimes long crack repair is a pain in the crack, haha

[Windshield911]

So far as my comment about replacing a windshield. Of course there are many times I have told customers they are better off replacing them. If there are several long cracks or chips all over I would recommend replacing them. Its not worth my time and their money to have all that done. I have a replacement guy I trust and always recommend though.