TO DRILL A CHIP FOR A REPAIR

[the big welshman]

Sirs to me you have to drill to get a decent Windshield Repair I have noticed that the large Glass Shops ie Safelite JN Phillips do not use a dill when repairing a windshield and the Windshield quality is CRAP An ex Giant Glass/Safelite Glass employee did advise they do no drilling when Repairing a Windshield

[Brent Deines]

If your repairs are better than your competition's repairs I'm not sure what the point of the post is but regardless of the system or technique, some technicians simply do not do good repairs. In my opinion the larger the company the more difficult it is to find high quality technicians, however there are certainly plenty of self employed technicians who also do poor repairs. I think equipment, training, experience, and most of all, the desire to constantly improve is what makes a good technician. Personally I can't stand the thought of someone doing better repairs than me so I'm always trying to find ways to improve, including watching and listening to other technicians to see if they know something I don't. We can't improve if we already have all the answers.

Personally I almost never drill except when repairing long cracks and I would not hesitate to compare the quality of my completed repairs with those of any technician who drills. A filled drill hole in the pit area is always more visible than a filled non-drilled pit, so in my opinion the only reason to drill is if you are unable to fill the damage properly without doing so, which is not a problem I have except in vary rare instances. I have to admit that I used to drill more often but with the equipment available today my technique has been modified, and in my opinion, improved.

Note that I am talking about actual drilling vs using a drill to clean out the pit area, which is also not something I do regularly but I don't see anything wrong with that practice if a technician feels it works better than using a scribe.

For the record, I'm also not "against" drilling for those who are using a system that requires it for proper filling, or for technicians who find they cannot get damage to fill properly for some other reason without drilling. When done correctly, a small drill hole at the impact point is certainly preferable to damage that has not been properly filled. I just personally don't find it necessary and prefer the cosmetic appearance of an undrilled repair.

[bill lambeth]

This thing with drilling or not to drill ! If you have only 4 repairs to do in a day , sure don't drill ! Most people making a living doing this are doing ten repairs a day or more ! I use the bit that works with the hammer and it is small and I basically cleanout with it ! If you don't drill on some chips you are NOT going to get the resin to flow ! I see this all the time with SL ! I call it just pit filling because the resin is sitting on top . I have seen good repairs from SL as well. I agree with Brent you have bad techs on both sides .

[t4k]

Bill, you really need to take me up on my many offers to come visit us. I'll show you first hand that I can get resin to flow into even the tightest star breaks without drilling and it only takes a minute or two longer than if you drill in most cases so if you subtract the time it takes you to drill it's pretty much a wash. We also demonstrate it at trade shows and anyone who has been to one of our training classes will tell you they have seen it for themselves and the majority have no problem doing it themselves.

I can't speak for a competitor's equipment but if you can't do it with the same equipment I use you are doing something wrong, plain and simple.

I will admit I am pretty meticulous so in most cases I do spend up to 30 minutes on a repair but that includes cleaning all the windows in the car, vacuuming out the inside, etc. Ten repairs a day without drilling...no problem!

[Dempsterglass]

I have been doing repairs along with installs for 24yrs now. I do not drill a hole in the glass,ever.
Proper prep with scribe and technique will give complete fills everytime. I typically take 30-45 min to do repair along wth cleaning all windows and quick vaccum.

[brent]

I have to ask why do you guys clean all windows? Is this just to impress the customer for a "good service"? When I start, I'm planning to clean the windshield in and out after the repair... if I only manage to get a customer

[bill lambeth]

I only clean the w/s ! On the inside I make sure to remove my mirror mark ! Plain and simple !

[Brent Deines]

I clean all the windows. It only takes a few minutes and my customers really appreciate it. I have received countless comments over the years about "going the extra mile" and "nobody else offers service like that". I have never been the cheapest and probably never will be so I do everything possible to make a better impression on my customers than the competition does.

The exception for me is if I am doing a large fleet. It's pretty tough to take time to clean every window when you are repairing 3-4 vehicles at a time and most fleet managers are more concerned with the down time and cost than they are about clean windows. I still always clean the inside and outside of the windshield however.

[Mr Bill]

I drill practically everything except bullseyes.
I was trained by DK in the beginning and they said don't drill.
My personal preference is to drill, if I feel it will make the resin replace the air in the break easier.
I use a skinny FG329 burr.
When I finish the repair, I wash the windshield outside, and on the inside where the mirror was attached.

[clearquest]

Given that drilling in most cases is not necessary and undrilled repairs generally look better than drilled ones, why do people insist on continuing to drill? Is it just habit? Just try doing repairs without drilling for a week or so unless you need to pop a bullseye. You will see that its not needed. Save some money not buying bits too!