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Drilling a Windshield; Tips on drilling a windshield for repair.
Topic Started: Jun 15 2010, 04:11 PM (403 Views)
wfooffroad
Newbie
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Hello -

I just did my first repair and it turned out okay looking. It’s not perfect and it’s not horrible. My next repair I would like to make it look better and I think it’s my drilling that needs work.

I was a little unsure about drilling and still am.

Is there an easy way to drill to the proper depth or any tricks to know when you have drilled into the windshield far enough?

If you’re applying resin with an injector and you’re not seeing the break disappear can you stop in the middle and re-drill the center of the crack?

Also, can you drill the repair after it’s all done and has been cured to try and make it look better by repairing it again?

Thank you for any help that can be offered!!!

Dustin
Edited by wfooffroad, Jun 15 2010, 10:09 PM.
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sail200z
Newbie
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wfooffroad
Jun 15 2010, 04:11 PM
Hello -

I just did my first repair and it turned out okay looking. It’s not perfect and it’s not horrible. My next repair I would like to make it look better and I think it’s my drilling that needs work.

I was a little unsure about drilling and still am.

Is there an easy way to drill to the proper depth or any tricks to know when you have drilled into the windshield far enough?

If you’re applying resin with an injector and you’re not seeing the break disappear can you stop in the middle and re-drill the center of the crack?

Also, can you drill the repair after it’s all done and has been cured to try and make it look better by repairing it again?

Thank you for any help that can be offered!!!

Dustin
Hi Dustin; I have been doing windshield repairs since 1992. Drill a minimum1/16 inch, then get a sewing machine needle and snip the minimal amount off the end, you want it flat not pointed. Insert it into the hole and tap it with a blunt object to produce a bullseye inside the break. Then evacuate , once your in evacuation mode if the windshield is not hot, heat the break with a lighter just enough to warm it up from the inside, MAKE sure there is no after market tint on the inside. Once it cools put injector on pressure mode. NOTE: Get a UV SHIELD to put over the injector to keep the sun from curing the repair before your ready. If it does'nt look filled ,re evacuate and pressure one or two more times. While under pressure on a cooler windshield, gently using your lighter to draw the resin toward the ends of the cracks. When you think it looks ready remove the shield and let the sun cure it, fill the pit and polish it. NOTE: Tell your clients up front , you can't promise to make it dissipear but you guarentee that it won't run, and if it does you can stop it. #2 Don't try to re repair until your a lot more experienced then you know what you might try to re repair. Have confidence in your work and don't let the client think otherwise. Remember our only guarentee is to stop it from running while making it look better, not to disappear even though most clear up quite nice. Hope this helps, let us all hear how it goes.

Carl
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ShowroomCondition
Administrator
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there are 2 layers of glass to a windshield, with a layer of polyurethane sandwiched in between. i usually drill half way through the first layer, but you can go as deep in the first layer as you want, but just dont go to the ends. youre gonna need to practice on some more junkyard glass to get the depth right, but it will come soon. just drill till you go the center on a junk piece of glass. you need to see what happens, and how much depth youre allowed.

3000rpms is the speed i recommend, but most cheap drills have only 5000 and 10000. i have a drill that has infinitely variable speed, and i run it at a nice slow speed. drill bits last longer, and a dull bit will cut at 2000-3000 rpms, whereas it wont at higher speeds.

alot of glass shops around here do repairs that are not perfect, and that look just ok. you will build a fine reputation if you dont rely on the "at least its not gonna spread" excuse. if you dont get it looking great, that means it has air in it. air can crack, especially if you leave a leg with air in it. you usually have one shot to get a windshield right, there is no drilling and going back in. very few exceptions being if the repair is perfect but one leg did not come out. this is best resolved on the original try, such as using heat, or giving the injector more time. if youre a good tech, heat is almost a last resort, unless its winter, or youre doing retail and only have one repair to do. i hardly ever use heat 9 months out of the year. never never in the summer. absolutely not necessary. if your repairs aren't coming out, you need more cycles, or you need to shade them so the sun isnt curing them prematurely, or you need more time, or you need to learn when your injector is under pressure, and when its just sitting there not working for you. i was not a good tech until about my 3rd year in. give yourself time to practice before going out and getting fleet accounts or retail work. you may want to consider training. i can get you started with a cheap 2 hour or 4 hour one on one session that will give you the info needed to practice. i will shave 6 months off your do it yourself curve. consider it.
jason
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