Whaddya callit?

As many of you know, I do on-site repairs of leaded doors and windows. One
of the more difficult things I deal with is trying to elicit descriptions
from the homeowner as to what type(s) of glass is broken. One of the
toughest things is getting them to identify a bevel. All they seem to be
able to identify is glue chip...everything else is a mystery to them.

If you were trying to get someone to describe a bevel...what questions would
you ask? I'm at a loss as to how to ask. If it is a flat glass, I have it
on the truck. If it is a bevel...we almost always are looking at a shop
repair and/or two trips. I don't know how many times I've showed up for a
repair appointment and found that the bevels were broken, despite my "best"
questioning.

Any ideas on a "script" or questions to ask would be appreciated.

does it have a
"rainbow" of color?
is the glass cut at an angle?
is the "edge" wide?
is all the glass the same thickness, or does it get thinner at the edge?
ask questions like you do not know what a bevel is........

--

In the words of the IMMORTAL USED CAR DEALER:
THERE IS AN ASS FOR EVERY SEAT!

i refer to it occasionally as 'cut' glass.m

"Howard" wrote in message
...
does it have a
"rainbow" of color?
is the glass cut at an angle?
is the "edge" wide?
is all the glass the same thickness, or does it get thinner at the edge?
ask questions like you do not know what a bevel is........

--

In the words of the IMMORTAL USED CAR DEALER:
THERE IS AN ASS FOR EVERY SEAT!

I run into the same thing. I have the same traveling road show. I describe
it to the customer as "does the glass look like it has a shaved edge all
around the outside?" But really it doesn't make a difference. You have to
go to the site to look at the bevel, even if you know it is one. As you
know most of the bevels you replace are odd shaped, and need to be traced
and custom made. If you are trying to cover the standard rectangle bevel
inventory, and entire set of bevels to cover anything would be about $200,
which isn't all that much considering the inventory you are already carting
around.

Liam




"Michele Blank" wrote in message
...
i refer to it occasionally as 'cut' glass.m

"Howard" wrote in message
...
does it have a
"rainbow" of color?
is the glass cut at an angle?
is the "edge" wide?
is all the glass the same thickness, or does it get thinner at the edge?
ask questions like you do not know what a bevel is........

--

In the words of the IMMORTAL USED CAR DEALER:
THERE IS AN ASS FOR EVERY SEAT!

"Liam" wrote in message
. com...
I run into the same thing. I have the same traveling road show. I
describe
it to the customer as "does the glass look like it has a shaved edge all
around the outside?" But really it doesn't make a difference. You have
to
go to the site to look at the bevel, even if you know it is one. As you
know most of the bevels you replace are odd shaped, and need to be traced
and custom made. If you are trying to cover the standard rectangle bevel
inventory, and entire set of bevels to cover anything would be about $200,
which isn't all that much considering the inventory you are already
carting
around.

I usually carry all of the 1.5" wide by every standard length bevels in both
clear and glue chip, along with all the various stars, diamonds, and ovals.
I probably also need to start carrying all the 2" wide rectangles. My
on-truck glass inventory is a full sheet of single glue chip, a full sheet
of double glue, a full sheet of Spectrum water, a half sheet of granite, a
half sheet of ice-crystal, a half sheet of baroque, a half sheet of seedy,
and half sheets each of Artique, GNA and FNA. I also keep a few scraps of
carmel/white and some scraps of English Muffle in clear and colors, and I
still often don't have what I need.

I've never been to Houston, but I can only imagine that the traffic and
distances are comparable to what I deal with in ATL. I don't want to make
any more trips back and forth than I have to. For a long time, I was
making a trip to estimate and another trip to do the repair.
I was wasting a lot of time driving around, so I started not doing
estimates on site unless it was something that sounded "strange" on the
phone. I just tell them that I'll be ready to repair it when I get there,
and if it is too badly damaged to fix in the field, or if the glass isn't as
described, I reserve the right to do a board-up and take the panel with me.
I charge a trip charge/estimate fee if they don't like the price.

Liam, what kind of a rig do you work from? I have a full size cargo van
with built-in shelves and a built-in glass rack. I carry a portable
folding table with a top made of 2 thickness of 3/4" plywood for my work
surface, an aircompressor and nail gun, a propane radiant heater, and a full
set of studio tools.

When I first retired, a pipe organ tuner and repair
technician hired me to help him as an apprentice.
We had five southern states to cover. If he was
already familiar with the organ in question, we were
off and running. If it was a new unit he had not seen
he would send me ahead to scout out the problems. One phone call would let
him know what
to bring and what he needed to order. On these
trips, he paid me mileage, lodging if necessary,
and meals if the trip was over four hours. When we
were working together, he paid me $10/hr plus the
above. You'd be surprised how fast I learned and
how well we worked together - and his workload
was reduced as well as travel time.
Hal

"Moonraker" wrote in message
. ..

"Liam" wrote in message
. com...
I run into the same thing. I have the same traveling road show. I
describe
it to the customer as "does the glass look like it has a shaved edge all
around the outside?" But really it doesn't make a difference. You have
to
go to the site to look at the bevel, even if you know it is one. As you
know most of the bevels you replace are odd shaped, and need to be
traced
and custom made. If you are trying to cover the standard rectangle
bevel
inventory, and entire set of bevels to cover anything would be about
$200,
which isn't all that much considering the inventory you are already
carting
around.

I usually carry all of the 1.5" wide by every standard length bevels in
both
clear and glue chip, along with all the various stars, diamonds, and
ovals.
I probably also need to start carrying all the 2" wide rectangles. My
on-truck glass inventory is a full sheet of single glue chip, a full sheet
of double glue, a full sheet of Spectrum water, a half sheet of granite,
a
half sheet of ice-crystal, a half sheet of baroque, a half sheet of seedy,
and half sheets each of Artique, GNA and FNA. I also keep a few scraps of
carmel/white and some scraps of English Muffle in clear and colors, and I
still often don't have what I need.

I've never been to Houston, but I can only imagine that the traffic and
distances are comparable to what I deal with in ATL. I don't want to make
any more trips back and forth than I have to. For a long time, I was
making a trip to estimate and another trip to do the repair.
I was wasting a lot of time driving around, so I started not doing
estimates on site unless it was something that sounded "strange" on the
phone. I just tell them that I'll be ready to repair it when I get there,
and if it is too badly damaged to fix in the field, or if the glass isn't
as
described, I reserve the right to do a board-up and take the panel with
me.
I charge a trip charge/estimate fee if they don't like the price.

Liam, what kind of a rig do you work from? I have a full size cargo van
with built-in shelves and a built-in glass rack. I carry a portable
folding table with a top made of 2 thickness of 3/4" plywood for my work
surface, an aircompressor and nail gun, a propane radiant heater, and a
full
set of studio tools.

"Harold E. Keeney (Hal)" wrote in message
...
When I first retired, a pipe organ tuner and repair
technician hired me to help him as an apprentice.
We had five southern states to cover. If he was
already familiar with the organ in question, we were
off and running. If it was a new unit he had not seen
he would send me ahead to scout out the problems. One phone call would
let
him know what
to bring and what he needed to order. On these
trips, he paid me mileage, lodging if necessary,
and meals if the trip was over four hours. When we
were working together, he paid me $10/hr plus the
above. You'd be surprised how fast I learned and
how well we worked together - and his workload
was reduced as well as travel time.
Hal

Hey, can you imagine that.
Rock up at the door . . . "Are you here to fix my panel ?"
"No ma'am, I'm just the scout !"

Great story Harold, and perfect sense if feasible for any such trade.

Cheers,
Les

Liam, what kind of a rig do you work from? I have a full size cargo van
with built-in shelves and a built-in glass rack. I carry a portable
folding table with a top made of 2 thickness of 3/4" plywood for my work
surface, an aircompressor and nail gun, a propane radiant heater, and a
full
set of studio tools.
I have an old toyota van with pretty much the same set up. Same saw horses
and board, grinder, tools, compresser and nail gun, a few sheets of plywood
for boardup, dremel tool, rebar ($50/bar added) and you can sell these all
day. Rebar needs to be tapered out on to a point on the edges with a file.
use a dremel and a bur to drill a hole into the molding. bend the rebar
(gotta be zink) a little insert the points into the molding, straighten the
rebar. I see a lot of rebar that isn't atached to the door. I'm sure you
have notice the way it tears up the outside came strands. Do it my way and
then the slamming force is transfered to the door, instead of the outside
lead line. You are going to need a good iron like a 150W hexicon or
something like it to solder efectively on the rebar. You can take the door
off it's pins if you want to solder both sides of the rebar, but usually I
just do the top side with the door standing.

On glass I aslo stock a few reeded glasses. Pilkington "rain" glass. If
you find you don't have it on the van, then start stocking it. I stock
about 20 glasses.

Do you know about "Tiger brand glassing cement?

Liam

add to the list:

jigsaw for cutting boardups
2 pc of carpet, makes clean up easyer.

I think I'll make a webpage one of these days....

Liam

"Liam" wrote in message
m...

Liam, what kind of a rig do you work from? I have a full size cargo
van
with built-in shelves and a built-in glass rack. I carry a portable
folding table with a top made of 2 thickness of 3/4" plywood for my work
surface, an aircompressor and nail gun, a propane radiant heater, and a
full
set of studio tools.
I have an old toyota van with pretty much the same set up. Same saw
horses
and board, grinder, tools, compresser and nail gun, a few sheets of
plywood
for boardup, dremel tool, rebar ($50/bar added) and you can sell these all
day. Rebar needs to be tapered out on to a point on the edges with a
file.
use a dremel and a bur to drill a hole into the molding. bend the rebar
(gotta be zink) a little insert the points into the molding, straighten
the
rebar. I see a lot of rebar that isn't atached to the door. I'm sure you
have notice the way it tears up the outside came strands. Do it my way
and
then the slamming force is transfered to the door, instead of the outside
lead line. You are going to need a good iron like a 150W hexicon or
something like it to solder efectively on the rebar. You can take the
door
off it's pins if you want to solder both sides of the rebar, but usually I
just do the top side with the door standing.

On glass I aslo stock a few reeded glasses. Pilkington "rain" glass. If
you find you don't have it on the van, then start stocking it. I stock
about 20 glasses.

Do you know about "Tiger brand glassing cement?

Liam


Working off sawhorses got old about the second time I did it. I had a
custom made "door mover" made out of aluminium stock that clamps over the
door top and bottom. Attached to this jig is a pair of folding legs,
adjustable height. If I need to take a door off it's hinges and work on the
panel while still in the door, I use this.

Mostly, (95% of the time), I pull the panel from the door, and put it on my
worktable. I think it's 30" wide and 84" long, with some folding
adjustable height legs (from McMaster-Carr). I stiffened the plywood with
some steel angle iron rib down the middle of the underside of the table.
It's heavier than hell, but I have a good surface to work on, with "fences"
on one long side and one short side. I've been looking at those folding
banquet tables with the plastic top, but the work surface is only 29" tall.
I'm used to working on a panel at 38"-40". It's much easier on my low back.

I found a source for some 1/2" thick 4'x8' sheets of expanded PVC foam board
like sign makers use. It's way lighter than plywood, weatherproof, and
pretty impervious to almost everything. I'm working on a set of brackets
that will hang over the top of the door, hanging the PVC board over the
opening where the glass panel was, and fastening it in place with a set of
bolts, with a crossbar to fit across the inside of the opening, and some
wingnuts to hold the panel in place. Sort of a "one-size-fits-all"
board-up. Some of these high-end gated communities get their knickers
knotted if you put a piece of raw plywood in a door and carry the panel off
to the shop for repairs. Unless it is terribly cold, I don't bother
boarding up a panel if I'm working on it at the residence. Mostly, I just
throw a tarp over the top of the door, and close it.

I've never heard of "Tiger" brand cement. Tell me more.......? I've been
using the premixed DAP1012 because it seems to match the lead color and is
pretty easy to handle. The label says its' OK for Stained Glass use.

I like your idea of up-selling the re-bars. I take it that you are just
running them horizontally across the design, and not custom bending the zinc
to match the lead lines? Bending zinc to fit (even with a jig that I need
to send back to "somebody" on this board) it pretty much a trial and error
proposition and I don't do it unless I am held at gunpoint. ;) Maybe I
could sell your idea. Thanks.

I found a really handy little compressor at Harbor Freight....3/4hp with
115psi. I put it and a 25' retractable air hose and a nailer in a canvas
tool bag with wheels and a pull-behind handle. Toting a big old compressor
in and out of the van and strapping it down just got to be too much. I had
some cast-iron ring bolts fastened into the floor of the van and used a
ratchet tie-down to hold the compressor in place. It just took too much
time to get it in and out and was too heavy to be lugging it 150' or more
from the van to the customer's entryway.

Let me know if you want photos of any of this stuff..