View From The Trenches

Some celebrated the Easter season with eggs and marshmallow Peeps. I did something different—I purchased a new toolbox for my work truck.

What’s so special about getting a new toolbox, some will ask? If you’re a mobile, transferring your tools into their new home is certainly a stroll down Memory Lane.

To a van user or a brick and mortar installer, tools boxes can last a long time. In my case, I drive a pickup with a “sport” utility bed; my toolbox is exposed every day to the elements and to real abuse. As in many things these days, “they don’t make things like they used to.” The one I am replacing was bought more than four years ago and it looks and acts a decade older. At this point in time, the main reason for this acquisition is the box’s inability to close and lock. The lower drawers don’t slide in correctly. It is no longer “square” from bouncing around mountain freeways secured by the tailgate corner and by being dragged daily five to eight times a days onto my gate so I can open and access it. At least I’m getting the chance to transfer my tools and gear into a new home; I’ve had toolboxes stolen off my truck twice in my 26-plus years.

I’ll save those stories for other times, but I do want to share with you all the positive emotions you sometimes get when getting a new home for your ‘lil’ buddies.

For the record, I buy a Snap-On top box that has five rows of drawers (one deep) and space for a removable tray on top.

One thing a new toolbox gives you is the chance to re-organize your work environment. For me, I need these times. Day after day, weeks turning into months and years, you acquire tools that reflect the changing technology of auto glass. Decisions need to be made about location and availability making the box purchase, just an initial step of the process. I’ve had ideas percolating ever since about just where everything is going to go and on what level in my box. By the way, I am not Mr. Organization; just ask my wife.

The portable tray on top is the obvious place for my most commonly used daily tools. Four cold knives with different length blades reside there. I possess two Super Scrapers for the same reason—I hate to switch blade widths. A pair of small but very hardy needle-nosed pliers resides in my tray solely for the purpose of grabbing the ends of mouding for removal purposes.

Prybaby moulding tools are something fairly new for me, but they have found their way into my tray. I use at least two or three of them every day generally somewhere on every job.

Panel popper tools are my addiction. I bet I own close to 15 of them. If one of the tool companies comes out with a new one, I have to have it. Long ones, short ones, wide mouth as well as narrow with any head configuration in between. Ever since Snap-on came out with its narrow headed tool, that has become the one of choice for me. I also love the ergonomic handle as well. I have the rest of my collection spread amongst all five drawers. A reunion of sorts is planned; in fact a new “wing” in my box will be dedicated to the various panel removal tools I own.

Technology has caused some tools to have a significantly diminished role for today’s install. Two come to mind instantaneously: my hook tool and my triangle-headed clip tool. Both still have their daily uses, but no longer does work come to a halt if the tool is misplaced or lost.

Finding those salvaged clips or remnants that often make you clutch victory from the jaws of defeat can be a voyage of discovery. I am talking about ball bearings from Lexus mirror assemblies; clips recovered from trashed cowls and of course screws and other types of connectors that we come across on a daily basis. I have had a few cardboard boxes that contained these items, but over the years the trays themselves have become collection areas for such hardware. I have purchased some Tupperware® containers that will fit inside my bottom deep drawer that should fulfill that duty over time.

These days the mobile installers I see rarely have much in tools. In fact, you can almost judge the quality of the installer by the size or even the manner in which he transports his tools. I sincerely question the quality of the tech that arrives with only a bucket for a tool carrier with no other back-up box. I see all too many installers that have a small toolbox and no provision for storage. It seems that many of these same guys use ‘thane or nothing to re-secure cowls, side mouldings or door panels. It just speaks volumes about the state of this craft and it just saddens me.

For me it’s new beginnings and that is what Spring is all about. I should be able to find things again for probably a week and after that I suppose I will slide back into laziness and impatience to pack things up. However, the Peter Piper Panel Popper Patio will live on.

Some celebrated the Easter season with eggs and marshmallow Peeps. I did something different—I purchased a new toolbox for my work truck.

What’s so special about getting a new toolbox, some will ask? If you’re a mobile, transferring your tools into their new home is certainly a stroll down Memory Lane.

To a van user or a brick and mortar installer, tools boxes can last a long time. In my case, I drive a pickup with a “sport” utility bed; my toolbox is exposed every day to the elements and to real abuse. As in many things these days, “they don’t make things like they used to.” The one I am replacing was bought more than four years ago and it looks and acts a decade older. At this point in time, the main reason for this acquisition is the box’s inability to close and lock. The lower drawers don’t slide in correctly. It is no longer “square” from bouncing around mountain freeways secured by the tailgate corner and by being dragged daily five to eight times a days onto my gate so I can open and access it. At least I’m getting the chance to transfer my tools and gear into a new home; I’ve had toolboxes stolen off my truck twice in my 26-plus years.

I’ll save those stories for other times, but I do want to share with you all the positive emotions you sometimes get when getting a new home for your ‘lil’ buddies.

For the record, I buy a Snap-On top box that has five rows of drawers (one deep) and space for a removable tray on top.

One thing a new toolbox gives you is the chance to re-organize your work environment. For me, I need these times. Day after day, weeks turning into months and years, you acquire tools that reflect the changing technology of auto glass. Decisions need to be made about location and availability making the box purchase, just an initial step of the process. I’ve had ideas percolating ever since about just where everything is going to go and on what level in my box. By the way, I am not Mr. Organization; just ask my wife.

The portable tray on top is the obvious place for my most commonly used daily tools. Four cold knives with different length blades reside there. I possess two Super Scrapers for the same reason—I hate to switch blade widths. A pair of small but very hardy needle-nosed pliers resides in my tray solely for the purpose of grabbing the ends of mouding for removal purposes.

Prybaby moulding tools are something fairly new for me, but they have found their way into my tray. I use at least two or three of them every day generally somewhere on every job.

Panel popper tools are my addiction. I bet I own close to 15 of them. If one of the tool companies comes out with a new one, I have to have it. Long ones, short ones, wide mouth as well as narrow with any head configuration in between. Ever since Snap-on came out with its narrow headed tool, that has become the one of choice for me. I also love the ergonomic handle as well. I have the rest of my collection spread amongst all five drawers. A reunion of sorts is planned; in fact a new “wing” in my box will be dedicated to the various panel removal tools I own.

Technology has caused some tools to have a significantly diminished role for today’s install. Two come to mind instantaneously: my hook tool and my triangle-headed clip tool. Both still have their daily uses, but no longer does work come to a halt if the tool is misplaced or lost.

Finding those salvaged clips or remnants that often make you clutch victory from the jaws of defeat can be a voyage of discovery. I am talking about ball bearings from Lexus mirror assemblies; clips recovered from trashed cowls and of course screws and other types of connectors that we come across on a daily basis. I have had a few cardboard boxes that contained these items, but over the years the trays themselves have become collection areas for such hardware. I have purchased some Tupperware® containers that will fit inside my bottom deep drawer that should fulfill that duty over time.

These days the mobile installers I see rarely have much in tools. In fact, you can almost judge the quality of the installer by the size or even the manner in which he transports his tools. I sincerely question the quality of the tech that arrives with only a bucket for a tool carrier with no other back-up box. I see all too many installers that have a small toolbox and no provision for storage. It seems that many of these same guys use ‘thane or nothing to re-secure cowls, side mouldings or door panels. It just speaks volumes about the state of this craft and it just saddens me.

For me it’s new beginnings and that is what Spring is all about. I should be able to find things again for probably a week and after that I suppose I will slide back into laziness and impatience to pack things up. However, the Peter Piper Panel Popper Patio will live on.

Some celebrated the Easter season with eggs and marshmallow Peeps. I did something different—I purchased a new toolbox for my work truck.

What’s so special about getting a new toolbox, some will ask? If you’re a mobile, transferring your tools into their new home is certainly a stroll down Memory Lane.

To a van user or a brick and mortar installer, tools boxes can last a long time. In my case, I drive a pickup with a “sport” utility bed; my toolbox is exposed every day to the elements and to real abuse. As in many things these days, “they don’t make things like they used to.” The one I am replacing was bought more than four years ago and it looks and acts a decade older. At this point in time, the main reason for this acquisition is the box’s inability to close and lock. The lower drawers don’t slide in correctly. It is no longer “square” from bouncing around mountain freeways secured by the tailgate corner and by being dragged daily five to eight times a days onto my gate so I can open and access it. At least I’m getting the chance to transfer my tools and gear into a new home; I’ve had toolboxes stolen off my truck twice in my 26-plus years.

I’ll save those stories for other times, but I do want to share with you all the positive emotions you sometimes get when getting a new home for your ‘lil’ buddies.

For the record, I buy a Snap-On top box that has five rows of drawers (one deep) and space for a removable tray on top.

One thing a new toolbox gives you is the chance to re-organize your work environment. For me, I need these times. Day after day, weeks turning into months and years, you acquire tools that reflect the changing technology of auto glass. Decisions need to be made about location and availability making the box purchase, just an initial step of the process. I’ve had ideas percolating ever since about just where everything is going to go and on what level in my box. By the way, I am not Mr. Organization; just ask my wife.

The portable tray on top is the obvious place for my most commonly used daily tools. Four cold knives with different length blades reside there. I possess two Super Scrapers for the same reason—I hate to switch blade widths. A pair of small but very hardy needle-nosed pliers resides in my tray solely for the purpose of grabbing the ends of mouding for removal purposes.

Prybaby moulding tools are something fairly new for me, but they have found their way into my tray. I use at least two or three of them every day generally somewhere on every job.

Panel popper tools are my addiction. I bet I own close to 15 of them. If one of the tool companies comes out with a new one, I have to have it. Long ones, short ones, wide mouth as well as narrow with any head configuration in between. Ever since Snap-on came out with its narrow headed tool, that has become the one of choice for me. I also love the ergonomic handle as well. I have the rest of my collection spread amongst all five drawers. A reunion of sorts is planned; in fact a new “wing” in my box will be dedicated to the various panel removal tools I own.

Technology has caused some tools to have a significantly diminished role for today’s install. Two come to mind instantaneously: my hook tool and my triangle-headed clip tool. Both still have their daily uses, but no longer does work come to a halt if the tool is misplaced or lost.

Finding those salvaged clips or remnants that often make you clutch victory from the jaws of defeat can be a voyage of discovery. I am talking about ball bearings from Lexus mirror assemblies; clips recovered from trashed cowls and of course screws and other types of connectors that we come across on a daily basis. I have had a few cardboard boxes that contained these items, but over the years the trays themselves have become collection areas for such hardware. I have purchased some Tupperware® containers that will fit inside my bottom deep drawer that should fulfill that duty over time.

These days the mobile installers I see rarely have much in tools. In fact, you can almost judge the quality of the installer by the size or even the manner in which he transports his tools. I sincerely question the quality of the tech that arrives with only a bucket for a tool carrier with no other back-up box. I see all too many installers that have a small toolbox and no provision for storage. It seems that many of these same guys use ‘thane or nothing to re-secure cowls, side mouldings or door panels. It just speaks volumes about the state of this craft and it just saddens me.

For me it’s new beginnings and that is what Spring is all about. I should be able to find things again for probably a week and after that I suppose I will slide back into laziness and impatience to pack things up. However, the Peter Piper Panel Popper Patio will live on.

By the way, Got Peeps?

If you start to assess blame for the spiraling downward direction that our auto glass industry seems to be mired in, you really have to look to the behavior and corporate actions of the distributing sector of our industry to see both the cause and effect of this mindless behavior. It could be described as one of the best examples of the “chicken or the egg” theory of poor business practices. Who is more responsible for the collapse of the wholesale market? Is it retailers with their price demands or distributors trying to sell product?

From this vantage point, there is no way distributors can escape blame for their shortsighted behavior. If the retailers are labeled price addicts, the wholesalers are the pushers and enablers of this addiction. In many ways the glass distributors have lost or ceded control of their market to others and that in itself has caused chaos throughout.

In many cases, distributors are located between a rock and a hard place. On one side are the manufacturers who are pushing product, volume and placement. Open markets have allowed a plethora of third-world nations to import great numbers of auto glass into this country either under their own labels or under sub-contract with our domestic manufacturers. In order to market this oversupply of product, every distributor in America has resorted to an “I can sell it cheaper” mentality that every retailer gleefully demands and understands. Take those diminished margins and add increased operating expenses due to fuel and human resources, and many distributors have dug themselves as deep a hole as many auto glass shops are in today. To them I say, “Welcome to the Titanic, boys—the lifeboats left an hour ago.”

Looking at this mess, I’m not sure how it is going to be resolved. Many of these problems are systematic, making solutions far more difficult. There is an oversupply of auto glass and it is getting worse generally due to the lack of trade barriers. Manufacturers that franchise installation firms and installation companies that manufacture glass operate their own separate distribution companies act to blur formerly distinct lines of market demarcation.

In order to survive, distributors have resorted to the “law of the lowest common denominator,” which is: Sell to whomever you can for whatever you can.

Pricing methods have just collapsed. I remember a time when NAGS was the only list that existed and there were no net prices. (Ah, the good old days!) At one time, a company had to “earn” their discounts off that list either through sales volume, stability or time in business and usually it was a combination of all three criteria. Personally, I used to respect the fact that a chain or even a dual-point store could buy at a lower discount rate than I. Today it seems anyone that shows up at a warehouse that possesses a business or re-sale license can buy a windshield usually at the same price as I or most others can. Those same people go in and out of business at such a dazzling rate usually due to ignoring basic economic laws of profit and return, which weaken us all.

To compound their miscues, distributors now sell direct to car dealerships, body shops, wrecking yards and auto body part suppliers. Is Wal-Mart next? I bet I could name one firm that is currently searching for branding that would eagerly link up with that national retailer. In short, the distributors damage their core customer base by trying to extend theirs.

I also think it is fair to blame many distributors in aiding the decline in quality installations for their indiscriminate sales to gypsy companies although I agree totally that it is not their job or even within their ability to determine the proficiency of their customers. If states ever make installation certifications mandatory to get glass resale licenses, that may be the start of erecting some obstacles to our all to easy entry industry.

It’s easy to point fingers. The hard part is changing the dynamic to one that is profitable and equitable to all. One has to be willing to change and that my friends, is the rub. Whether the chicken came first or the egg is not so much the question, it is killing the goose that is more my concern.

One of Isaac Newton’s basic laws was “Every action has an opposite and equal reaction.” You could corrupt that scientific fact into “What goes around comes around.” Today we have another phrase for it and it involves a “law” named for Murphy.

The month of February ended up to be a fairly busy month of work for me. Despite having some foul weather, most of the work went fairly smooth and uneventful. There were many times I ended up walking my two dogs close to 8 p.m. and, trust me, the lack of energy and enthusiasm was very apparent.

This first part of March has been a different story. I’m proud of having 100 percent Irish ancestry but I hate it when Murphy’s Law seems to be invoked on a daily basis. With St. Patrick’s Day being celebrated this month, I would like to have passed on being awarded such diligent adherence to this rule of misfortune.

It actually started on Leap Year—Friday, February 29. (Is this really a day?) I was informed I needed to install a quarter glass on a 350Z at a dealership. I drove down and noticed right away that the car had an aftermarket tint and the new glass didn’t. I had a busy schedule and told them to drop off the glass and a tint sample to a tint shop and I’d pick it up late and install it as my last job. Around 5 p.m., I barely picked up the quarter before the tint shop closed and pulled into the dealership. I quickly removed the closest five screws that attach a painted moulding that starts just above the quarter glass and extends over the door and forms the post windshield moulding as well. I had the intent of getting an inch or so clearance needed to install the quarter glass. When I went to release a hidden plastic clip that is at the top end of the post moulding by prying it up, the entire corner of the moulding cracked. Suddenly, I owned a $250 part and despite the fact that somebody had broken the clip previously and urethaned the entire corner down, paying for the replacement was my responsibility. A good month and a smooth month quickly evaporated in its last hours. It was a portent of events to occur.

By the way, we all know stuff happens. You can’t get away from cold knife blades breaking while pulling and its effects upon nearby paint. I really try to keep that sort of stuff from happening. Buying an Equalizer tool in the late 1980s has saved more than a few dashboards from the negative contact by a long utility knife blade. I will admit my worse boo-boo occurred three years ago during a removal of a Nissan Maxima sky roof during a recall campaign, of which I have done at least a hundred if not more. I used a cold knife to remove them, but failed to notice that the cloth cover hiding the zipper on my shorts had folded over and every time I leaned over the open four doors to pull, I scratched the paint above them. Cha ching!! That was a painful $1,800 lesson in uniform wear. You can buy numerous aprons for that (and should have and now do). My philosophy is: admit it and pay for it. Mistakes or boo-boos for me are about a once-a-year sort of occurrence. You really hate to see it happen, but it just does no matter how careful you try to be. You can’t blindside your clients either. Honesty pays off.

Breaking the moulding was an eventful start of March. It seemed to unleash a torrent of misadventures and mishaps. This past week I have suffered through many wrong glass orders. Some were by VIN and the dealer could not accurately order a Highlander windshield that contained heated grids. A 98 Montero windshield is nowhere the size or shape of a Montero Sport one, and the customer could have been more specific or I more inquisitive. In my book, the driver’s side is left. If you are talking to a dyslexic client, it could be anything but, and this past week, I had at least one that mistakenly thought her driver’s side glass was broken. (It would have been if this were England.)

Thursday, March 6, ended up to be a sort of nadir of sorts, I hope. A cosmic day of clumsy convergence that I hope is never equaled.

It started with the news that I had removed the wrong side of a Honda Odyssey sliding door glass on the previous day, despite the fact the lead body man of this repaint had helped hold the glass while I completed wiring the piece out. Boy, I’ve never done that before! However, it sort of worked out because more peeling paint was found under the part that I exposed. Still I had to delay the start of my day to immediately go and pull the correct side out. I had five other pieces of glass to pull and much of it exposed edge. After 90 minutes, I was fairly worn out. On my way out of the shop, I was stopped and reminded of a Porsche 911 shield they wanted in later that day.

I had two other windshields on my to-do list; one of them was the 2007 Highlander shield that had been postponed due to being ordered incorrectly. The customer resided in an apartment complex that had carports. Temps have been in the 70s this week (sorry, you northern latitude readers) My dog Peabody was roasting in the car so having three spaces available for the install, I hooked his leash reel up away from my windshield stand and went to work. Midway through the job, I looked up and saw a tenant get into her car two spaces down. It took about 5 seconds to think to check on the whereabouts of my Shitzhu. I looked over my toolbox and to my horror; he was under the wheels of this Ford Taurus that was about to back up. Forty years ago I could run the 100-yard dash in less than 10 seconds; I may have beaten that time proportionally in covering the distance to his leash. I screamed to the lady about the same time I made contact with his reel and pulled him away from danger by milliseconds. I could not help thinking how responsible I would have been and how close it was for this little guy of mine. Peabody had no clue that Irish eyes were smiling on him in those moments. While sick with potential guilt, I had to remind myself that I got real lucky in those moments. With that said, it was time again to return to the dark side.

The day ended back over at the body shop. I dislike doing Porsches 911s (FW2032). The perimeter moulding is a real pain to install and the procedure to plug in the antenna lead by having to remove the top half of the dash for access is neither a joyous nor appreciated one.
Now this install is sort of a cost-plus type of deal. I’m doing this one as a service to the estimator. The customer needed a bumper repair done and was going out of town for a week. I’m making a money on the job but I always worry about liability, fit and finish when it comes to high-end cars.

The Sigla windshields come encapsulated and also have a bonded perimeter female retainer that will hold a dealer-purchased seal, which mimics the look of the old-style gasket set. I always install the seal first because:

A) It’s a hassle;
B) You can actually break the new shield by putting too much pressure on it while sitting the new moulding in the retaining channel; and
C) If it doesn’t look right, you are not committed by touching the old glass.

My body shop account is one that sits on the back lot of a car dealership. It recently picked up additional accounts from both Audi and Porsche stores. It consists of four fairly low buildings; the repair section is sort of a corral of three garage-style structures with common parking area. I drove in and saw the Porsche with the bumper off and due to various number of cars being worked on, I end up setting up my stand literally in the middle of the lot and proceeded to try to convince myself to walk away from this job.

This faux perimeter rubber is not fun to install on the glass. It’s very simple if you have vise grips for thumbs; otherwise it is an exercise in frustration and triumph is measured in inches, not feet.

I’m 6’2” and about 215 pounds. I used to rock-climb and still am fairly active. I doubt I’ll ever be mistaken for a concert pianist. I finished that job more than 96 hrs ago and as I type this my thumbs tips are still numb. Lubricants really don’t help. I’ve tried water and it is of minimal use. Obviously silicon spray can’t be used anywhere near auto paint or urethane applications. I figure that I spent almost an hour, certainly 45 minutes of time, pushing the seal into the retainer and feeling it lock. There also is a sort of an artistry to it because you can’t pull too much or you will be left with excess and by not putting a little pulling pressure, you may be left with corners wanting to roll.

I finished the moulding install and was both in pain and mentally fried. I had to walk over three cars and view the Porsche. It was buried and I had no desire to jump-start or push a minimum two vehicles to get to it. I grabbed a few cable knives and a protector pad and headed to the passenger side. I saw the reason for the replacement. Two fairly large stone breaks and hundreds of pits on this 11-year-old car. Removal of the 2032 is fairly easy and straightforward and it was out in no time. I left the old antenna lead connected making it easier to find after installing. I did the usual scraping, priming and then installed the new glass. As I was making small adjustments of the moulding to the body, my day, my month and perhaps my year came crashing down when the body shop manager then walked up and asked me quite seriously “What are you doing to this car? There is no windshield replacement scheduled.” He had kidded me extensively about the wrong Odyssey pull so I first took it as more teasing. However, as my eyes met his, I saw that his gaze was not transmitting humor. Yes, my friends, it turned out there were two 1997 911’s having bumper repair work done at the shop and batting .500 is not considered a good enough average for this type of work. I couldn’t have picked an 847 to give away for free. This was the first time in almost 28 years that I installed a windshield in a wrong car and I spared no expense in doing so.

Would ye be thinking I could have been a wee more luckier this early in my cultural heritage month?

In this weekly blog, I have made it a point to try to be conscientious forthright and to be above all … honest. I don’t profess perfection as you may well guess for the tales just told. We all are human and we all make mistakes. The best thing about making mistakes is trying not to repeat them. I have to pay for mine, unlike many. You can bet the farm that I won’t be repeating that “little” error anytime soon. Meanwhile it is my strongest hope as I start this week that my search in finding a four-leaf clover will turn out to be the quickest antidote to get Newton’s pendulum of good luck to swing back my way. It’s either that or perhaps just stay in bed.