Fair price to cut a curved laminated windshield

Ok i need some imput here. I have been cutting curved laminated glass with an old school glass cutter for myself & my customers with only a very few that i have cracked. Well it's been awhile since i have cut one and last week i cut 2 wrap arounds 1 front and 1 rear and cracked the front one . Well i know you can cut a windshield by sand blasting but also heard it takes alot of time and you still might crack it if you go to fast and if you know me that's not an option. I was talking to a big auto glass supplier and they mentioned how they cut bulk laminated glass. That got me thinking how could i do that myself and made myself a tool to do the job. At first it cut real crude but did the job and fairly fast. After a few tweaks and learing what it likes it now cuts clean and fairly fast . I had 2 old scrap wraparound windshield to pratice on so i cut them down in 3" at a time with no cracks and in less time than it normally takes me to cut 1 3" strip. I know one glass guy charges $500 min to cut them and have heard even more but since i can do it now fairly fast and with less of a chance of craking them what would be a fair price to charge to cut an wrap around windshield for a customer.

 

damn at 500 dollars a minute I hope it only takes 2 minutes at most haha....so whats your technique?

 

I call BS. If I discovered some secret method for cutting curved glass without cracking, I would

a) patent and protect it

b) advertise the service

c) or share how it's done

If you're a businessman, you know how much your time is worth. If you have some exclusive propriatory method for this, you should have an idea how much that's worth.

edit: I've done it on a '56 Caddy w/s by blasting, it cost $5 for a bag of white sand and an hour of my time. So, at that rate, $50 would be fair if anybody wants ME to do it, and there won't be any mystery.

 

He isn't going to tell his technique but if you do a search ( chopping a windshield ) here on the HAMB there are several good ways to do it. $500.plus the cost of the glass is a fair price. HAMB is good ! especially with mash potatoes and gravy.

 

Share your knowledge that someone shared with you. You won't be losing out on any profits as there are so many needing this done that you won't be able to do them all in 2 lifetimes, logistically it's impossible, and some will attempt it themselves.

 

I was charged $45.00 by an experienced glass shop to cut mine. For those in the business, it is just another glass cutting job. It is understood that if they crack it they are not responsible. Mine was cut without any break, so a fair deal for me and a profit for the shop.

 

Really? Is that true? IF I pay a glass company to cut my glass, and they take on the job and break it, they aren't responsible for it? Wow! The medical proefesson and all it's law suits is getting screwed then..

Is the glass business the only business that operates this way?

 

Reading is fundamnetal He appropriated the method.

 

Charge whatever your hourly shop rate is when building a car.

 

I have no idea what a fair price to cut curved glass is. I guess you should figure enough in to cover whatever breakage that may occur, you will eventually break one no doubt. Nothing is fool proof.

I personally prefer to use a lazer to cut them when I need to do it. It only cost me about a grand to set it up with plans I found on line. But the energy usage is so high hat every time I cut on the DEA shows up to try and find my basement garden.

Charge whatever you and your clientèle are comfortable with. You can't really charge more than the market will withstand. Well you can but you will have no market.

I have found this to be true believe it or not. Most glass places are not in the business of building custom cars and curved glass is considered to be iffy at best. Anyway they don't want to start carving on your 250+ windshield and risk loosing that cash on something that they are probably going to charge half that to do.

 

I DID read it, and what he said is that he'd tweaked the process, made his own cutter (whatever it is) based loosely on the cutter used to cut flat, production laminate, is now able to by some miracle, to quickly and risk free able to cut old curved windshields. Seems different enough to me that if it's real, it's something new and worth protecting. Obviously, since it's top secret, he wants to protect the process, and can't share this fabulous new trade secret.

I learned to do this myself, stumbled on sandblasting on my own, and did the windshield found to replace the one I had cut by a local glass shop which had cracked, and yes, they do charge for it, cracks or not. Rightly so. I know how much my time is worth, based on my hourly wage as an RN, how much it cost to buy a bag sand, so even tho I'm not a businessman, it's not too tough to figure how much it should cost to cut a w/s. A guy with the experience claimed can't figure a price to cut glass? Gimme a break...

 

Glass shops around here, that will tackle the project, Won't cut used glass unless they can't get new. If they do the job they charge by the hour. You pay for the broken glass.

Never had to pay for more than 3 new curved windows. They will keep cutting the first broken till it fits. It usually about the same if you use a used window.

 

I am going to take my Flat Windshield(s) for the '49 to a Waterjet Guy. I've heard that a Waterjet does the cutting
in no time. Curved Glass may be different.

Just my 2 cents in todays economy.

VR&C.

 

"I know one glass guy charges $500 min to cut them and have heard even more but since i can do it now fairly fast and with less of a chance of craking them what would be a fair price to charge to cut an wrap around windshield for a customer."


Charge $400 (or even the going rate of $500) and it's a win-win for you and the customer.

The customer pays less than the going rate with less chance of breakage, which = less frustration and cost of another windshield for him.

You make $ with less labor time and a better chance of a totally satisfied customer. If it takes you 10 minutes or all day, it doesn't matter. You're charging for the expertise, not T&M.

As far as sharing your trade secret, I say no. For example, if you found a quicker/easier way to hammer weld or finish grind welds, your not obligated to share it.

 

Hey Rick,

Damn good timing. I was looking at a 61 T Bird yesterday thinking to myself, Damn how could I cut the windshield on that baby. I might have to go back for another looksee.

 

I have had flat glass cut by water jet and it works great

 

There is never a problem cutting flat glass. seems like a $12 glass cutter is less overhead that $110,000 water jet.

there are alot of hidden problems with Curved Windshields and how they are made. some that look difficult are easy and some easy looking one can be very tricky.

I did a 4" chop on a 54 GMC in 20 minutes and have 20 hours in a 53 plymouth 4" chop. both windshields look the same.

 

Think about this! you cut up a good car without any thought of what it takes to finish it. you cut 2,3,4,5 inches out of the MIDDLE of your A pillar then cut it a couple more cuts to line up the pillars. you cut, weld, hammer and bondo to make it look cool.

then you take it to a glass shop to trim the top and bottom of a windshield. we can't take it out of the middle like you did. we can't weld or bondo it either.

the glass for that windshield is two pieces of flat glass that are cut to shape, then bent to pattern. then the two pieces are laminated together. this process causes one or both pieces to be stressed (no telling where till you cut it) and you feel the Glass Co. should be responsible for damage?

If I'm installing a windshield in a stock car and it breaks I'll eat it without question. Cutting curved glass is a crap shoot at best.
I never cut my windshield. you buy it before I start and if it breaks you can keep both pieces.

I've been cutting glass for 46 years and I still hold my breath everytime I cut a windshield. I've done several hundred. the first was a 56 Buick in 1966. no problem! matter of fact number 19 was my first loss. the quality of windshields (Old ones that are made in Argentina and China) are not the same as they were back in the day.

I don't care which method you use (they have all been covered many times) there is a risk that it wil break and usually on the last 1/4 inch dammit.
one more thing. I am a glass man, not a magician! and I can't cut a windshield without having the car in my shop. there are no tricks to make them fit. cut, fit. cut, fit...............Jim

 

Two years ago I bought a tempered flat door glass made to my pattern by the glass manufacturer for $60.00

$250.00 for the W/S Glass, $100.00 to hand cut it, $100.00 to install it, two weeks later it cracked for FREE.

 

post a tech showing how you made the tool and how you do it

Anyone dumb enough to agree to a $500 a minute labor charge has more money than brains and the person charging that is a crook. Oops, I dropped my tool and it rolled 5 feet away..there's another 30 seconds labor...ha

 

If you're in So Cal, how bout a HAMB discount!

 

Yes, Jerry, you know all the hassle it has taken me to get the windshield cut in the '53 Buick. I contacted numerous jobbers in the area and they all told me the same thing. They really don't want to cut curved glass! They all basically have the same policy. They are not responsible if it breaks. If it does break they will continue to cut it and use it as a template for any new windshields I acquired. Luckily Auto City Classic has new windshields for my car.
I did call a guy who advertises on the HAMB here, very respectable and has mentioned de does great work. He told me he charges $700-$800 to cut a windshield. He also told me that it would take 2-3 windshields before he was able to cut one without breaking. He mentioned that it was $500 to have a new windshield shipped to his shop. Out the door it was looking like it be $1700-$2200 to have my windshield cut. I understand that you have to pay to play but that seemed a little on the high side.
Now for what happened, I called a local jobber, Mr Windshield. He came to the garage, picked up the windshield, measured the chop and told me he would call me in a week or two. He also told me that he has never, ever cut a curved windshield without breaking it on the first try. I was looking at a minimum of 2 windshields. I resolved myself to the fact that it was going to cost more than I expected and I was ready to move on to getting this done. Well, 2 weeks goes buy and I get a call from Mr Windshield, telling me the unimaginable happened, he cut the windshield on the first try without breaking! He then came back the garage to put the glass in. Now it comes that I need to reshape the top middle of the roof as it doesn't quite match the curve in the middle of the windshield. He leaves the windshield at the garage and tells me to call him when I have the roof straightened out and he'll put the glass in. That was 2 months ago. I have yet to get a price from him for the cut. I still don't have the roofline straightened out. If you are in SE Pa and need glass cut I highly recommend them, real easy to deal with, they are mobile and will come to your place or wherever you project is. They deal with Hot Rods and Kustoms as part of their business. Feel free to PM me and I can give you their info.

 

MIN. = Minimum. I just guessing

 

see my avatar ! the solution is to use urethane and build it up to fill the gap. we are going to use a universal reveal moulding to replace the old rubber gasket.

you can only do this with the first cut or on your second windshield, the glass has to fit alot tighter in the opening.

i have some pictures in my "A friends 1953 Ford F-100" album

 

I always wondered about some oil additive you could put in your engine to un-wear out the rings and bearings and shrink a stretched timing chain. I called some companies and they said I should use their own particular magic products. I thought about it and came up with my own, improved formula. How much should I charge for a can? A motor job can cost $1,000 or more.

 

I've cut flat laminated glass for hot rods, tractors, earthmovers, UPS/semi/trash removal trucks, commercial storefront and doors, etc. - So I can cut laminated in my sleep.
But I tried cutting down a curved windshields for a '55 Chevy, once you get to the curved part of the glass, it might run on the cut or just go on its own. I don't care how good you are, there's no guarantee chopping a windshield is always going to be 100% successful.
I think many glass shops do what I did, grind the windshield down with a water injected belt grinder with a 40 grit belt. Of course with the heat involved in using a coarse grit grinding belt, you have to use plenty of water coming out of the injector. For the amount of glass removed (height X width) would be considered the time involved and would coincide with how much materials, such as how many belts had to be replaced to complete the task. Obviously you're paying more for the time (long process) than materials. There's always a possibility that the glass will crack or break.
These high prices people are asking isn't out of the question, it's a lot of work and sometimes can be stressful.

 

sounds like another look at what i can do thread, with no tech to follow it up. more free advertising.

 

what he said,windshields are cut from flat lami.they are then heated as in HOT,this changes the character of the glass making it alot more brittlewhich in turn making it alot more difficult to control the cut.

 

Theres no big magical seceret you can not find out on your own. Just contact a glass supplier and you will find this imfo out just like i did. Water Jet but the seceret is not spending $100k+ for the machine. For saftey reasons i will not tell you how i made mine as it is kind of scary dangerous to operate. Oh it still takes alot more time than some of you are dreaming about. First you need to apply a potective coating on booth sides of the glass so it does not get scratched then you have the set up time and after its cut you still need to finish sand the edges so if every thing goes smooth it still takes about 3hr. The only main advantage is a lesser chance of brakeage just like wet belt sanding just a whole lot faster.

 

Oh God, save us from ourselves. Buncha BS.