Repair at a fraction and save cash, says Windscreen Technician

Jul 20, 2014 News

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A daunting experience was the key factor that drove Shayne Seebarran into a profession that only few have dared to embrace. He could have easily delved into a number of career paths; professional cricket being no exception, but this 22-year-old simply didn’t want others to endure an experience he did with little or no hope of finding highly-skilled intervention.

So it was actually understandable that Seebarran chose to become a Windscreen Technician. As simple as it sounds, this is perhaps one of the most intricate professions one could opt for. Getting a job done just right sees him becoming as meticulous as a surgeon, and word is he has gotten 100 per cent ‘rave reviews’ since he started about four months ago.
Already he has repaired more than 50 windscreens, with each giving him the satisfaction of doing something worthwhile for the society.
During a recent interview, he explained that while some people might be convinced replacing a windscreen is the best option, this at times can prove to create more damage than one can afford.
Moreover, he highlighted that not only will repairing your windscreen be done at a fraction of the cost of a new one, but it just might save you further expenses. In fact, he informed that some insurance companies today even provide coverage for windscreen repairs, making it even easier for motorists to access his relatively rare service.

A PASSION AROUSED

But what could have possibly happened to this young man to force him into this profession?
Of course he had gotten a chipped windscreen himself sometime ago. This was due to no fault of his, as according to Seebarran, he was driving along one day when a youth hurled a small stone in the direction of his car. It hit his windscreen.
The damage was easy to see, but Seebarran was not prepared to have his windscreen simply replaced. This was in spite of the fact that his father is Ray Seebarran, the owner of one of the country’s leading auto spares outlets – Ray’s One-Stop Auto Parts and Auto Sales.
“We didn’t want to take off the windscreen and put on a new one; we wanted to repair it,” said the young Seebarran as he recalled how tedious a task it was to find someone involved in windscreen repairs.
And it was in recognition of the fact that too many people were not involved in windscreen repairs, a proverbial ‘light bulb’ went off in the young man’s head. He decided to do some research on the subject and before long he was making arrangements to get training in Canada. “I had to purchase an entire windscreen kit, and along with that kit was offered a training course…” Seebarran said, as he remembered how the course was designed to teach him how to repair a variety of cracks and damage to windscreens.
Having completed his training in Canada, he was soon on his way back home ready to deliver his newly acquired expertise to those in need.
It wasn’t long after returning that he was registering ‘Clearview Windscreen Repair’, a business he currently operates out of his father’s 74 Sheriff Street, Campbellville, Georgetown location.
“Although I am under my dad’s wings, I had long decided that I wanted to be independent … I wanted to branch off a little bit on my own; so this is sort of independence for me.”

THE PROCESS
Among the categories of damaged windscreens that Seebarran has repaired are: star, cracks, bulls-eye, crater, horseshoe or a combination of these. Moreover, he can fix just about any damage that a windscreen can sustain, once it is not completely shattered.
For instance, if the windscreen of a common Toyota Premio sustains one of the aforementioned types of damage, it could cost as much as $100,000 to replace, depending on where it is procured from,  while a regular crack can be fixed with as little as $5,000, and an additional $500 to seal per inch.
Detailing the process, Seebarran said that before he applies his remedial touches the windscreen is first cleaned, both inside and out, after which a mirror is placed on the inside of the windscreen. This, according to him, is done so as to see both sides in order to ascertain the extent of the damage.
With a drill outfitted with the specified bit, he then proceeds to drill gently and clean all debris around the damaged area before compacting it with original Magnibond resin, using an injector.  But according to Seebarran this process entails three crucial stages.
He explained that first there is a Pressure Stage that requires the injection of the resin into the damaged area, and then there is an Air Stage where all the air is sucked out so that the maximum amount of resin remains intact.
Once the Air Stage is done properly the damage will become almost, if not completely, invisible, Seebarran noted.  “It is not always 100 per cent invisible but the majority of the time you might get 80 per cent invisibility and that is a lot better than seeing that horrible bulls-eye in front of you when you drive,” he stressed.
But this is not the end of the process, as according to Seebarran, after the two initial stages, the next step is to cap the damaged area before proceeding to cure it.
Curing is facilitated by a lamp which emits ultra violet rays unto the repaired area. This curing phase lasts approximately five to 10 minutes. Further curing will occur if the vehicle is parked in the sun, thereby catering to a near 100 per cent invisibility of the work done.
The life expectancy of a windscreen after repair could outlast the operational life of the vehicle on which it is outfitted, Seebarran theorised.
The former Bishops’ High School student, who already has a Diploma in Marketing from the University of Guyana and is currently pursuing a Degree at the Nations University, is prepared to lend his expertise to any and all persons in need. As such persons do not necessarily have to come to Seebarran to get windscreen repairs done, as according to him, “if you can’t come to me, I will come to you; no matter what’s the damage we will get the job done.” Contacting Shayne Seebarran is as simple as dialing 643-2739 or 672-4611.

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