used parts

[imported_miked]

My boat is a 1963 Sea King, 16' vee hull runabout. I need a windshield. Can anyone tell me where I should look to find a used one? This is not a restoration, I just need one that will work.<br /> I hope I'm in the right forum.......<br /> Thanx,<br /> Mike

 

[Mark42]

Re: used parts

Mike,<br /><br />I have been looking for a good used windshield for my boat for the last few months with no success. It seems that your choices are buy a new one from Taylor Made if they still carry your style, or make it yourself. There are a few posts about making windshields here, just search for them.<br /><br />I did find a few boat salvage yards in the south that will sell the windshields, but it is hit and miss, you don't know the condition, and the prices were about $250 pluss shipping. I would rather spend the extra to buy a new one. <br /><br />I did some searches on bending plexiglass and found a lot of info on the web. If you have a good heat gun, you can easily bend the plexy. But to make a windshield with bends in two directions, you will need an oven and a form. I plan on trying to make one that is flat, and wrap around on the sides. Does not look too hard. I can use the old windshield's bottom as a template on how to cut the new one. But until I have time to do this, I will have to live with my windshield and all its stress cracks for a while. <br /><br />Let me know how your search goes.<br /><br />Mark.

 

[petrolhead]

Re: used parts

If you use polycarbonate you can bend it cold, it's tough too, more scratch resistant than acrylic and won't shatter. There's a good article on the Glen-L website about making a wraparound screen from scratch <br /><http://www.glen-l.com/weblettr/webletters-5/wl43-windshield1.html> <br />if you have frames already it would be simple.

 

[Paul Moir]

Re: used parts

If you want to make a plexiglass one, go here and check under "HowTo".<br /><br />Petrolhead - I thought acrylics (plexiglas) was more scratch resistant than polycarbonate (lexan)??? That is acrylic's big advantage isn't it? Polycarbonate is more impact resistant though.

 

[imported_miked]

Re: used parts

Thanx alot guys! I will check out those links.<br />Happy boating! Mike

 

[Mark42]

Re: used parts

Wow! That bent windshield for the Ski-tow came out really nice. I wonder how rigid it is being made of 1/8 material. This one is worth trying.<br /><br />Mark.

 

[petrolhead]

Re: used parts

I thought acrylics (plexiglas) was more scratch resistant than polycarbonate (lexan)???<br /><br />I use a lot of acrylic in my work and I find it's not very scratch resistant, actually there may not be much difference between it and the polycarbonate in that respect but the polycarbonate is much tougher and makes better windshield material. It also doesn't develop stress cracks and crazing like acrylic does, and shouldn't go cloudy with age as cheaper extruded acrylics can.<br />As for Mark's concerns about rigidity, once the windshield is bent into a curve it becomes quite rigid, you could always use a thicker sheet of course but that would make bending more difficult.<br />BTW, if you want to use acrylic for windows and especially for moulded windshields, always be sure to buy CAST acrylic not extruded, it's more expensive but the quality is higher and it molds better.

 

[imported_miked]

Re: used parts

Wow! I sure appreciate all the replies. I agree with mark42, the ski tow windshield looks great, and like something I could handle. I never would have thought of bending the acrylic/polycarb cold!<br /> Thanx alot guys,<br /> Mike

 

[petrolhead]

Re: used parts

<I never would have thought of bending the acrylic/polycarb cold!><br /><br />Don't think of bending acrylic cold! It will either snap or stress cracks/crazing will appear later on, you can only cold bend the polycarbonate.<br />BTW, I'm making a windshield and used the idea of polished aluminium channel for edging the glazing, I looked around though and found a J section extrusion, cut the long leg off the J with a bandsaw and you're left with a rounded U section which looks much better than a square section.<br />Also you don't need to use oxy-acetylene to anneal the ally as shown in the article, you can do it with an ordinary propane torch. Just rub on some soap (plain bar soap from the bathroom) and heat evenly until it turns black, must be black not brown, it bends very easily afterwards.

 

[Mark42]

Re: used parts

Just an FYI on my experience with Lexan: I had built a kit car that used 1/4" Lexan for side windows that rolled up & down. I installed the standard rubber water/dirt seal both inside and outside the window. They were tight against the window. After about 8 years of light use, the lexan never showed a scratch from rubbing against those seals. Dirt and dust would build up on them and the car was washed just like any car. It did not get special treatment. I was impressed how well the lexan held up. <br /><br />Mark.

 

[Franki]

Re: used parts

I dont know what lexan is, but I have a polycarb screen that I made for my boat with a friend of mine that does skylights and such for companies.. (they are called sunlight, and do some pretty cool intricate stuff with it.)<br /><br />I found the polycarb was very easy to cold fold and very strong, it looked fantastic for the first month..<br /><br />After that it started to haze.. nowdays I have to cut and polish it in order to be able to see out of it.... (I tried all manner of stuff from suggestions I had that included brasso, toothpaste etc, and none were as effective as a light buff with cut and polish.. everything scratches the darn thing.. I started keeping a sheet over it in an effort to stop it, but the sheet scratched it also.. (millions of tiny scratches that make it almost opaque.)<br /><br />I wish I'd spent the time and made one out of acrylic or even better, glass,, because you can buff scratches out of acrylic (but not glazing unfortunatly, but I suspect that acrylic glazing would happen long after polycarb looked bad).<br /><br />rgds<br /><br />Franki

 

[JoeW]

Re: used parts

I just saw some windsheilds on a site posted on another thread. It's KV Enterprises