what to do about a windsheild??

[mtduckhunter]

i need a windsheild for my boat and i cant find anything. i found some in cabelas. i dont have the money to have one custom made. ive herd of some bendable plexi glass or something like that? where can i find this?

 

[Mark42]

Re: what to do about a windsheild??

You didn't say what style of windshield you have, but here is how I made the windshield for my old classic....

http://shareaproject.com/pages/projectTut,p,68,00.html

 

[dodgeramsst2003]

Re: what to do about a windsheild??

all acrylic plexiglass is bendable if you heat it. depending on the size of your piece, you can heat it in the oven. (Make sure and cover everything with some foil or something if you cook in the same oven) you will need to get it to just the right temp, and pull it out with gloves, and bend it to shape. I've done it a couple of times in a manufacturing class I had in college. After all is said and done, you polish it, and it looks great. I can't remember the temp, but we were able to handle it with brown work gloves.

Chris

 

[SgtMaj]

Re: what to do about a windsheild??

all acrylic plexiglass is bendable if you heat it. depending on the size of your piece, you can heat it in the oven. (Make sure and cover everything with some foil or something if you cook in the same oven) you will need to get it to just the right temp, and pull it out with gloves, and bend it to shape. I've done it a couple of times in a manufacturing class I had in college. After all is said and done, you polish it, and it looks great. I can't remember the temp, but we were able to handle it with brown work gloves.

Chris

Depending upon how slow you want to bend it, it can be a fairly low temperature. The hotter it is, the faster it bends. Too hot and it'll melt though.

You can also have a glass shop do it for you.

 

[External Combustion]

Re: what to do about a windsheild??

With patience you can also use a propane torch or an ellectric heat gun to soften the plexiglass. Keep the heat source moving and feel the plastic with the gloved hand. Tarry in one spot too long and you will have some brown bubbles to look at for a long time.

I have not done a boat windshield, but I have done two motorcycle windshields, three stock trailer windshields and some lab equipment this way.

Oh yes, I have lost around a third of the attempts relearning how much heat to apply at one time. Still, it beat the price of a commercial shop doing the work for me.

 

[mtduckhunter]

Re: what to do about a windsheild??

its going on a single console boat

 

[SgtMaj]

Re: what to do about a windsheild??

Just FYI on the cost... and this may vary where you are, but a friend of mine had one custom made (cut and bent to shape, with edges rounded over), at a local shop for $40 about a year ago. Not too bad at all, really.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: what to do about a windsheild??

there is a post in here somewhere, about building you own windshield,

 

[flashback]

Re: what to do about a windsheild??

there is a post in here somewhere, about building you own windshield,

I think that originated from the fibreglassics website.. it was a few years ago..

 

[roofus]

Re: what to do about a windsheild??

I've got a 60's Glasspar and the windshield is like 1/2" thick plexiglass. Do they make 1/2 Lexan. I've used Lexan in a stock car and bent the vent portion of the winshield in a sheetmetal brake. That stuff is bullet proof.

Rob