Has anyone made Lexan copies of their original door glass? I need this for my Sebring project and can't find anyone in the Cincinnati area to do it. Thanks.
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Lexan windows?
- Thread starter Series3Scott
- Start date
gordonra
Donation Time
Hi Scott,
I'd be very concerned about Lexan (or any of the similar products) for this application because they are not very scratch resistant.
Airplanes typically use polycarbonate or acrylic windows, but they don't roll up and down. They also usually use a special cleaner to help reduce the visible impairities of scratches.
It's your choice of couse.
Rich
I'd be very concerned about Lexan (or any of the similar products) for this application because they are not very scratch resistant.
Airplanes typically use polycarbonate or acrylic windows, but they don't roll up and down. They also usually use a special cleaner to help reduce the visible impairities of scratches.
It's your choice of couse.
Rich
Chuck Ingram
Donation Time
Scott
The Lexan side windows are not hard to make.Just use the glass as a template.You can cut with a power saw.If you reverse the blade the cut will be cleaner.I did not bother as I sanded and polished all the edges I used an 80 tooth carbide blade
In my Lister I have Lexan side windows.They however do not quite match a regular Sunbeam window.In my case they also needed a curve.This was accomplished by using the 5000 watt shop lights for heat over a carved blue foam insualtion panel.Over time though they have lost the curve.Yes my channels are curved.As to scratches which it does I use the mild Megura cleaner with a finish pad instead of a cutting pad.Takes a few minutes but they do come back.This only works on the sort of dulling scratches..
Rich, thanks. I've been warned about scratches but also understand Lexan is our best choice for sustaining vibrations and the closing of the door without developing cracks. A trade-off for sure but Lexan sees to be the strongest of the available choices. I'm certainly open to feedback and opinions.
socorob
Donation Time
Lexan is a brand name of polycarbonate. I was at a SABIC plastic place yesterday (I think lexan is their name for polycarbonate). I called another place and went to SABIC to get a sheet of ABS, I cant remember which one, but they said they have 2 grades of polycarbonate. One is a scratch resistant.
gordonra
Donation Time
Fighter jet canopies are made of acrylic sheeting and as you can imagine, are very expensive to produce. Any scratch or imperfection has to be polished out, and if in certain critical area can be rejected because of distortion in the field of view.
To repair the scratches, they tape off a rectangular area an inch or so larger than the scratch. They sand the area with a soft pad with progressively finer paper each grade of abrasive is used in one direction. Each successive grade is sanded at approximately 30 degrees to the previous so you can tell when the scratches are removed. The canopy is washed between grades of abrasive to remove contaminates.
Do not sand to the edges of the taped off area. This provides a feathering of the repair area. When you get to 3000 grit. You can use a polishing compound, final wash, and inspect.
If you did everything correctly, you'll be able to identify that MIG and take appropriate action.
To repair the scratches, they tape off a rectangular area an inch or so larger than the scratch. They sand the area with a soft pad with progressively finer paper each grade of abrasive is used in one direction. Each successive grade is sanded at approximately 30 degrees to the previous so you can tell when the scratches are removed. The canopy is washed between grades of abrasive to remove contaminates.
Do not sand to the edges of the taped off area. This provides a feathering of the repair area. When you get to 3000 grit. You can use a polishing compound, final wash, and inspect.
If you did everything correctly, you'll be able to identify that MIG and take appropriate action.
socorob
Donation Time
Actually most plane windows are made from polycarbonate as acrylic shatters when something hits it. Acrylic can have scratches polished out of it fairly easily but poly is much harder to get scratches out of.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/14199629
Now where can we get some aerospace grade poly? Check out this YouTube video on the strength differences.
http://youtu.be/Hsls5ZPCUnE
http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/14199629
Now where can we get some aerospace grade poly? Check out this YouTube video on the strength differences.
http://youtu.be/Hsls5ZPCUnE
Nickodell
Donation Time
Off-subject, but this reminds me of a famous event some years ago. British Rail were trying to establish whether the driver's windshield on their new InterCity 125 trains (125 was the cruising speed on straight, level track) could withstand the impact of hitting a large bird. Someone contacted the US Air Force to ask if they could lend BR the special gun that they used for this purpose when testing their aircraft. The Yanks said "sure," and shipped the device to the BR test plant.
When the rail engineers fired a full-size chicken at the windshield at 130mph, it not only blew through the windshield, but also the driver's seat back (unoccupied!) and made a big dent in the compartment wall behind it. Mystified, they asked the Americans for help, giving full details of the test and noting that the windshield, made of tempered glass some 1/2" thick, had been designed to withstand a large bird like this at up to 160mph. The Yanks replied:
"Thaw the chicken first."
When the rail engineers fired a full-size chicken at the windshield at 130mph, it not only blew through the windshield, but also the driver's seat back (unoccupied!) and made a big dent in the compartment wall behind it. Mystified, they asked the Americans for help, giving full details of the test and noting that the windshield, made of tempered glass some 1/2" thick, had been designed to withstand a large bird like this at up to 160mph. The Yanks replied:
"Thaw the chicken first."