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TOPIC: windscreen material

windscreen material 13 years 10 months ago #10119

  • tyeechaser
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Found some acrylic material for the windows on my Dorsett Monterey. Cost $40 at the local "Jerry's" (like home depot) in Eugene, Oregon. I bought 1/8 inch. Tried several methods of "cutting" and finally settled on an angle grinder with a very thin grinding wheel. Acutally melts the product rather than cutting but very easy to follow the cut lines if you go slow and carefully. Deburring is simple and the product has protective plastic wrap on both sides. I actually bent the material around the old windows to capture the pattern. Very flexible. I did, however, break one piece when I let is fall over the cutting table and the weight of the material snapped it in two. No problem if I kept most of the weight supported by the work table. Says it has a 10 yr sun life. Hope I do! Mike
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Re:windscreen material 13 years 10 months ago #10120

A band saw with a fine tooth, metal cutting blade cuts through it like butter and leaves a fairly clean edge.

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Re:windscreen material 13 years 10 months ago #10121

  • MarkS
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Mike,
Neat stuff. I think if a person had a band saw, (I don't), you could use a fine tooth blade and it may work on that stuff. I bought a .188" thick piece for the center windshield door on my Starflite and promptly broke the first piece trying to use the "score and snap" method recommended by the store salesperson. Ended up using a grinder and cut-off disc as you described. (Kinda messy, but it gets the job done!)

I think you could use a heat gun to permanently set in a concave to the piece, you'd just have to be careful not to melt it while doing so. Probably would want to remove the protective layers prior to doing this, or you may never get it off.

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Mark

Re:windscreen material 13 years 10 months ago #10138

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Hell, I use a table saw and have cut 100's of feet worth with out a problem and 1/4" too.
It's lookin good no matter how it was cut. I know If a person tried to use a jig saw it would melt back on it self behind the blade.
10 year no sun damage is pretty good. My opinion though is store it out of the sun expecially those hot summer day's because 1/8" can and will bend/warp/sag from the heat although it depends on where you live, Mike
PS nice work tyeechaser

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