Anybody ever made a plexiglass windshield?

[Lexington]

I was thinking about fabricating a small (6" high by 24" wide) plexiglass winshild for my bassboat. I was wanting to bend the ends around towards the dash (I hope you can picture what I am describing) My question is this; Can a person heat the plexiglass with a propane torch to bend it or shape it without melting or burning it? Just wondering if anyone has tried this.<br /><br />Thanks, Dave

 

[bhold]

Re: Anybody ever made a plexiglass windshield?

Go to Fiberglassics.com and enter Windshield 101 in their search engine on the message board.<br /><br />Above was found after doing a google search, I am thinking of doing the same thing, let me know if you find an easy way to get it done.

 

[DJ]

Re: Anybody ever made a plexiglass windshield?

Tried it, and gave up. <br /><br />Check ebay, there are many there for sale. Usually, dirt cheap.

 

[JasonJ]

Re: Anybody ever made a plexiglass windshield?

I'll be having to do a plexi windshield as well. I am trying to remember how we bent plexi in junior high shop class (that was almost 20 years ago). I made a set of small speakers. I remember I had bent a peice to form the top, bottom, and sides, then cut and bonded the front and back on. I just don't remember what we used. A large enough oven will do the trick, but who has an oven large enough to make a windshield. I know of people who have built large ovens for powdercoating, but I personally don't want to build one for one windshield. I will be trying to use a heat gun, it produces more concentrated heat than propane ever could, but this is a ways off. I am not in a hurry for the windshield, I am still trying to finish the boat.

 

[petryshyn]

Re: Anybody ever made a plexiglass windshield?

We use a plastic at work that is much more friendly than plexy. You can bend it 90 deg at room temp. If you are interested, I'll get the name of it tomorrow...

 

[pinto]

Re: Anybody ever made a plexiglass windshield?

you can make a windshield at home some people have made a oven by making a ply box the size of the screen and placed fan heaters in it you need to heat the sheet to 180 for 30 minutes you then place the soft sheet over a form (covered in felt)the shape of your finished screen. If you are going to make a simple bend you can do this with a heat gun all you need to do is heat the area you are bending at the time.

 

[Kenbo]

Re: Anybody ever made a plexiglass windshield?

Try this fiberglassics message board posting<br /><br /> http://www.fiberglassics.com/messageboardx/showmessage.asp?messageID=2121 <br /><br />It might help, Good Luck

 

[dkondelik]

Re: Anybody ever made a plexiglass windshield?

thanx for the link kenbo.<br />just saved it for future reference

 

[bhalsdorf]

Re: Anybody ever made a plexiglass windshield?

There is an article that I wrote on making an oven and a windshield. I made 2 windshileds for my boat that came out perfect. The Article is on the fiberglassics website under the Backyard Mechanics section. It includes step by step instructions and photos.

 

[bhalsdorf]

Re: Anybody ever made a plexiglass windshield?

Almost forgot. It only took about 2 hrs to make the oven and about a half hour to form the plexiglass. Total cost for both my windshields including the oven and plexiglass was around $100.<br />Two places that quoted making these windshields for me wanted between $300 $ $400 not including shipping mine to them or shipping back to me.

 

[Lexington]

Re: Anybody ever made a plexiglass windshield?

Thanks all!! The information received on this forum is awesome! The links are great and helpful too.<br /><br />Dave

 

[geomarq]

Re: Anybody ever made a plexiglass windshield?

I had excellant results by building a wooden mold and then slowly heating (with just a heat gun) a sheet of Lexan (from Home Depot) and bending it by hand. No bubbles, cracks, etc., the bends formed the shape of the mold I was looking for and I was very satisifed overall. <br /><br />I just wish I could have found tinted Lexan as I tried using auto. tint and that was a disaster. I have a pic on my digital camera I'll try to post.

 

[boating brad]

Re: Anybody ever made a plexiglass windshield?

i worked at a plastics fabrication and distribution company for 2yrs, to bend acrylic or polycarbonate it takes low heat. heat gun would work not a torch. but you can after finished sand the edges with light sandpaper and use the torch to make the edges clear, by swipeing the flame across the edge carefully and not too slow.<br />and tinted acrylic and polycarbonate are available through most large plastics dealers <br />different sizes and thicknesses also.<br />american plastics company in camarillo calif has alot of stuff. if their still there.<br />