Making a lexan windscreen and turtle deck

[gizmos]

Has anyone made a windscreen and turtle deck out of lexan? What thickness did you use? Smoked? Did you bend the windscreen cold? Where did you find 5ft wide material for windscreen if you make the long version? I would like to order from kf, but the cost has went up and still I have to purchase my 912. / instruments. Trying to keep cost down and get my bird in the air.

[HighWing]

I have done three windshields, but have always used the aluminum turtle deck with the lexan windows so no experience there. I have heat formed Lexan for various projects. Lexan can be brake bent in the thickness you will be considering to make a turtle deck.

Originally for the windshield, I think the Speedster used eighth inch, but it was unsuccessful because of the curvature around the wing root. It would craze and ultimately break. I just checked the minimum bend radius in a manufacturer's data page and it is 100 times the thickness. for eighth inch it would be 12 inches - much greater than the two or so inch radius at the wing root. Currently I have the .093" - 3/32" and it is crazing - minimum bend radius 9 inches. When this one needs replacement, I will go to the .060" - 1/16" it will craze as well, but minimally - minimum bend radius 6". which is what I had on my first Model IV.

The issue is, what speeds are you planning on getting out of your Series V. The word at the time was that the increased VNE on the Speedster was a function of the windshield thickness. With my thinner material - .063", I would get some air pressure deformation on occasion when diving near VNE to lose altitude. I never got any deformation when cruising at normal engine settings. I think the speedster went to the .093".

I have always installed it as a cold bend. Some have used a heat gun to release stress at the wing root, but I was always reluctant to do that because Lexan absorbs moisture and if taken to temps above 250° the moisture will form bubbles within the plastic, clouding the clarity. Recommended forming temps exceed 340°. I have no experience with the heat gun, but others claim it works fine. I have tried to vacuum form undried Lexan and it will not only cloud up, but it will result in visible bubbles and distortion on the surface if taken to recommended forming temps. The typical home builder won't have the equipment to bake a sheet of Lexan at 225° for several hours.

I have found no problem cutting a windshield from a 4 ft wide sheet. My current windshield is exactly 46 inches wide at the widest point. You might want to fit your cowl and measure the sweep distance between the door posts to see if a 48" wide sheet would work. I just measured the length of my windshield and it measures about 48" from the turtle deck to the forward edge. I have found that buying part of a sheet is nearly as expensive as a whole sheet. The online site I just checked won't ship a 48X48 inch sheet. It can usually be found locally, though. The local store I use carries Macrolon brand.

[dynomike]

I would second the 16th inch from local glass shop 98 bucks for 4x8 sheet.more for smoked.bent easily

[Av8r3400]

Or you can get the molded plexiglass part directly from Kitfox (manufactured by LP Aeroplastics) and be done with windshields for the lifetime of the plane.

I have one of these on my plane. No crazing, no distortions, no worries of stoving in, either.

[WISDAN]

I agree with Larry, bending lexan at the wing root caused crazing on mine. The extra money would be worth it in my view.

Dan G.

[HighWing]

At three times the weight and ten times the $$$ for acrylic, it remains Lexan for me. I got 900 hours out of the original with one replacement on my first Model IV.

[cubtractor]

I made my windshield out of .120" lexan. It worked out great. Heated it with a heat gun. It can be done but you have to be careful and take your time. I practiced heating some lexan and bending it to get a feel for what it was going to take. I had cut it to shape using the old windshield as a pattern, leaving a little to trim around the edges for a fudge factor. I fastened it to the top of the plane and then started working the curvatures for the front of the windsheild.

[Spook712]

I did, I used macrolon, claer and did a cold bend.

Turtle deck is still the old one, but if anyone did one from lexan, i would like to know how.

Greets
Tuna

[Jfquebec]

Hi...i insatall my windshield from LP...after what i see on the forum...i dont want force anything...so at first for me it is impossible to are flush on both side door post...because like that i need to force each side (1" each side) to put the 8 clecos..so if i push to the tail everything on door post are better,,,i said better beacuse i need 3/4" again...so i put two washer from screw for steel roof..they have rubber on one side...so with some pressure i can cleco each top bracket..

But everything are cleco now...when i put my first part of the cowling (winshield side) the curve of my window are not very nice..( maybe 10 years of sitting on the floor)
So i try ,after taking some info..to heat the lexan with Iron at hi temp..to curve some scrap lexan..with an part of tissu on iron ( i dont want to scratch me winshield)and it work
So i try on windshield slowly...beforee i put a kind mastercraft big vise grip with rubber ..i put that vise on center of windshield and i push and hold the windshield about 2.5"and i heat it with my iron...now it is not perfect ..but mucho better...
Jf

[kmach]

I believe the LP aero windshields are made of Acrylic.