Making a lexan windscreen and turtle deck

[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.

[gizmos]

Thanks guys! Off to buy lexan tomorrow. It is a shame is not .030, I have over 100 sheets 4x8 that I use to vacuum form r/c car's bodies from. Got my cabin vents in from kf today, got a little glass work to finish. Not that I have enough to do, I pulled my RV6A down today for its annual, not to fly, just work. I built a n11 last year but have not flown off its hours,so I can fly it out of Burbank airport.

[gizmos]

P.s. did you use the same thickness for your door windows?

[jrthomas]

I damaged my Lexan windshield a couple of weeks ago and did my research to find a replacement. I went to a couple of websites and found some very good place with good prices that I could order from but the shipping was several times the price of the Lexan. Lowes could order it but only if I ordered a minimum of 3 48"x96" sheets. I talked to a nearby plastics company but they didn't seem interested in helping me. I called Home Depot just to check if they might have a sheet in stock. They didn't but a very helpful person suggested I call a local glass company which I did. Brad with Rice Glass in Carboro, NC said to give him a few minutes and let him check. He called back about 10 minutes with good news. He could get the standard Lexan (3/32") or an "aviation quality" Lexan with, supposedly better quality. I went with the aviation type even though the regular Lexan works just fine. The prices were good and no shipping charges. I bought a full sheet even though they would have sold me a half sheet. They even cut it in half for me to be easier for me to transport at no charge. I picked it up yesterday. I went with the LP acrylic the 1st time around. It was a horror story, too painful for me to go into again. I'd advise anyone to run from it. Lexan is light and super easy to work with and much more reasonably prices. Acrylic doors are great but the windshields problem area is around the front wing spar, ready to split at the slightest pressure. Some have done ok with the but I've heard other horror stories like mine. Sorta like working with nitro, one little slip, all gone. James Thomas

[gizmos]

Do you still put the false rib in the middle if you are making the long version? Do you still install the false spar( the alum or steel "t" that goes between the butt ribs?

[gizmos]

I am ready to install windscreen but my manual does have the pages. Does anyone have photos of how it mounts to glare screen and how it is attached to front post? Thanks I have my 1/8 lexan and waiting for a buddy to send me a template

[gizmos]

Thanks for help, they turned out great! $170 did the complete plane,windscreen,turtle deck door glass and have enough to do a spare windscreen ! Save me almost $900.00 which help with the cost of the 912

[gizmos]

Another photo