How to Have Sexy Windows !?

[Northeaster]

Skipperaris - Thanks for the primer / website link!!

Clausont - thanks again! Hope mine turn out as well. It will be a couple of months before I get them in though, as I have lots of projects on the go.

[skipperaris]

Originally Posted by Northeaster

Skipperaris - Thanks for the primer / website link!!

Always glad to help any way I can but we should both thank Gord who gave me the link. I just passed it on.

[Northeaster]

Can anyone tell me where to buy the Dow Corning 791 adhesive silicon? Can't find it at Home depot, etc, and I am having trouble finding Dow Corning dealers!

[GordMay]

Where are you located ?

[Northeaster]

Halifax, Nova Scotia, but can drive to Maine, to pick up supplies!

[Trim50]

This is how we did it on our old boat...

Probably one of the most noticable changes made to Trim during the refit was the addition of new windows and stainless steel frames. Approximately 2 months of effort were spent modifying the doghouse to enable flush mounting of a single acrylic window in place of 3 individual teak framed glass windows. Once the acrylic windows were mounted flush, a pattern was made of the window outline then digitized using Solid Works to produce a water jet .dxf file to cut the stainless steel to fit. Once the stainless steel frame was assembled and welded together, it required 2 full days of sanding and polishing to achieve a mirror finish on each of the 4 window frames.

[GordMay]

Your local Customer Service representative can be contacted as follows:
Dow Corning Corporation
Corporate Center
PO box 994
MIDLAND MI 48686-0994
United States
TEL: 989 496 7881
FAX: 989 496 6731

[Northeaster]

Thanks Gord!!

I fianlly tracked down a distributor, in Halifax. They did not have 791, but had lots of 795 sealant, as a local boatbuilder uses tons of it.

I called Dow Cornings tech #, and they assured me that the 795 was fine to use - overkill, if anything, the guy said, as it is a structural sealant.
I like overkill, so I ordered lots - approx $9 / caulking tube!

I could only find one local 3M distributor, that would sell me 1 roll of VHB 5292 tape (for $190 , where it is only $78 on the 3M e-store)
Trouble is, the e-store will not sell / ship outside of the US.

So, I had a friend, in the states, order a small roll $22 for 15 yards, from the e-store. He will shipo it up to me, when he gets it!

I did end up being able to get the gray, VHB 4941 tape, for a decent price $88 / roll), but am unsure if I should order this, or wait for the 5952??


Next problem, trying to find one of the brands of polysulfide removers - local marine dealers don't carry it. Closest so far is Hamilton Marine, in Maine!

[Northeaster]

Question on painting the inner edges of new acrylic panels, before using 3M tape, and Dow 795 silicone, to hold / seal them in place.
It has been suggested that the inside perimeter of the windows, where the 3M tape, and Dow silicone will be adhered to, should be painted, so you can't see the tape / sloppy silicone adhesion, from the outside (looking through the edges of the acrylic). While I understand it would be nice to hide this, I am worried that the 3M tape bond, and adhesive silicon bond, will only be as good as the bond between the new paint and the acrylic window.
I would appreciate any suggetsions / comments that others may have!!
Thanks!!

[stoupidmonkey]

Well, I finally finished replacing all my windows using this method, with a few cost saving changes. I used acrylic sheets, cut to size using the old windows. Insted of the 3m tape, I used tert-butyl putty tape stuff that I got from advanced auto parts for $15 a roll. Awesome stuff and can be pulled to whatever thickness you want. I hate silicone so went with polyurathane flashing and roof sealant for $5 a tube from Lowes. Amazing goop, ends up like rubber and very strong. Total cost for 8 windows - $500 installed, no leaks and will last for a good long while. People on the docks are very impressed with the difference and one guy asked how I went about doing it so neat and clean. He will be replacing his soon in the same manner. Thanks for the link to the how-to guide.

[Northeaster]

StoupidM - Thanks for the details!

Did you paint or prime the inside edges of the windows (where the Butyl tape / roof sealant eventually adhered to (to hide that stuff, from view through the acrylic)? Or was you acrylic tinted enough that you can't see the crap through it?

[stoupidmonkey]

Nah, skipped that part. I wanted maximum adherance and dont trust paint as much as a direct bonding agent. I got light black tinted acrylic with UV filtering from eplastics.com and used all black materials, so you cant even tell it has anything behind it from 1-2 feet away. The UV filtering was a must for me because I am redoing all the interior wood in the boat.

[Northeaster]

StoupM-
I was worried about the strength of the paint to acrylic bond, as well - as it would be the weak point, not the tape.

Glad to hear that it looks good from outside. My acrylic is not tinted too dark - bronze, I think was the tint - looks like halfway between nothing and dark tint. That's why I was worried about seeing the tape, etc.

I don't suppose you have a couple of pics, that you could post, or email?

[skipperaris]

Originally Posted by Northeaster

Question on painting the inner edges of new acrylic panels, before using 3M tape, and Dow 795 silicone, to hold / seal them in place.
It has been suggested that the inside perimeter of the windows, where the 3M tape, and Dow silicone will be adhered to, should be painted, so you can't see the tape / sloppy silicone adhesion, from the outside (looking through the edges of the acrylic). While I understand it would be nice to hide this, I am worried that the 3M tape bond, and adhesive silicon bond, will only be as good as the bond between the new paint and the acrylic window.
I would appreciate any suggetsions / comments that others may have!!
Thanks!!

My no longer sexy windows have the outer edge painted in what looks like mat black. It is supposed to protect against UV and also it hides the adhesion material - Sika in my case, I believe. It may be what you need as an idea.

[Maddog]

if I remember corectly, the original article from Coatal Passage talked about apianting the inside edge with automotive exhaust paint, but it gave no brand or paint number. I would imagine that a paint that would stick to a hot exhaust pipe woud stick to anything, or not.

Is there an automotive paint specialist out there that can provide some insight - or - can one of our ozzzzie freinds contact Costal Passage for some direction.