How to Have Sexy Windows !?

[Zach]

They were probably going for a flat/gloss that closely approximated the black sealant. Both Duplicolor and VHT offer ceramic header paint of various shimmers and shines. For it to actually work on a set of headers you've got to sand blast them or wire brush until the metal is bright. If you top coat over old spray paint or the cheap primer the old stuff bubbles up the new. Some of them take forever to cure and are expected to be baked or heat cycled to fully cure. Read the can to make sure you don't get one of those.

What does the article say about prepwork before painting? You've got my curiosity!

[Northeaster]

The link to the artcile, is on page one of this post! I don't think it mentions what prep work, before using the suggested auto exhaust paint.

I talked to the plastic place, that sold me the acrylic, and he said he wouldn't recommend any paint on the acrylic. He thought it would break down the acrylic, and proabbly be a weaker layer, than using the tape directly on the acrylic.

Any insight would be appreciated. I am leaning towards NOT painting the window edges, but don't want the tape to show through my light - medium tint!

[Zach]

Oh! Well I sure feel dumb.

[cooper]

....have just spent hours preparing my aft cabin windows. I am about to go out and stick them in (wish me luck) I have prepared the edges with a gentle abrasion and exhaust paint . This paint is 100 % scilicone base. ( i believe that with glass it is called a frit) My windows are polycarbonate. I have found that as a rule of thumb that the expansion allowance for poly is 1mm per every 100 mm. This meant that on my strip windows of 18000 mm I had to somehow cope with 18 mm of expansion. They have now been sliced into 4 sections on the aft and 5 on the fore. With 40 mm stainless flat bars on the joins for them to move on. The sealant / adhesive I am using is a high modulus scilicone. UV resistant stuff that is stated as being suitable for poly. Last time I did this a different goop did not live up to its packaging !! I will post the results........

[Northeaster]

In the pics on this thread, the new windows look very dark. I can only get acrylic locally in bronze (light) or smoke ( a bit darker) tints. IThe product is Acryilte.

Where were you folks able to find what looks to me like darker tinted acrylic / poly? Do you know the brand?
I don't want to paint the inside edges, but don't want to see the sealant / tape either.

[skipperaris]

Somewhere near the beginning of this thread I bored everyone and taxed your brains with the difficulty I had removing by no-longer-sexy windows in order to fit new ones.

That was done. Maybe you want to know how?
At the boat yard last year I posed the question and out came a tool attached to the resident mechanic. This produces an oscillating circular motion and it is intended just for this job. Automotive glaziers use it. This can be fitted with a range of 'knives'. It really works!

All four of my 80 cm x 40 cm windows came away!!!

I celebrated!

too soon...

I took my now removed windows to the local acryllic workshop to have my new windows fabricated.

• "Could they do it?"
• "Sure! Come back next week to take delivery"

Did they do it? Yes.
I paid there and then.

I took them to the boat ... disappointment!
They had cut them too narrow: 78.5 cm instead of 80 and the curvature was nowhere near right.

I called and reported my predicament and was well received. They asked me to take them back and they would make me new ones.
To cut a long story short I got new ones a week later.
They were also wrong.

This went on for a month.
After the last time I and also they gave up.
At least they were decent enough to return my money. Almost all of it.
Then they directed me to another fabricator of acrylic.

This one did not prove any better...
Finally I gave up and refitted the old windows and postponed the exercise for another time.

Big bummer!

In the meantime I ordered new windows from the Gib'Sea agents and am patiently waiting.

[Extemporaneous]

Originally Posted by skipperaris

Somewhere near the beginning of this thread I bored everyone and taxed your brains with the difficulty I had removing by no-longer-sexy windows in order to fit new ones.

That was done. Maybe you want to know how?
At the boat yard last year I posed the question and out came a tool attached to the resident mechanic. This produces an oscillating circular motion and it is intended just for this job. Automotive glaziers use it. This can be fitted with a range of 'knives'. It really works!
I celebrated!
too soon...

Sorry to hear that. Was there a reason it was so difficult?

As to removal, was it a Fein by chance? I have one of these and as far as I'm concerned, there is no tool like it. Haven't tried to remove a window on my boat, but have remove skylights with it. It's AMAZING. However the blades are also amazingly expensive. They have a commercial version and then the Fein Multimaster. This is what I have.

Regards,
Extemp.

[skipperaris]

I was too fascinated to notice what the tool was and at that time it did not seem likely I would need it another time. But now I see the picture YES! that's the tool. Thank you.

Reason it was so difficult: I think the people were not professional enough to take the trouble of making a mould from the old windows to be used for heat forming the new ones.

They were probably hesitant to estimate for the cost of the mould, afraid they might scare me off?

Can't think of a better reason. I know for a fact they were trying to get the shape by eye and hand instead of by measurement.

[bobdobbs]

A somewhat less expensive tool I've used at my (auto) shop is this one from http://www.matcotools.com

It's about $20. You dig the blade in and guide it with one hand and pull on the cable with the other hand to cut the sealant.

I've only used it on car windows and I don't have any sexy plastic windows to try it on but, it should work.

Of course, the air knife is really cool too but, it's a bit more $$

[Christian Van H]

Originally Posted by skipperaris

This one did not prove any better...
Finally I gave up and refitted the old windows and postponed the exercise for another time.
.

Hi, heres a solution. Buy the material yourself. Rough cut it with a jigsaw with a metal blade in it. Try to leave around 1/4" extra all the way around. Clamp the old window to the new roughcut "blank", and run a trimer bit with a guide bearing in a router around it. TAAADAAA! perfect windows @ exactly the same size and shape! Hope this helps, Chris

[skipperaris]

Originally Posted by bobdobbs

A somewhat less expensive tool I've used at my (auto) shop is this one from http://www.matcotools.com

It's about $20. You dig the blade in and guide it with one hand and pull on the cable with the other hand to cut the sealant.

I've only used it on car windows and I don't have any sexy plastic windows to try it on but, it should work.

Of course, the air knife is really cool too but, it's a bit more $$

This seems to be a good tool. My only doubt is how much of a pull it would need. From my limited experience with a parcel knife it would be rather a lot.

Anyway I'm off to look at the matcotools site.

Thanks a lot

Aris

[skipperaris]

Originally Posted by Christian Van H

Hi, heres a solution. Buy the material yourself. Rough cut it with a jigsaw with a metal blade in it. Try to leave around 1/4" extra all the way around. Clamp the old window to the new roughcut "blank", and run a trimer bit with a guide bearing in a router around it. TAAADAAA! perfect windows @ exactly the same size and shape! Hope this helps, Chris

This would work with a plane surface kind of window.
Mine are heat formed into a sort-of-cylindrical shape.
The heat forming to a "correct" shape has been the problem.
Theoretically I could do that as well but in practice it is not possible as the piece to be formed is large (80x40 cm) and the material is thick (12 mm).

Thanks for the work done by your grey cells anyway.

Aris

[elhix]

I'm in the process of fitting some 'sexy' portlights: got my lexan, ordered my VHB 4991, going to pick up some sika 295UV from the chandlery.

I'm still in the dark as far as the paint used on the inside surface of the lexan where it mates with the boat a la the article. I know automotive exhaust paint is mentioned but has anybody actually done this and used a particular type with success? Are there other paints I can use that will stick well to the lexan and block the VHB and Sika from UV?

Any light that can be shed is much appreciated. Like every aspect of boatbuilding this has been a can of worms.

[Maddog]

I'm considering this myself. Here is what I researched.

High Temperature Automotive Spray Paint - Alvin Products, Manufacturer of High Temperature Automotive Spray Paint

My concern is having the paint pull away from the Lexan after adhering to the tape.

Let us know what you find out.

[mikereed100]

Use Sikaflex 209 primer. It should be next to the 295UV at the chandlery.