You can get a very clean edge on acrylic by lasercutting it. Acrylic and polycarbonate are two popular options for this application. Acrylic sheet for boat windshields piedmont plastics. Drill bits for acrylic are ground with a steeper pitch pointy you can regrind an old bit. Aug 29, 2006 it may help you to know that lexan is a brandname and the material is actually polycarbonate. Plexiglass repair expertise auto glass repair lancaster pa. Its also a favorite for racecar windows, window well coverings, computer screens many apple products use it and bulletproof glass. It is designed for use in longer cracks and it possesses an excellent refractive index. Pooling water eventually seeps into the nooks and crannies of the. Drilling holes at the ends of cracks to keep them from propagating works great, on metal not acrylic. In addition, acrylic solvent is really nasty stuff. Do not move or even touch the piece you are gluing during this time. Texas does not have any regulations concerning cracks in the windshield. Brett and jim from the plastics guy in sacramento california demonstrate how to stop the spread of a crack in an acrylic boat windshield and.
Unlike glass windshields, the majority of plastic windshields are safe when put under stress. No, bulletresistant glass is made from polycarbonate. Take advantage of a methylene chloride solution to bond two pieces of lexan polycarbonate together. Although lexan is stronger, plexiglass is in certain respects more durable, unless the boat is intended for offshore sailing, plexiglass is the better choice for a. Polycarbonate offers superior toughness to acrylic with slightly less optical clarity. A crack or gap leads to a puddle of water on the bathroom floor. Auto glass repair car windshield crack, scratch repair plastic repair, polishing kits ive read where folks are shining up their head light covers with colgate tooth paste, dont know if that would work on your ws but you could test it on a small area. We are a plastics parts manufacturer and postcoater, offering our shields line of windscreens, windows, shields, and canopies and the advantages of our experience and customer support. There are many kinds of epoxy and many do not adhere well to acrylic, but epoxy that bonds acrylic is available in most hardware stores. Trade names for the base material include armormax, makroclear, cyrolon, lexan and tuffak.
I broke the flyscreen on my stucchi 14 fairing and just picked up some 18 lexan polycarbonate. Lexan is a tough polycarbonate resin thermoplastic used in a wide range of applications, such as in high performance windshields, car headlights, eyeglass lenses, bullet proof glass and in panels used to construct greenhouses. Fortunately, plastic can be repaired with acrylic solvent. Apr 18, 2017 polycarbonate is similar to plastic in that it is strong, but somewhat soft. Dirt and grease can form a barrier that impedes the solvent cement from fusing the broken plastic. A crack may continue to split if not properly cemented. Normally, the plexiglass acrylic used in plane windows and windshields is. I have a 6 12 inch hd windshield which it lexan on my ultra. How to repair a crack in plexiglass acrylic with solvent. Periodic cleaning using correct procedures can help to prolong service life.
How to repair a crack in plexiglass acrylic with solvent cement on. Additionally, vehicles will pass the mandatory inspections if there are cracks in the windshield. The repair shop told me they have never seen it happen before and told me to bring it in for replacement. A wellsealed shower door keeps water inside the shower stall. I used large washers, nuts and bolts for the install. Clear and invisible especially from the first floor.
How to make a plexiglass windshield gone outdoors your. It was trmendously expensive then, but as i recall, virtually indestructable. However, it is difficult to properly apply solvent to repair a crack as opposed to joining separate pieces of acrylic. Dont press to hard or over spin the drill or the plastic will crackmelt. Motorcycle windshield replacement is something that can be quite challenging regardless of the type of windshield you have. I discovered that lexan has more forgiving properties over acrylicplexi. However, any crack that causes the glass to change shape by becoming convex or concave is not permitted.
How to repair a crack in lexan or shower plexiglas home guides. Polycarbonate can be purchased with a coating for abrasion resistance called marguard. Fixing a crack in the plexiglas is the easiest thing to do yourself so you do not have to have a replacement windshield put in. Formtec plastics is the only manufacturer in the world that both forms and postcoats polycarbonate to the most demanding standards. I used it on the 2 broken windshields and i can now flex them without recracking them. Just about every windshield manufacturer warns against using rainx, a popular treatment that makes water stream off car windshields in wet weather. Difference between lexan and acrylic utv windshields. Repair cracked motorcycle windshield adventure rider. Plastic windshields are extremely durable and less susceptible to breaking than glass windshields. While both materials provide durability and flexibility, there are numerous differences between the two. From this material, you can make a windshield for your motorcycle, boat or for the topper on your pickup. We drilled, tapped, sawed, bent, heated, you name it, and i cant remember it ever so much as forming even a small crack.
It doesnt really act like glue, it acts more like a weld. Lexan windshield i have a 24 ski boat that had to have a secction replaced and the lexan now has four cracks in it. How to repair a cracked plexiglass windshield it still runs. Other common uses for acrylic include aquariums, hockey rinks and storm windows. Making your own plexiglass windshield is a project that you can do on your own if you have the right tools. The windshield is made of a flat sheet and the sharp bend at the top corners gets many small cracks shortly after its installed. Center console windshields while complex are well within the capabilities of selects master craftsman. Select plastics, llc is the largest marine windshield and windscreen manufacturer in the northeast. In tests, lexan can stand up to a beating with a hammer, slingshot or baseball bat with only bends and scrapes, while acrylic remains shiny but will. This phenomena, although rare and preventable, is known to occur in many types of. Polycarbonate cracking polymer engineering engtips. Car and boat windshields are often made of plexiglas because it is an inexpensive and durable material. One issue we had was at sunset the driver complained that the whole windshield was a glare where on our glass windshield we didnt have that problem.
Fixing a crack in the plexiglas is the easiest thing to do yourself so you do not. Sheet grade polycarbonate, aka lexan or makrolon, and acrylic sheet aka lucite, are two of the most frequently used seethrough plastics. Like safety glass, its designed to be stronger and more durable than ordinary glass. Differences between acrylic and polycarbonate the plastic people. According to the mfgr tech brief i picked up, working temperature for heatbending this stuff is 280300 degrees f. Excellent for bonding plexiglass to lexan and other materials as. If you bought a windshield thats too high, you dont need to send it back, you can cut it down to size. Boat windshields or windscreens are an integral feature of almost every vessel.
A jigsaw might tend to crack acrylic, but will be fine for polycarbonate. Back in the 1970s when i first encountered lexan polycarbonate, we used a lot of 18, 14 and 38 sheet to make machine guarding and enclosures. How to repair a crack in lexan or shower plexiglas home. How to repair a crack in plexiglass acrylic with solvent cement. Acrylic battle lexan isnt just used for utv windshields.
Softens at 195 degrees fahrenheit compared to polycarbonates 240. If anyone could get plexiglass to satisfy those specs, i am sure it would. Stress crazing on acrylic surfaces and its causes stress crazing, which appears as an area of tiny microcracks, occasionally shows up in areas on the surface of most thermoplastic sheets. Wash the windshield on both sides with dish washing detergent and hot water.
It is the same material used to create bulletresistant glass which is actually polycarbonate sandwiched between glass and fighter jet windshields. Pros and cons of getting a lexan motorcycle windshield. The left most part of the crack is more visible after gluing because i had to score the acrylic in order to start a crack in it for the. Sheet grade polycarbonate aka lexan or makrolon and acrylic sheet aka lucite are two of the most frequently used seethrough plastics. Harwood lexan windows are designed to replace your factory glass windows.
Polycarbonate is much more resistant to cracking from impact from which race cars suffer regularly than glass. In fact, acrylic is between four and eight times stronger, and lexan is 200 times stronger. Expertise auto glass repair also does plexiglass and lexan window glass applications and repair. I bought ips weldon 5 oz 16 acrylic cement it worked pretty well. They are available in standard lexan or margard and come in different thicknesses for multiple street or race applications. In tests, lexan can stand up to a beating with a hammer, slingshot or baseball bat with only bends and scrapes, while acrylic remains shiny but will eventually crack or shatter. Auto glass is designed to shatter into small bits that are fairly dull, as opposed to large, sharp daggers. Any cracks that obscure the drivers clear view of the roadway could. Polycarbonate is similar to plastic in that it is strong, but somewhat soft. Ive got a small crack in my windshield that runs from one of the bolt holes for about an inch. Lexan sheet cleaning recommendations these cleaning recommendations apply to all lexan polycarbonate sheet products, including, but not limited to, lexan solid sheet and signs, lexan coated margard sheet and lexan multiwall sheet. Jul 17, 2017 lexan is a tough polycarbonate resin thermoplastic used in a wide range of applications, such as in high performance windshields, car headlights, eyeglass lenses, bullet proof glass and in panels used to construct greenhouses.
The biggest problem with plexiglas is that if it cracks or scratches, the entire area around the crack or scratch becomes cloudy. Once you think about it like that, its easy to see how either windshield could stand up to tough jobs. Care must be taken when working with plexiglass, because the surface scratches easily. Drill one small hole in the top of the crack and one small hole in the bottom of the crack with a handheld rotary tool fitted with a 116 to 18inch drill bit, if the crack runs up and down. Heat bending polycarbonate for a windscreen technical. The lexan windshield is a popular option for motorcycles. These are the main brands that are used at aircraft windshield company. A video produced by the motorcycle windshield company national cycle illustrates some.
For best results apply the epoxy to both sides of the crack. Faq for acrylic, plexiglass, lucite, clear plastic. While it doesnt release toxic gases or excessive amounts of smoke, it is still rated b2 normally flammable and thus forbidden as interior material in motor vehicles, including windows here is a relevant us standard if youre interested in details collision behaviour mentioned by thomas is also a crucial property, especially for bigger pieces like. Repair cracks in plexiglas or lexan shower doors promptly, as cracks spread easily and spreading cracks can lead to even greater damage. Methylene chloride is a solvent that softens lexan enough that it can attach directly to another piece of lexan. So with the frame assembled but removed from the boat, i traced the outline of the windshield onto cardboard. Although lexan is stronger, plexiglass is in certain respects more durable, unless the boat is intended for offshore sailing, plexiglass is the better choice for a boat windshield. One thing i forgot to mention is to allow the glue to dry for a couple hours. But, finding a replacement plastic windshield can be difficult.
Polycarb is more impact resisant but easier to scratch. Lexan and plexiglass are proprietary names for different types of glazing commonly used on recreational boats. Although it is more shatterresistant, polycarbonate is more expensive than acrylic, yellows with prolonged exposure to sunlight, and is much more easily scratched. Cutting a lexan windshield is simple, if you know a few basic tips. Polycarbonate lexan vs acrylic lucite colorado plastics. Only use a 100percent cotton rag for cleaning the windshield to avoid scratching the polished surface. You mako, proline, aquasport, wahoo, silverton, grandbanks, ocean, and tollycraft owners already know us.
This is the adhesive used by professionals for making aquariums and other bubblefree and highly structural bonds. Lexan is used for windshields on motorcycles, boats and cars. When i ran an arcade we used pledge with a microfiber cloth on all of our lexan and plexiglas. Comment below if you have other ways of doing this. They are available in standard lexan or margard and come in different thicknesses for. It is the strongest of all the plexiglass glues, and requires a bit of skill in its application. It may help you to know that lexan is a brandname and the material is actually polycarbonate. Similar to plexiglass, lexan is much stronger than glass, and much lighter weight, making it ideal for a motorcycle. It is more expensive than acrylic, yellows with prolonged exposure to sunlight, and is easily scratched.
Dry thoroughly with a chamois or moist cellulose sponge to prevent water spots. Guys use it to make fish tanks out of acrylic and it works well. I have an opening windshield at the helm made of lexan and run a wiper on it. Pooling water eventually seeps into the nooks and crannies of the floor, threatening issues of mold and rot. It sets up quick but needs time to build up strength. Lexan and plexiglas scratch with chemicals such as windex.
Lexan is the stuff to use over acrylic panels which crack and chip easily. Theres nothing you can do to save a windshield once it cracks. The solvent dissolves, and the two pieces of lexan become fused together. Both materials cut well with a band saw or table saw using a high speed with small teeth. Not perfect but with some practice im sure i could get it to be perfect. Sheet grade polycarbonate lexan and acrylic sheet plexiglass are two of the most frequently used seethrough plastics. Add uhmw, ptfe, plastic glue, multiwall polycarbonate, seaboard, architectural and engineering plastics. Easy to drill for bolt holes without cracking or chipping. Done properly, an acrylic solvent can be used to bond two pieces of acrylic such that the resulting piece is essentially a single seamless piece of acrylic. It is lightweight and doesnt shatter like glass does.
Polycarbonate is sometimes called lexan a trademarked name by ge plastics or makrolon. Acrylic can crack more easily than lexan, but its still up to eight times stronger than regular glass. All about windshield care and cleaning motorcyclist. In the us, your car must be outfitted with glazing material that meets certain specs, and material type is not specified. Nov 27, 2012 use the best windshield crack repair kit. Get the abrasion resistant ar stuff and you will be fine.
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