Broke Windshield

[ZapMan]

Well I broke my windshield tonight. Its a flat piece with a metal frame that comes apart. But is not a square, kind of a trapazoid. On a '87 Lund Tyee. Can a glass Co. cut one to fit that? Or do I have to order on from a dealer?

[shamrock7]

You should be able to take the frame to a glass shop and get a piece cut. Make sure it is safety glass. If you take the frame loose, take a piece of cardboard and make a pattern before taking it loose. Will help to get the glass cut to the right angles to fit the frame correctly.

[zechcody]

I work at a glass shop and shamrock7 has got it right if you don't take the whole boat make a pattern. You could also get polycarbonate but that scratches easy.

[zechcody]

O yeah fyi temperd is stronger than laminate but needs to be ordered so it might take a week or two to get.

[jac714]

CAn a guy get a curved piece of glass cut for an old windsheild?

The drivers side of my 1995 Starcraft shattered and I cannot find a replacement. I have the frame to use as a template but can't find anyone that can/will replace the glass.

[delcecchi]

It is possible to bend plexiglass using heat since it is thermoplastic. I think plexiglass is the same as acrylic.

You need to heat the part to be bent to about 300 degrees (275-350) to soften it.

[zechcody]

I have not had much luck finding curved windshields for boats older than two years. I would recomend polycarbonate as sunlight will eventualy crack plexiglass and 3/16 or thinner poly u might be able to flex in with out heating which can distort or bubble plex and poly. The tricky part is getting the pattern right.

[delcecchi]

How hard is it to heat form PolyCarbonate?

[zechcody]

Not very for me anyways. I think if a guy had a really big oven so you could heat it evenly instead of a torch or heat gun it would probably be better.

[delcecchi]

If it is curved broadly you could sculpt a form with wood and joint compound and make a plywood box as an oven, if you can't find anyone to do it for you. I thought about using the good one as a form but realized they are mirror images of each other.

[ZapMan]

I bought a piece of .220" plexi from Menards. Made a pattern. Cut with a fine toothed skill saw blade and it fits perfect. Cant tell I replaced it.

[zechcody]

Nice you saved your self a few bucks then.