too cold for windows

[teresa]

The clear plastic windows busted out of our portable during one very cold visit to Winnie....looking for ideas on fixing them. Anyone have a solution for me?

[brady_d]

A cheap solution would be just using clear packing tape.

[wishing for walleyes]

Here`s one idea.On my new frabill portable the windows are removable.They have velcro on both sides.On the inside there is only 2 inch peices of velcro to hold the inside flap.That way when you open the flap the window stays in because it has full velcro around it.You could see if frabill replacement windows are big enough and sew in some velcro.They should start making all portable windows this way so you can replace them.

[teresa]

thanks brady......thought of that one. Seems to be our only solution. May just give me a reason to "upgrade". Use this one as a warmer weather solution.

[wishing for walleyes]

You could also try giving canvas craft a call.They make alot of the portable skins

[Phred52]

teresa, Had the same problem about 20 years ago. I went to the local fabric shop and bought clear vinyl that felt about the same weight as the old windows. I then took that to the local shoe repair shop and asked him to sew on a canvas hem/border. Here's where I took my life in my own hands. I took off the tent and in the garage, I used the wifes sewing machine to sew them into the house. As of 2 or 3 years ago, The house was still being used, cause I did see it on occasion. Good luck with yours. Phred52

[teresa]

thanks Dan. I wonder if you couldnt just get a velcro type of overlay. I wish I knew how to sew.

[doughnut03]

I know they make a plastic sheeting that seems to be more "rubberized" so it's more pliable- I wonder if that would work as well since even though when it's practically artic outside, it still retains some of it's flexibility. In my Army days we used to make almost primitive "ghetto" map pocketsw out of the material as it could be rolled, and it seemed to last forever. As far as an ice-house, I've never used nor seen it used before, but might be worth buying say, a 1'x1' swatch of each type, and taking them home and keeping them outside overnight to see which one would hold up the best, and then buy what you need and sew it yourself or take to a tailor. Either way, I'm curious to know as my windows are getting pretty shaky and if/when they go I'm wondering what would/wouldn't work

[Jim Almquist]

If you want to glue the Velcro to the window and the glue the other side of the Velcro to your canvas use some glue called VLP-Vinyl Leather Plastic works great and dries pretty fast. You can find it at L & M or I am sure most all hardware stores.

[UMDSportsman]

On mine i have fixed cracked windows with clear duct tape. I don't know how well packing tape holds up when it gets that cold out. The duct tape is not completly clear though, it still has the fibers in it for strength. You can't see out of the cracked areas very well, but they still let the light in, which is what is important to me.

[teresa]

the light is what I'm aiming at...I'm going to try the easy fix of tape for the remainder of this year, and if I find time to tinker then I may opt for a fancier fix. thanks all

[perch_destroyer]

I got a shapp DX 3000, took it out yesterday all day. Closing up at the end, and wham! 16 inch crack in my window. I took it home and defrosted it in my garage. I used the clear packing tape, but i'm not sure if it will hold. I made sure the house and the tape were warm when i did it. time will tell. the Perch

[3pronghook]

This happened to my canvas craft too. I called them and they said if i removed the canvas from the wooden floor they would repair it, but i cant remember what, if any, the charge was to be. It looked like more work than it was worth and I used the 3M clear duct tape over the cracks on both sides of the windows and it worked great. That was 4-5 years ago.

[doughnut03]

I have a Jeep Wrangler soft top and that happened last year- the windows just snapped on a frigid day. I used Duct Tape and it held real well for the rest of the winter until I got a new top- I know it's not an ice house but same basic principal and I drove it at 65mph pretty much every single day and never had a problem with the tape pulling off or anything. At least for a temp fix duct tape works wonders

[perch_destroyer]

This is the first i've heard of clear duct tape. I'm assuming they sell that everywhere else duct tape is sold. It sounds appealing to me if it works. the Perch

[slipperybob]

Isn't clear duct tape simply packaging tape with the strings in them?

[3pronghook]

nope. it is actually clear duct tape

[perch_destroyer]

k, thanks, I'll have to look better when i get to the store again. the Perch