Installing fixed windows

[48Rob]

greasywheats,

Yes, I have a little left over, but will have to go and measure to see just how much.

After reading the exchange between you and Cary, I'm not sure this thick gasket is what you need??

Cary implied (correctly) you would need a reinforced area, thicker than just the sandwich of paneling and aluminum.
This is true if the window is putting stress on the area.

If however you go with just the thin profile, you can use the much thinner channel, and heat the plexiglass to fit the curve on the front of your tear, thereby removing stress.
This would allow the window to simply "float" in the opening with no pressure or stress on the surrounding material.

Rob

[Cary Winch]

Greasywheats,

I agree with Rob on the window forming. The two quarter windows on the Raindrop are heated and formed. We heat them in a oven and lay them over a wooden former made to the curve of the body and let it cool on that. Tada, done. The big picture window is not because the curve is so shallow it doesn't need it. What is your curve radius?

Rob,

Hey, off subject question. Are you going to Kimberly's little gathering in Montello this year? I haven't made it since the first year but am seriously hoping to run over this year. Maybe we will meet in person finally? I sure would live to look at this cabin car if you bring it, been admiring the workmanship in the pictures.

Cary

[48Rob]

Cary,

Thanks!

Yes, my daughter and I will be there with the cabin car, #112
Not sure if my son is coming...if does, he'll bring the Sportsman.

We could use a few extra folks to make this event even bigger...maybe you could ask some friends to bring their trailers too... Kimberly's getting pretty good at this rally thing!

Rob

[greasywheats]

Hey guys...I was thinking about building a section of roof framing around the window port that would be approx 3/4" thick (including interior beadboard, framing, roof plywood, and alum skin). I figured i would just have to make this framing curved to the radius of the front of the TD so that it would support the gasket rather than just be saddled on the flimsy aluminum skin and interior beadboard. The big question is will 3/16" Lexan be too stiff for the gasket to hold bent to the front radius (by mechanical force of the gasket, rather than being heat formed) for it to be reliably water tight? I have not held the Lexan in my hand yet to know. By the way...not sure what my front radius is, but it is very close to the Camp-Inn. I eyeballed it when I made my profile.

Cary- I was going to ask you about heat forming the Lexan. Because my single front window will only be around 12" tall, I was concerned that the window would place too much stress on the the gasket as it conforms to the radius of the front (even with the gasket held solidly in place with the 3/4" framing). I got to thinking about heat forming, but then realized that for a single window, I would need an oven that is about 3' wide...I don't have one! So, if the consensus is that a single piece of 3/16" Lexan will put too much stress on the gasket to be reliably water tight, then I might have to duplicate the CI dual-windows.

[Cary Winch]

Greasywheats,

We don't heat form the dual 550 windwows but they are less than your 12" high dimension. Are you thinking a oval or something? Maybe you should measure the inside of your oven and make the window that size. Probably diagonally will get you a little more. Doing the dual window is a good idea too. The big reason we can get around bending the window on the 550s is because of the different style gasket we use. It is more forgiving because of the way it follows the formed aluminum. Using the gasket like Rob used or we do on the Raindrops would probably mean you should heat form it if your radius is similiar to ours.

Rob,

Boy, that first year was a really small turn out at Montello. I hear it has gotten bigger. I can probably tell some of our customers in the area about it and get a few more going too, I know of one guy who is already talking of bringing his new 550. I probably would bring the new 560 demo with me if I make it.

Cary

[greasywheats]

Cary- I think I am going to have to go with the dual windows...i was thinking about a long single oval window, but my main priority is water tightness. So with the gasket that I want to use (to get around having to form the aluminum like you guys do) I think heat forming the window to reduce stress on the gasket/sealant will be necessary. Maybe two 12"x 24" windows will fit in my oven.

So do you put the lexan on a form and then put it in the oven, or do you heat it flat and then transfer it to the form and manipulate it into the shape and let it cool there? Any particular issues/concerns with heating Lexan in an oven?
Thx!

[Cary Winch]

Greasywheats,

That is a pretty big front window actually. Ours are about 9 1/2" x 18 1/2".

We heat the plastic not on the form and then take it out and set on the form to cool. It will just lay out on into shape. Make sure to try a bunch of scraps first to prefect the technique. I think the temp is something like 350-375, this you will want to determine with your own stove though, don't depend on my temps.

Cary

[asianflava]

I guess everything DOES bake at 350.

[48Rob]

Here's a link to a page that shows how to install the rubber trim.

http://stanpro.com/install2.htm

[greasywheats]

48Rob- No need to measure your extra gasket. I found a local supplier here who had it in stock at a pretty reasonable price. Thanks anyway though!

[greasywheats]

Cary- I got my Lexan windows yesterday...I got standard Lexan rather than the stuff specifically made for being heat formed (not sure what the structural difference is...) I am wondering approximately how long you heat yours for to get it relatively pliable? I appreciate your guidelines and won't hold you accountable if anything goes wrong...i know it will depend on my specific set-up.
Thanks!

[Cary Winch]

We only heat them up for about 10 minutes. The best answer though is to take extra cutoffs and try different times to see when it is enough. You want to heat it just long enough to bend over a template under it's own weight but no more than that.

Cary

[greasywheats]

Thanks for the guidance Cary...I have seen various times/temps around the Internet, but I was thinking in the 10-20 minute range (@ 320-350), lay them on the form and if they need extra coaxing, using a heat gun judiciously to lengthen the time they stay warm on the form. I'll let you know how it goes...
Thanks Again!

[DestinDave]

Rob & Cary... I'm thinking of making my own roof hatch out of teak mainly because it fits my theme and also because I can't find anything in the size I want. I know I can make a watertight wood frame and spigot but have never found any caulk that sticks well to Lexan or Plexi. Will this type of channel work on a flat plane also? If so you have solved another problem for me...

Dave

[48Rob]

Hi Dave,

The glass channel seals pretty tight, but I've never tried one on a horizontal plane with water on top??

Sikaflex Marine Adhesive is pretty good stuff, way better than anything the big box stores carry...and would be my choice for sealing a skylight.

Cary may have better info on the channel...


Rob