Lexan or Glass

[HarvardIV]

Squeezing or riveting?

Riveting this time. Very gentle..They don't break from riveting.

[Broken-Wrench]

That is where you are going wrong! You should use a squeezer instead of a rivet gun! Have you thought about forming your own lexan? If the are not compound you can use a heat gun and form it over someting like a pipe. I have done the side windows of cessnas like this

[Broken-Wrench]

I have done 727 landing light lenses with a Rivet squeezer and they came out great

[HarvardIV]

Hi Brokenwrench:

Hey that could be. I'll try it, but I talked to several people who put the glass windshiels in, and one said it was fine when he took a break. He came back 1 hour later and it had cracked.

[HarvardIV]

Hi Brokenwrench:

That is where you are going wrong! You should use a squeezer instead of a rivet gun! Have you thought about forming your own lexan? If the are not compound you can use a heat gun and form it over someting like a pipe. I have done the side windows of cessnas like this

Ya watched a guy in the EAA do it over an elaborate mold at the airport with a gas torch. He created a special box to contain the heat, and let the hot air rise through the mold. That is a pretty nice little trick. Thanks for sharing that info.

Chris

[Broken-Wrench]

Star rivet squeeze them, like you would tighting a drip pan. Rivet gun are just to much shock on stuff like that

[HarvardIV]

Broken wrench:

I didn't hear how you feel about the optical properties of Lexan. Much worse view out than glass?

[Broken-Wrench]

I like Glass better but more $$$$. what are you going to do about the cylinder?

[HarvardIV]

what are you going to do about the cylinder?

Hello Brokenwrench:

I'm going to look into nickelplating it, and if that's not feasible I'll buy a new one.

[RobC]

I'll try it, but I talked to several people who put the glass windshiels in, and one said it was fine when he took a break. He came back 1 hour later and it had cracked.

You know, I have a pair of AN6530 goggles that did that. I got some NOS lenses and put them in. Came back later and one was cracked. Thought that was odd, I don't remember dropping them. So, got a replacement and put it in. Came back later and the same thing happened. Moral of the story: you can put any prolonged stress on glass.[/quote]

[HarvardIV]

Hi Rob:

Just noticed you're in AZ. What part? My guess is Sedona..

[snj-5]

Actually, Lance has both, original "safety glass" (real glass) and plexi
replacement windshields. I have an NOS "real glass" windshield
installed on my SNJ-5 project (no problems with the installation,
no cracking).

LP Aeroplastics has all 3 pieces for the windshield (front + two
quarter glass pieces) and they also have a one-piece (exp. only)
front replacement glass. They also have some replacement
slider glass pieces.

As far as using Lexan goes... Great material... but do you really
want a piece of glass keeping you from extricating yourself
in the event of a turn-over incident? You'd be hard-pressed to
hack your way through Lexan with a crash-ax (especially if you've
been injured in a crash). I vote for real glass, or plexi if weight
savings are a concern.

Bela P. Havasreti

The windshields are plexiglass. In the event of a strike, glass explodes,where the plexi is less dangerous. No matter what a bird strike in the windshield is bad news. The side panels were glass. They can be REAL tricky to install without cracking. Some people have used plexiglass on the sides to reduce weight,that glass weighs a ton compared to plexiglass. Installing plexiglass,lexan or glass is tricky to do without cracking. So I don't think the blame lies with LANCE. I have purchased T-6 parts from most of the large sources out there. All I can say about LANCE is you get exactly what JOHN said he was sending you. Well boxed and shipped right away.