Questions about bonding lexan to vinyl. Was What does this mean ,
on my Lexan?

A thread about replacing the shattered glass of a Toyota convertible
rear windows with a piece of Lexan.

I was thinking, that instead of using individual plastic screws and
nuts, or individual poprivets, to bond my lexan widow to the vinyl
border that the original glass used to adhere to, I would be better off
with a strip of metal, like one long washer, in which I'd drill holes
that also went through the lexan and the vinyl. Maybe 4 holes in 12
inches, every 3 inches. After all the holes in the upper piece of
metal were drilled, that piece could be a pattern for a lower piece, to
sandwich the lexan and vinyl and lessen the strain where the actual
holes are.

Good idea?

Less good for the bottom, which is one long curve, shaped like a ) on
its side.

What else should I consider wrt this?

(The way of handling thetop of the window is still being decided,
because the fabric curtain above the window has shrunk it seems. For
two years I used a piece of an old black convertible top, stuck to the
glass at the bottom, and the original curtain at the top with VHB
adhesive tape, which worked amazingly well.)

Thanks.

I don't really understand your plan, so I don't
have an opinion about that, but I just wanted to
note one thing, in case you don't know:

Lexan is nearly unbreakable and may be the best
choice, but it scratches easily. In time your back
window is likely to look rather murky. Rain-x or
similar products will help a bit, but it's just very
hard to keep Lexan unscratched. (I use it myself for
the back windows of my home-made pickup truck
cap. For that it works out well. The windows
are clear enough to see traffic behind me but not
clear enough for people to easily look in to see what
I've got in back.)


"micky" wrote in message
...
| Questions about bonding lexan to vinyl. Was What does this mean ,
| on my Lexan?
|
| A thread about replacing the shattered glass of a Toyota convertible
| rear windows with a piece of Lexan.
|
| I was thinking, that instead of using individual plastic screws and
| nuts, or individual poprivets, to bond my lexan widow to the vinyl
| border that the original glass used to adhere to, I would be better off
| with a strip of metal, like one long washer, in which I'd drill holes
| that also went through the lexan and the vinyl. Maybe 4 holes in 12
| inches, every 3 inches. After all the holes in the upper piece of
| metal were drilled, that piece could be a pattern for a lower piece, to
| sandwich the lexan and vinyl and lessen the strain where the actual
| holes are.
|
| Good idea?
|
| Less good for the bottom, which is one long curve, shaped like a ) on
| its side.
|
| What else should I consider wrt this?
|
| (The way of handling thetop of the window is still being decided,
| because the fabric curtain above the window has shrunk it seems. For
| two years I used a piece of an old black convertible top, stuck to the
| glass at the bottom, and the original curtain at the top with VHB
| adhesive tape, which worked amazingly well.)
|
| Thanks.

On Sat, 8 Nov 2014 22:01:25 -0500, "Mayayana"
wrote:

I don't really understand your plan, so I don't
have an opinion about that, but I just wanted to
note one thing, in case you don't know:

Lexan is nearly unbreakable and may be the best
choice, but it scratches easily. In time your back
window is likely to look rather murky. Rain-x or
similar products will help a bit, but it's just very
hard to keep Lexan unscratched. (I use it myself for
the back windows of my home-made pickup truck
cap. For that it works out well. The windows
are clear enough to see traffic behind me but not
clear enough for people to easily look in to see what
I've got in back.)

Thanks. I learned recently that it scratched but I didn't think it
was this serious. In a way this just makes me want to do the job even
more. Because I always think I can beat the odds. (Even though in
some big cases the odds have beaten me.) Nonetheless, I want to try.

Should I apply the Rain-x more to the inside or more to the outside?
That is, where does it scratch more?

Did you put lots of crap in the pickup truck and scratch it that way?

The salesman mentioned scratching just after I paid for the first piece,
a few weeks ago, because up until then I hadn't said it was for a rear
window. At the time, I was only thinking about mechanical car washes.
I'm sorry to hear it will get scratches anyhow. Although I'm saving
the paper pattern and the coroplast pattern and the 3/16" piece of Lexan
that I cut, so doing it again should take far less time. ;-)

The saleman said there was mar-proof polycarbonate. Probably takes less
than a week to order, though I'd likely have to buy a whole sheet for
over 125. I was in a hurry weeks ago too, and more in a hurry now. mp
that it's getting cold. Also I got UV-resistant and I'm not positive
I coudl have gotten UV- resistant and mar-resistant at the same time.
I think they are both coatings.

It's been 40 years since I tried this the first time. I'll be ready to
try again in another 40 years.

I'll certainly use the Rain-x.

BTW, they wanted 400 dollars or so for a glass rear window 10 years ago.
By now it's probably 500 or so. I'm only going to keep the car between
3 1/2 and 5 1/2 more years.

For a factory rear window, with defroster, Toyota wanted $1200, just for
the part, but installing that requires doing much of the work that
putting on a whole new top requires.


"micky" wrote in message
.. .
| Questions about bonding lexan to vinyl. Was What does this mean ,
| on my Lexan?
|
| A thread about replacing the shattered glass of a Toyota convertible
| rear windows with a piece of Lexan.
|
| I was thinking, that instead of using individual plastic screws and
| nuts, or individual poprivets, to bond my lexan widow to the vinyl
| border that the original glass used to adhere to, I would be better off
| with a strip of metal, like one long washer, in which I'd drill holes
| that also went through the lexan and the vinyl. Maybe 4 holes in 12
| inches, every 3 inches. After all the holes in the upper piece of
| metal were drilled, that piece could be a pattern for a lower piece, to
| sandwich the lexan and vinyl and lessen the strain where the actual
| holes are.
|
| Good idea?
|
| Less good for the bottom, which is one long curve, shaped like a ) on
| its side.
|
| What else should I consider wrt this?
|
| (The way of handling thetop of the window is still being decided,
| because the fabric curtain above the window has shrunk it seems. For
| two years I used a piece of an old black convertible top, stuck to the
| glass at the bottom, and the original curtain at the top with VHB
| adhesive tape, which worked amazingly well.)
|
| Thanks.

| Should I apply the Rain-x more to the inside or more to the outside?
| That is, where does it scratch more?
|
| Did you put lots of crap in the pickup truck and scratch it that way?

I just use the Rain-X once in a while on both sides.
The outside seems to scratch more. It's not that I'm
hitting it. It's more just weather that seems to scratch it.
The Rain-X helps because it coats the scratch, reducing
refraction.

| The saleman said there was mar-proof polycarbonate. Probably takes less
| than a week to order, though I'd likely have to buy a whole sheet for
| over 125.

That's interesting to know. I wasn't aware such a thing
was available, though last year I went to an optometrist
for the first time and got shatter-resistant lenses that
they called polycarbonate. Maybe that's the same idea.
It sounds like the best of both worlds: crack-resistant
but tough. On the other hand, a well-clouded rear convertible
window might lend an atmospheric 1960's look to your car.

On Sun, 9 Nov 2014 09:19:55 -0500, "Mayayana"
wrote:

| Should I apply the Rain-x more to the inside or more to the outside?
| That is, where does it scratch more?
|
| Did you put lots of crap in the pickup truck and scratch it that way?

I just use the Rain-X once in a while on both sides.
The outside seems to scratch more. It's not that I'm
hitting it. It's more just weather that seems to scratch it.
The Rain-X helps because it coats the scratch, reducing
refraction.

I suppose I can't "beat the odds" regarding weather. Although this
seems related: When I first got to NYC driving with the top down on the
FDR drive, no stop lights, I got lots of dirt in my eyes. Within a few
years or less, that didn't happen anymore. Either NYC cleaned up its
air in that short time in the early 1970's or I learned how to keep the
dirt out of my eyes or not to notice it. Maybe I can teach the
poycarbonate not to notice it. Take it to poly-C obedience school.

| The saleman said there was mar-proof polycarbonate. Probably takes less
| than a week to order, though I'd likely have to buy a whole sheet for
| over 125.

That's interesting to know. I wasn't aware such a thing
was available, though last year I went to an optometrist
for the first time and got shatter-resistant lenses that
they called polycarbonate. Maybe that's the same idea.
It sounds like the best of both worlds: crack-resistant
but tough. On the other hand, a well-clouded rear convertible
window might lend an atmospheric 1960's look to your car.

LOL Well, last night I was looking for a anti-scratch treatment for
this window, and I found a bunch of stuff about treating eyeglasses and
sun-glasses. My window is probably 100 times the size of eyeglasses. If
I can buy some of that stuff in bulk, maybe I'll do that. Palram seems
so consumer oriented maybe I could call them and ask if it will damage
the anti-UV or the poly-c itself. In fact maybe I could call them first
for a recommendation.