I had to remove a broken aluminum window from one of my garage walk
doors.

I found I could gently pry the frame out of the opening with just a thin
putty knife, but when I got it out, I found something that surprised me.

The sealant the manufacturer used had the properties of both a silicone
sealant, and a non-hardening, clear "goo" -- the gooey part acted like a
conventional putty, but the hardening part acted just like regular
silicone sealant.

The bead appeared to have been gunned onto the door, then allowed to cure
completely before screwing the frame onto the caulk. The "silicone" part
was just as strongly adhered to the door skin as you'd suspect regular
silicone would be (although it was a bit softer and more elastic that GE
Silicone), but the gummy part only adhered to the window frame by its
tackiness. It was a perfect sealant, in that it compressed fairly
easily, sealed well, but allowed the window to be removed easily for
repairs.

There was broken glass embedded in the sealant bead, and the bead had
been cut in a couple of places where the glass edges got it, so I scraped
it off the door.

I can use regular non-hardening "ribbon caulk" to re-do this, but I'm
fascinated by the sealant they used.

Has anyone here worked in a window or door manufactury and is familiar
with this stuff. I'd love to use it on future jobs, if I can find a
source. The manufacturer of the door is no help -- must be a "trade
secret".

LLoyd