Sheet styrene

[forthlin]

I've got a '62 Chrysler 300 I've wanted to build but It didn't come with the windows. I've got some Evergreen .015 but it seems too thick to work on curved windows. Is there a different size that would work better?

[johnyrotten]

I've made windshields and windows from .010 clear acetate purchased from Michael's. Worked well for this 34 ford, but that is all flat "glass".

[peteski]

Evergreen sells multiple thicknesses of clear polystyrene. I  think 0.010" or even  0.005".

[StevenGuthmiller]

I use .007 “Lay Film” for glass all of the time.

 

 

Steve

Edited September 5 by StevenGuthmiller

[Mark]

You don't want sheet styrene for windows unless they are flat or very nearly so.  Any kind of bending will stress the clear styrene turning it a whitish shade in the stress areas.  I'm not sure what happens when you vacuform clear styrene, but I would suspect the same result.

[MeatMan]

11 hours ago, StevenGuthmiller said:

I use .007 “Lay Film” for glass all of the time.

 

 

 

 

Steve

Wow! I had to look that stuff up. Sounds like a better option for curved glass, and your results look great.
Any chance of a how-to?

[Ace-Garageguy]

Large soft-drink bottles made from clear PET are also a popular source for low-cost glazing material.

 

[Russell C]

16 hours ago, MeatMan said:

Wow! I had to look that stuff up. ...

Me, too, looks better than some of the sheets I rounded up from somewhere years ago. Search yielded this result among others:

 

Edited September 6 by Russell C
wrong link fixed

[Bugatti Fan]

A question for Steve G.      What is Lay Film ?    Never heard of it over here in the UK.

[peteski]

4 hours ago, Bugatti Fan said:

A question for Steve G.      What is Lay Film ?    Never heard of it over here in the UK.

Noel, if you look at the link in the post above yours,  Steve explains what it is.

I also like to mention that most clear films used by modelers are not Acetate.  I guess going back to  early days acetate was likely the only clear plastic film available to  modelers.  The name stuck and it is often used to describe any clear film modelers use, even if the actual  film is  made of Polystyrene, Acrylic, Nylon, Polycarbonate, PET, or PVC (Vinyl), as those are more widely available to the hobbyists.  Actual Acetate is still available,  but not generally used in the modeling circles. "Acetate" became a generic, kind of like "Kleenex" is used to describe any facial tissue.  No big deal, but one needs to remember that all of those different types of plastic have different properties. It doesn't make much difference if all you need is to use as a small flat window, but if you want to thermoform, you might make sure to use the film best suited to it.

Some good info is on https://www.grafixplastics.com/grafix-plastics/plastic-film-plastic-sheet-faq/acetate_what/  . Be sure to also read other FAQs (links on the right side of that page.

[stavanzer]

Thanks, Pete.

I was not aware of the all the varieties of 'acetate' that are out there.

Much Help.

[Bugatti Fan]

Thanks for the information and the links  Pete.  There are so many clear plastics out there.  It's just that I had not heard of the term Lay Film before though. 

[StevenGuthmiller]

Thanks for helping to answer questions everyone!

 

I tried using a thicker (.01) clear styrene sheet from Evergreen on my ‘68 Coronet, and while I managed to get it to work, the thinner .007 film would have been much easier.  Especially on that funky shaped rear window!

 

 

 

Steve

[StevenGuthmiller]

On 9/5/2025 at 7:50 AM, MeatMan said:

Wow! I had to look that stuff up. Sounds like a better option for curved glass, and your results look great.
Any chance of a how-to?

I’ve started using a “friction fit” procedure that not only helps the glass conform to the correct shape, but also makes the inside of the glass frame look SOOOOO much cleaner and more realistic.

In a nutshell it involves add “cleats” to the A-pillars that create a fine channel for the glass to fit into.

These cleats serve double duty as a device to hold in the glass snugly, as well as serve as A-pillar trim.

Then, when the film is cut slightly wider than the opening, the glass will form into the opening with tension, meaning that glue is not required on the A-pillar areas.

Then I can just glue in the glass with some clear epoxy at the cowl, and possibly the header if required.

Anyway, when it’s all said and done. It gives you a much more realistic look from the inside of the car than thick kit glass glued to the perimeter of the opening.

Of course if you’re less anal, you can just tape and clamp the film into place and just epoxy the perimeter.

 

I don’t know if these photos will help with what I’m trying to describe, but they show the “cleats” and channels that the glass slides into.

  
 

But I think these photos illustrate how much better the interior of the glass looks when finished using this “friction” technique.

 

 

 

 

Steve

[MeatMan]

18 minutes ago, StevenGuthmiller said:

I’ve started using a “friction fit” procedure that not only helps the glass conform to the correct shape, but also makes the inside of the glass frame look SOOOOO much cleaner and more realistic.

In a nutshell it involves add “cleats” to the A-pillars that create a fine channel for the glass to fit into.

These cleats serve double duty as a device to hold in the glass snugly, as well as serve as A-pillar trim.

Then, when the film is cut slightly wider than the opening, the glass will form into the opening with tension, meaning that glue is not required on the A-pillar areas.

Then I can just glue in the glass with some clear epoxy at the cowl, and possibly the header if required.

Anyway, when it’s all said and done. It gives you a much more realistic look from the inside of the car than thick kit glass glued to the perimeter of the opening.

Of course if you’re less anal, you can just tape and clamp the film into place and just epoxy the perimeter.

 

I don’t know if these photos will help with what I’m trying to describe, but they show the “cleats” and channels that the glass slides into.

 

  
 

But I think these photos illustrate how much better the interior of the glass looks when finished using this “friction” technique.

 

 

 

 

 

Steve

Sweet! Thanks Steve.