Best material for windows

[Olle F]

I have seen all those great builds with windows that look like real glass, but so far I haven't been able to find the right material. I have tried Evergreen clear styrene, which was way too rough. I have been to Hobby Lobby looking for clear stencil sheet, but they only have it in pink, green or blue, with a frosted surface, or in a thickness that can't be used. I have been to several stores and explained what I need, and have been met with a blank stare, worthy of SpongeBob Squarepants. I have looked at the clear material you find in packages with toy cars and Christmas ornaments, but it's either too flimsy or too wavy. I have asked in flower shops, and some of them do indeed have a pretty nice material but it's either not for sale or too scratched to use. I have been looking for the material that you can find inside the collars of expensive shirts, but haven't been able to find a store here in town that sells expensive shirts.

So, in short: Can anyone tell me where to buy it and what to ask for, before I start collecting stamps instead?

[hookedonplastics]

Olle, the product you are looking for is clear acetate. Back in the day you could get it for laser printers for use with overhead projectors. Maybe try your local office supply store.

[Olle F]

Olle, the product you are looking for is clear acetate. Back in the day you could get it for laser printers for use with overhead projectors. Maybe try your local office supply store.

Yeah, they have those at Office Max and Staples, but the sheets I have found so far were too thin. I remember having some old overhead sheets that were about 2 or 3 times thicker, and they were perfect. They made a nice, smooth bow when you bent them and didn't bubble around the edges like the thinner variety tends to do. Some of them even had a nice, blueish tint, and would have been great to use as car windows. Lost them when I moved though...

[MrObsessive]

To echo what Russ said, I got mine at an Arts and Crafts store called "A.C. Moore". However, when I mentioned I was looking for acetate, I too got a blank stare. They called it clear stencil sheet which happens to be made of acetate. The size I use is .010" which for me is perfect for wraparound windshields an such without having to fight it.

Maybe try your local Arts and Crafts store such as a Michaels....or if all else fails, there's always the 'net. :wink:

[Modelmartin]

I have used Evergreen clear styrene and loved the results! I think it is optically about the best out there. K & S sells Clear Butyrate and PETG so any good hobby shop can get that and give you good results. The Petg is particularly good for vac-forming. 8)

[Marc @ MPC Motorsports]

I've been using .010 clear PVC from Midwest Products for almost 4 years. It is crystal clear and conforms well to contours and you can attach it with thin CA with no fogging. You can get it at www.towerhobbies.com. Here's the glass I just installed in my '73 Trans Am.

This stuff also comes in a clear brown which is a great copy of window film covered glass on 1:1 cars.

I used the clear brown PVC on the side and rear glass on my '72 Nova build back in 2004.

[Olle F]

I have used Evergreen clear styrene and loved the results! I think it is optically about the best out there. K & S sells Clear Butyrate and PETG so any good hobby shop can get that and give you good results. The Petg is particularly good for vac-forming. 8)

I did get Evergreen clear styrene a while ago but it looked terrible, to say the least. Maybe I happened to get a bad batch, but it had a slightly frosted look to it, plus some strange looking scratches, almost like stretch marks. It could possibly be polished, but it turned me off so badly that I want to go with something else. I'll ask about the other stuff you mentioned though, my hobby store is good at ordering odds and ends like that.

I've been using .010 clear PVC from Midwest Products for almost 4 years. It is crystal clear and conforms well to contours and you can attach it with thin CA with no fogging. You can get it at www.towerhobbies.com.

That's another thing I'll look into, and I saw that it comes in .016 too. Have you had any problems with wavy edges using this material? I'm having a probelm getting a nice, continuous bow if the material is too thin, so I would like to go with a fairly thick material to minimize this. There are no compound curves on what I'm building right now, so it will work as long as it bends nicely one way.

[Marc @ MPC Motorsports]

That's another thing I'll look into, and I saw that it comes in .016 too. Have you had any problems with wavy edges using this material? I'm having a probelm getting a nice, continuous bow if the material is too thin, so I would like to go with a fairly thick material to minimize this. There are no compound curves on what I'm building right now, so it will work as long as it bends nicely one way.

I would use the .010. I have had no problems with wavy edges whatsoever.

[MrObsessive]

Olle, make sure that the surface you're laying the glass in as smooth as possible. Plastic burrs, clumps of paint, or rough inside edges can lead to the wavy appearance.

Sometimes slight waviness can't be avoided.....in that case, I would cut a very thin edge of electrical tape and lay it along the outside perimeter to simulate weatherstripping. If you take a look at my Turbine Car thread pics in the last page or so............that's what I did.

[Olle F]

Olle, make sure that the surface you're laying the glass in as smooth as possible. Plastic burrs, clumps of paint, or rough inside edges can lead to the wavy appearance.

Sometimes slight waviness can't be avoided.....in that case, I would cut a very thin edge of electrical tape and lay it along the outside perimeter to simulate weatherstripping. If you take a look at my Turbine Car thread pics in the last page or so............that's what I did.

I haven't done many windows like this, but I have had slighly wavy edges on some of them. I will definitely try to get the edges as smooth as possible, but sometimes you won't notice until the glue is dry and then you'll have a major (at least in my eyes) problem to correct. I was thinking it would be safer to take the fool proof route by using a thicker material and just ignore the minor gaps that may occur, rather than ending up with waves in a window that's already glued to the body.

But I have seen the glass you and Mark have installed, and that's proof enough that your methods work. I just have to get there... can't... let... model... win... :mrgreen:

[phil]

Just the other day,while exploring ebay,I came across what I think is a new product. It is called EVERCLEAR windshield system (for model cars) . I sent seller an email regarding purchasing it at a later date. Waitin for responce. It sounds like a good product for our useage. Check it out.

[phil]

Just the other day,while exploring ebay,I came across what I think is a new product. It is called EVERCLEAR windshield system (for model cars) . I sent seller an email regarding purchasing it at a later date. Waitin for responce. It sounds like a good product for our useage. Check it out.

[bobss396]

I use something very low tech, the clear plastic strip that comes with new dress shirts. This is the stuff that wraps under the collar so it retains its shape in the package.

It has a fair amount of usable area, cuts easily with sharp scissors, can be sanded and polished out. I use it in many of my projects, a couple of shirt's worth goes a long way and reuses something that is normally tossed out.

Bob

[Olle F]

K & S sells Clear Butyrate and PETG so any good hobby shop can get that and give you good results. The Petg is particularly good for vac-forming. 8)

Seems like this old thread popped up again, so I might better tell you about the outcome before I forget: I ended up using .015 K&S sheets, as this was what I could find locally. This was for a slightly curved rear window and after some careful cutting and trimming, it just popped in place between two strips I had glued to the B-post. I was pleasantly surprised to see that it also bent into a slight bubble shape (i.e. curved both ways) which made it look even more realistic.

It's definitely too thick for any tighter bends though, so I'm going back later to get some .010 sheets. The only drawback I have found is that this material is pretty sensitive to scratches, and not very easy to polish out either. I might look for other alternatives later, but this will work for now.

[dryvr12]

I've heard the plastic from a ketchup bottle works great. Use the straight side. To bend, apply some heat, but keep the heat source a fair distance away. Hope this helps

[CAL]

Marc;

That PVC looks fantastic. Gotta remember that!

PVC works very well in my Vac U Form machine. Clear styrene not so much.

This one still has the protective films on.

[Semi Trailer Mechanic]

What's goin' on...

Try using the clear report covers. You may recall having used it back in school. (Stuff your paperwork inside then slide a plastic binding on). I've got a resin cab (W900L Kenworth) that I intend on experimenting w/ this on.

[dryvr12]

What's goin' on...

Try using the clear report covers. You may recall having used it back in school. (Stuff your paperwork inside then slide a plastic binding on). I've got a resin cab (W900L Kenworth) that I intend on experimenting w/ this on.

That's really a good idea! I never thought of that. To stiffen it, you might want to use two sheets(it's only one binding, but use both sides)

[mageckman]

I'm getting ready to try some of the clear plastic that Wal-Mart uses for their baked goods. It looks to be about the right thickness. Hopefully I can get it to work. Has anyone else tried this stuff, yet? Mageck