Lotus 7/Locost Aero Rebody

[NachtRitter]

Several interesting windshield designs available from kit cars... lots of them are flat, but some (Commutercar? Diasio? EM Motors?) are a bit more radical. Kit Car List - Kitcar & Replica Manufacturers, Builders & Dealers Copyright Kit Car List™

[Christ]

There aren't any aviation windows that are laminated glass, are there? Lots of those have curved/bubble shapes...

[Bicycle Bob]

It may be that glass can be re-shaped with fairly cheap tools. Remember those stretched soda pop bottles, with the paint apparently rubber-banded along with the glass? Big ovens can be made of cheap and junk stuff - the most important part is a fan with the motor on the outside. Circulate hot air, and trap the infrared for even heating. Given time, glass might slump nicely onto the same kind of wood and flannel forms used for plexi. I'm glad we don't need tempered glass, but that is not impossible, either. It's just an effect of a controlled blast of cold air.
If someone is using electric resistance heat anyway, and has a spare chunk of auto glass, they might run a cheap experiment in their kitchen oven . .

[Christ]

Originally Posted by Bicycle Bob

It may be that glass can be re-shaped with fairly cheap tools. Remember those stretched soda pop bottles, with the paint apparently rubber-banded along with the glass? Big ovens can be made of cheap and junk stuff - the most important part is a fan with the motor on the outside. Circulate hot air, and trap the infrared for even heating. Given time, glass might slump nicely onto the same kind of wood and flannel forms used for plexi. I'm glad we don't need tempered glass, but that is not impossible, either. It's just an effect of a controlled blast of cold air.
If someone is using electric resistance heat anyway, and has a spare chunk of auto glass, they might run a cheap experiment in their kitchen oven . .

Unfortunately, I have a gas oven. I don't even like doing plastic forms in it, because it doesn't heat evenly at all, even with the convection fan running.

[MetroMPG]

Originally Posted by JackMcCornack

Botsapper found, he's busy with work etc right now and we'll be seeing him back on ecomodder when he gets a break. Man, he's got killer CG3D skills, eh?

You're not kidding! Glad you posted that informational nugget; I was trying to track him down myself recently with little success. (I want to do a blog piece featuring a selection of the images he's posted in various threads throughout EcoModder...)

[henticules]

Hi guys. Been lurking like a ninja for a while and figured its time to start posting. for the windshield dilema I'm thinking classic Saab 900 windshield, real cheap at junkyards and a decent amount of curve and if layed back a little the A-pillars shouldn't be to horrendous. A second option is looking into 50's era cars glass. A lot harder to find but should still be very reasonable in price and my experience in pre-60's vehicles is that all the glass is laminated. It's not unheard of to hear hotrodders using rear windshields from 50's rides as the front on a chop top rod. just a few ideas.

I've also been wanting to try heating and bending windshields into better aero shaped via a mold and oven. I'm wondering it the heating cooling bending actions will ruin or fog the plastic that is in between the two glass layers. It's the plastic that makes it "saftety glass" Another thought is that if the bending works is using a cnc laser cutter to trim the glass to size while it is still hot. If this works the options are unlimited.

[moTthediesel]

Re: windshields

I don't know if any of you have seen a movie called "Yank Tanks", but it's about the people who keep the old American cars running in Cuba. I can't remember all the details, but I know they go to a guy who makes windshields. If I remember correctly, he uses steel slump forms and a large oven/kiln to do it.

Might be worthwhile to watch it, and even if you learn nothing worthwhile about making windshields, it's a great movie for anyone interested in cars anyway.

[Christ]

Henticules -

You can cut windshield (untempered) glass with a masonry wet saw, even with the plastic still installed. Score/snap works also, but you have to be pretty precise scoring both sides.

The glass needs to be heated to something over 1,300 degF. Pretty hot for an oven, unless you have a blast furnace or a forge pot.

At this temperature, the plastic will (obviously) melt and burn into soot and possibly less, leaving impurities and traces in the glass.

While I'm sure it would make for an interesting piece of art, I doubt it would fare well as a windshield.

Also, you'd have to keep the glass heated and bring the temperature down slowly. Cooling it too fast will cause it to crack and stress fracture, making it usable only as cullet for the next batch of glass to be made.

Glass can, however, be recycled endlessly, so have at it! You can't "waste" anything but time and fuel.

[jamesqf]

Originally Posted by Christ

You can cut windshield (untempered) glass with a masonry wet saw, even with the plastic still installed. Score/snap works also, but you have to be pretty precise scoring both sides.

So pick something common that has about the right curvature, and slice out however much is necessary from the center.

The bigger problem would be getting tempered glass for the sides, since that can't be cut.

[Christ]

Originally Posted by jamesqf

So pick something common that has about the right curvature, and slice out however much is necessary from the center.

The bigger problem would be getting tempered glass for the sides, since that can't be cut.

I'm not sure of the exact process, but if you can melt glass, you can probably temper it as well.

So the above poster who suggested re-shaping the windshield from something else may have this ability?

Else there may be another option altogether that we're not currently aware of.