cutting Lexan/PC

[zen]

i have a chop top and have to replace the rear window and want to replace the quarters with Lexan as well. any tricks to cutting Lexan? what about smoothing the edges? as simple as a file and buffig wheel? what about molding the rear window to shape?

[Carbon Joe]

Lexan is easy to work with, you can cut it with a jig saw or better yet a band saw with a wood blade. The most important thing is to keep from scratching it, it should come with a protective backing but for a little added protection pick up a roll 3M blue tape that low stick stuff. After you've cut it, you can sand the rough edges with course grit sandpaper and clean it up with a fine grit paper or you can use a file. Hope this helps

[zen]

thanks joe. what about contouring it? would a carefully used heat gun and the old window well supported work? how easily does lexan deform under heat.

[jhelgesen]

Zen, check a glass shop to see if you can get the lexan with the heavy paper covering instead of the cheap plastic film. What ever saw you use, use the finest blade you can get.

Hard part of making the new back window is getting enough heat (large enough heaters). Guess you could fasten down one side and heat it with a heat gun and slowly work across to the other side.

[Carbon Joe]

To shape it, you do have to heat it up but you just can't do with a heat gun you need a oven, the heat has to be uniform.

[Racelook]

For cutting lexan (if I don't missunderstood it this is the same as plexiglass in Dutch) with a jigsaw please tape painttape straigh over your cuttingline, so the cutting don't smelled back together ont the back of your saw.. The painttape keeps the smelled lexan on the tape so it don't smelled the parts together...

Otherwise you can stay-ing cutting..

It's not so good English but I hope you understand what I mean.

Greetings Wiebrand

[chigger]

Plexiglass is an acrylic and lexan is a polycarbonate. Lexan melts at a much higher temperature and is quite abit tougher and scratch resistant. Use the thinnest you can get away with probably about 1/8 inch. It will have to be uniformly heated to quite a high temperature as it melts at 600 degrees. Make sure every thing you use as a mold is absolutely clean. I would mold it first and then mark and cut it if I was using a rear window for the mold. Cut flat it may not fit when made to curve as it will be to short. Hope it helps.

[zen]

Originally posted by chigger
Cut flat it may not fit when made to curve as it will be to short. Hope it helps.

good point. thanks.

[fast70]

Zen,

First of all, I don't know if I would use my window as a mould. When you heat the lexan up to melting temp and then lay it on the glass it might cause it to shatter from heat shock. Second, I wouldn't try the heat gun method as it would cause the lexan to blur not making for a very good window.

fast70