Re: glass-bottomed boats
That sounds great! Sounds like you really should do it. Make the
viewers now, make the window in the bottom this winter. It is my
understanding that Lexan is least brittle when relatively thin (I
think 1/8") so as to keep strain rate down (all a hazy recollection).
You might want to use multiple layers, particularly if you can figure
out a way to laminate. Of course Lexan is not particularly easy to
glue, it tends to crack if you use solvent glue.
viewers now, make the window in the bottom this winter. It is my
understanding that Lexan is least brittle when relatively thin (I
think 1/8") so as to keep strain rate down (all a hazy recollection).
You might want to use multiple layers, particularly if you can figure
out a way to laminate. Of course Lexan is not particularly easy to
glue, it tends to crack if you use solvent glue.
--- In bolger@y..., drewnel@p... wrote:
> I go to a lake in northwest Iowa called Okoboji. While it isn't
> perfect, it's one of the few natural bluewater lakes in the world.
> On calm days when pollutants are low, it can be pretty cool. I may
> just make some viewers for the kids, instead.
>
> Drew
>
> --- In bolger@y..., "Lincoln Ross" <lincolnr@m...> wrote:
> > Suggest using Lexan if there is any chance of hitting a rock! Also
> > suggest making it replaceable as it will scratch. You can get
> plastic
> > polish to take out the minor scratches, tho, I think. That's what
> they
> > used to use at the propellor tunnel at MIT, but I don't know if
> their
> > windows were plexi or lexan (polycarbonate).
> >
> > Glass may be strong, but it's also kinda brittle. You can hit
Lexan
> > with a hammer without breaking it, but I don't think I've seen
> glass
> > that would hold up.
> >
> > I think the previous thread was about windows above the waterline,
> > wasn't it?
> >
> > P.S. When I used to scuba dive, most places I went had less than
> 15'
> > or 20' visibility. BUt maybe you're by some tropical sea...
> >
> > --- In bolger@y..., garth@b... wrote:
> > >
> > > > Anyone out there experimented with lexan laminated into the
> bottom
> > > of a boat to create a "glass-bottomed" boat?
> > >
> > >
> > > We had a thread on this subject sometime in the last year. Stan
> > > Muller suggested trying laminated auto glass. I've looked
around,
> > but
> > > couldn't find anything the right shape and size.
> > >
> > > Then I came up with a great piece of shelf glass, for sale at a
> > local
> > > flea market -- price $5. It's about 5" X 16" and 5/16" thick. It
> > > seems very tough -- it must be able to take a certain load if
> it's
> > > made to be a shelf, right?
> > >
> > > But I haven't found the time -- or the courage -- to saw a hole
> in
> > > the bottom of my pirogue to take it.
> > >
> > > I'll report whenever it gets done.
> > >
> > > All best,
> > > Garth
I have about a 1/4" lexan windscreen on my motorcycle; yes, minor scratches
can be made to disappear with plastic polish. Last year I decided to build
myself a taller windshield; so I bought a chunk of lexan at Home Depot,
about 2 x 3', for about $20 - not bad. You can heat and bend it in your oven
to make big curves, or make minor bends with a heat gun, you can cut shapes
in it with a sabersaw or jigsaw if you're careful and use the right blades,
but watch the curves, and use the right blades (kinda coarse, with 'cleaner'
teeth in both directions to avoid molten build-up). You can even rip it on a
tablesaw if you go slow, it's versatile stuff, surprisingly easy to work
with woodworking tools.
I don't think the lexan would have to be the same thickness as the plywood -
it's pretty stout stuff, very impact resistant, and it'll crack long before
it truly breaks (much like plywood); it does flex, though not as much as
wood, hence I think at least 1/4" thick to avoid bowing inward from water
pressure, but if thinner than the wood, you might be able to match
'flexiness' so it wouldn't shake itself loose (which would be
catastrophic!). If you had 1/4" lexan in, say, a 1/2" bottom, it'd probably
be a pretty good match.
What I have trouble imagining is how you'd attach, and seal, the thing into
the bottom of a boat in a way that would be secure and not leak. Not alot of
stuff sticks to it very securely, I've yet to see anything that will truly
bond it, but there may be some special lexan glue out there I haven't found
yet. As for attachment, you'd probably need to rout a rabbet around the
edge, on the outside of the wood, to receive it, then screw and goo it in
from outside so water pressure would push it up, into the wood; then back
the margins of the wood inside the boat with some sort of frame. But from
working with the stuff, and building boats, I think it could be done. It'd
be neat!
Paul L.
can be made to disappear with plastic polish. Last year I decided to build
myself a taller windshield; so I bought a chunk of lexan at Home Depot,
about 2 x 3', for about $20 - not bad. You can heat and bend it in your oven
to make big curves, or make minor bends with a heat gun, you can cut shapes
in it with a sabersaw or jigsaw if you're careful and use the right blades,
but watch the curves, and use the right blades (kinda coarse, with 'cleaner'
teeth in both directions to avoid molten build-up). You can even rip it on a
tablesaw if you go slow, it's versatile stuff, surprisingly easy to work
with woodworking tools.
I don't think the lexan would have to be the same thickness as the plywood -
it's pretty stout stuff, very impact resistant, and it'll crack long before
it truly breaks (much like plywood); it does flex, though not as much as
wood, hence I think at least 1/4" thick to avoid bowing inward from water
pressure, but if thinner than the wood, you might be able to match
'flexiness' so it wouldn't shake itself loose (which would be
catastrophic!). If you had 1/4" lexan in, say, a 1/2" bottom, it'd probably
be a pretty good match.
What I have trouble imagining is how you'd attach, and seal, the thing into
the bottom of a boat in a way that would be secure and not leak. Not alot of
stuff sticks to it very securely, I've yet to see anything that will truly
bond it, but there may be some special lexan glue out there I haven't found
yet. As for attachment, you'd probably need to rout a rabbet around the
edge, on the outside of the wood, to receive it, then screw and goo it in
from outside so water pressure would push it up, into the wood; then back
the margins of the wood inside the boat with some sort of frame. But from
working with the stuff, and building boats, I think it could be done. It'd
be neat!
Paul L.
>
I go to a lake in northwest Iowa called Okoboji. While it isn't
perfect, it's one of the few natural bluewater lakes in the world.
On calm days when pollutants are low, it can be pretty cool. I may
just make some viewers for the kids, instead.
Drew
perfect, it's one of the few natural bluewater lakes in the world.
On calm days when pollutants are low, it can be pretty cool. I may
just make some viewers for the kids, instead.
Drew
--- In bolger@y..., "Lincoln Ross" <lincolnr@m...> wrote:
> Suggest using Lexan if there is any chance of hitting a rock! Also
> suggest making it replaceable as it will scratch. You can get
plastic
> polish to take out the minor scratches, tho, I think. That's what
they
> used to use at the propellor tunnel at MIT, but I don't know if
their
> windows were plexi or lexan (polycarbonate).
>
> Glass may be strong, but it's also kinda brittle. You can hit Lexan
> with a hammer without breaking it, but I don't think I've seen
glass
> that would hold up.
>
> I think the previous thread was about windows above the waterline,
> wasn't it?
>
> P.S. When I used to scuba dive, most places I went had less than
15'
> or 20' visibility. BUt maybe you're by some tropical sea...
>
> --- In bolger@y..., garth@b... wrote:
> >
> > > Anyone out there experimented with lexan laminated into the
bottom
> > of a boat to create a "glass-bottomed" boat?
> >
> >
> > We had a thread on this subject sometime in the last year. Stan
> > Muller suggested trying laminated auto glass. I've looked around,
> but
> > couldn't find anything the right shape and size.
> >
> > Then I came up with a great piece of shelf glass, for sale at a
> local
> > flea market -- price $5. It's about 5" X 16" and 5/16" thick. It
> > seems very tough -- it must be able to take a certain load if
it's
> > made to be a shelf, right?
> >
> > But I haven't found the time -- or the courage -- to saw a hole
in
> > the bottom of my pirogue to take it.
> >
> > I'll report whenever it gets done.
> >
> > All best,
> > Garth
Right. Reuel Parker suggests using lexan of the same dimension of
the surrounding plywood. The "problem" I would see with really stiff
glass, is that it would not be bendy enough to stay in the wood, and
could just pop completely out, once the wood was stressed enough.
Also, ss a former drugstore manager, I'll tell you that shelf glass
is designed to take a load, but will not put up to any kind of
impact. I've broken a whole side of an "island" with an incredibly
small impact through my own carelessness. Just think of what it's
intended to do. I doubt it will take being flexed, either.
Drew
the surrounding plywood. The "problem" I would see with really stiff
glass, is that it would not be bendy enough to stay in the wood, and
could just pop completely out, once the wood was stressed enough.
Also, ss a former drugstore manager, I'll tell you that shelf glass
is designed to take a load, but will not put up to any kind of
impact. I've broken a whole side of an "island" with an incredibly
small impact through my own carelessness. Just think of what it's
intended to do. I doubt it will take being flexed, either.
Drew
--- In bolger@y..., garth@b... wrote:
>
> > Anyone out there experimented with lexan laminated into the
bottom
> of a boat to create a "glass-bottomed" boat?
>
>
> We had a thread on this subject sometime in the last year. Stan
> Muller suggested trying laminated auto glass. I've looked around,
but
> couldn't find anything the right shape and size.
>
> Then I came up with a great piece of shelf glass, for sale at a
local
> flea market -- price $5. It's about 5" X 16" and 5/16" thick. It
> seems very tough -- it must be able to take a certain load if it's
> made to be a shelf, right?
>
> But I haven't found the time -- or the courage -- to saw a hole in
> the bottom of my pirogue to take it.
>
> I'll report whenever it gets done.
>
> All best,
> Garth
Suggest using Lexan if there is any chance of hitting a rock! Also
suggest making it replaceable as it will scratch. You can get plastic
polish to take out the minor scratches, tho, I think. That's what they
used to use at the propellor tunnel at MIT, but I don't know if their
windows were plexi or lexan (polycarbonate).
Glass may be strong, but it's also kinda brittle. You can hit Lexan
with a hammer without breaking it, but I don't think I've seen glass
that would hold up.
I think the previous thread was about windows above the waterline,
wasn't it?
P.S. When I used to scuba dive, most places I went had less than 15'
or 20' visibility. BUt maybe you're by some tropical sea...
suggest making it replaceable as it will scratch. You can get plastic
polish to take out the minor scratches, tho, I think. That's what they
used to use at the propellor tunnel at MIT, but I don't know if their
windows were plexi or lexan (polycarbonate).
Glass may be strong, but it's also kinda brittle. You can hit Lexan
with a hammer without breaking it, but I don't think I've seen glass
that would hold up.
I think the previous thread was about windows above the waterline,
wasn't it?
P.S. When I used to scuba dive, most places I went had less than 15'
or 20' visibility. BUt maybe you're by some tropical sea...
--- In bolger@y..., garth@b... wrote:
>
> > Anyone out there experimented with lexan laminated into the bottom
> of a boat to create a "glass-bottomed" boat?
>
>
> We had a thread on this subject sometime in the last year. Stan
> Muller suggested trying laminated auto glass. I've looked around,
but
> couldn't find anything the right shape and size.
>
> Then I came up with a great piece of shelf glass, for sale at a
local
> flea market -- price $5. It's about 5" X 16" and 5/16" thick. It
> seems very tough -- it must be able to take a certain load if it's
> made to be a shelf, right?
>
> But I haven't found the time -- or the courage -- to saw a hole in
> the bottom of my pirogue to take it.
>
> I'll report whenever it gets done.
>
> All best,
> Garth
> Anyone out there experimented with lexan laminated into the bottomof a boat to create a "glass-bottomed" boat?
We had a thread on this subject sometime in the last year. Stan
Muller suggested trying laminated auto glass. I've looked around, but
couldn't find anything the right shape and size.
Then I came up with a great piece of shelf glass, for sale at a local
flea market -- price $5. It's about 5" X 16" and 5/16" thick. It
seems very tough -- it must be able to take a certain load if it's
made to be a shelf, right?
But I haven't found the time -- or the courage -- to saw a hole in
the bottom of my pirogue to take it.
I'll report whenever it gets done.
All best,
Garth
Anyone out there experimented with lexan laminated into the bottom of
a boat to create a "glass-bottomed" boat?
I was thinking of something educational for the kids.......
Yeah, right.
Drew
a boat to create a "glass-bottomed" boat?
I was thinking of something educational for the kids.......
Yeah, right.
Drew