• Can't post after logging to the forum for the first time... Try Again - If you can't post in the forum, sign out of both the membership site and the forum and log in again. Make sure your COG membership is active and your browser allow cookies. If you still can't post, contact the COG IT guy at IT@Concours.org.
  • IF YOU GET 404 ERROR: This may be due to using a link in a post from prior to the web migration. Content was brought over from the old forum as is, but the links may be in error. If the link contains "cog-online.org" it is an old link and will not work.

Lexan for Rifle

S

slybonesjesse

Sport Tourer
Anyone know where in the Everett area I can get lexan for the Rifle to do some cutting and experimenting. For any of you who have cut your own, do you get material of the right with and curve. And for height and shape at the top bottom. If they are flat, how do you curve it to fit. 2003 Concours, 56K COG #6953 IBA 28004 http://home.comcast.net/~slybones/Concours/connieMain.htm
avatar_lg.jpg
VisitedStatesMap.jpg
VisitedProvincesMap.jpg
 
Fred, Here are a couple local "Tap Plastic" shops. They sell retail. I use a 20 x 24 clear sheet of .110 mil polycarbonate (lexan). You can use .125 as well but it is slightly harder to cold bend. I wouldn't try anything thicker than this as it is more expensive, more difficult to bend and just un necessary. Leaving the protective paper on I trim it to shape with a bandsaw or a jigsaw. 10/12 teeth are fine enough as you don't want to "linger" in one palce too long as the heat build up will foul the blade and burn the plastic. Using a sanding block 80/100 grit is fine enough as well, smooth out the cut edges. Then have two "quick-grip" bar clamps ready and position the "glass" on the base so the outside edges are evenly spaced and the glass is therefore centered on the base Marking the base with a peice of tape and a refernece mark on the protective film on the glass peel up just enough of the protective film to clear the base mount then clamp one side of the new glass to the base (yes on the bike!) and very slowly using a pilot point style drill bit (I believe a 3/16" or 1/4" will match the existing holes) from the front of the glass drill or bore a hole through starting from the outside hole working inward. Secure the glass with your mounting screw then pressing on the glass with the palm of your hand reposition the clamp and drill the next hole. You must make sure the glass is in full contact with the base before drilling. Do this for the first two holes on the leftside (as facing the bike from the front (bikes rightside) thendo the same on the otherside. With four bolts in place you can drill and secure the two "inside holes". Also make sure the foam tape between the base edge and the glass is in good shape or replace it. You can get this stuff at Tap palstic as well. or a sign materials shop. It is a 3M foam backing tape. Wipe down the protective film and the base with a damp cloth to reduce static cling and clean up any "filings". then carefully remove the remainder of the protective film. You are done. I've done about six or more of these using this technique. When Rob Matson tried a Rifle I did his for him. Don't even think about heating up the glass as doing so could easily ruin the material. Beleive it or not polycarbonate is very hygroscopic and it will absorb moisture just enough that if you heat it too much the moisture will "boil out" leaving the plastic full of tiny bubbles and not the ones Don Ho sings about either! When I was in the seattle area I worked 13 years for a company that thermoformed plastic. It is not an easy task without the right equipment. 1 Tap Plastics Inc 12021 Northup Way Ste 203, Bellevue, WA 425 861-0940 425 861-0940 2 Tap Plastics Inc 710 9th Ave N, Seattle, WA 206 389-5900 206 389-5900 3 Tap Plastics 4232 196th St SW, Lynnwood, WA 425 977-4440 425 977-4440 AKA "2linby" That's 2-lin-by folks! Northwest Area Director COG #5539 AMA #927779 IBA #15034 TEAM OREGON MC Instructor 133K and counting! http://community.webshots.com/user/2linby http://tinyurl.com/njas8 (IBA BunBurner Gold Trip) http://tinyurl.com/lwelx (Alaska trip)
 
2linby, So do you put clamps on both side when you do the first hole? or center it as best you can and clamp just one side? I may try this with the Connie I just purchased. It has the Rifle base but no screen. It seems like tossing money into the wind to guess a the height I want without having anything to compare it to. Worst case, I'll know what size I want to purchase. Rory Danner, roryred Marietta GA '95 Connie
 
Those multi-size "step drill" bits are excellent for drilling any kind of plastic material.
 
I used material from Eagle, now Lowes here. .125 thick as I wanted a tall screen with minimun fluter. The home oven was not large enuf to get it in and shut dpoor but it sort of worked. Used a form hoping the plastic would soften and drop the to form radius. It mostly did but had minor optical prob. I later orderd a w/s thru JC Whitless. Orderd for a 84 GL Interstate then trimmed the base to fit the Rifle. Turned out to be a Slipstreamer brand. Still using it 10 years later.
 
Dan you wouldn't happen to have a picture of that you could post, maybe? I'd love to see that. Raven came with a 17" Rifle. I made a 12" summer shield from Lowes-bought Lexan. Don't know thickness. 1/8" maybe. Pretty thin. Pretty easy job. Just go slow.
 
Not up to posting pics yet  :eek:
Here is the link tho to my Connie Mods album.
Megashield II is the slipstreamer GW shield cut to fit the Rifle base:
http://rides.webshots.com/photo/1033184627033639341jbbOwg
it is tall (as I am)  but still cut at least 1/2" off and yet can see over it by a couple "'s
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top