Desert Sasqwatch
Bigfoot Goblin
- Desert Sasqwatch Bigfoot Goblin
From Tinkles or DF?
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Windshield Development
escapepilot
Goblin Guru
- escapepilot Goblin Guru
I'm interested in building a Goblin so was reading through this thread. Has anyone looked at the Mazda Miata windshield?
SACTX
Well-Known Member
- SACTX Well-Known Member
Hey guys. For those of us that do not need safety glass, I am working on a process to make full windshields that mount with the DF mounts. I practiced with mine and think I have a better way to do it. It'll have a more consistent bend if my new idea works out. Mine deformed and bubbled a little at the bend line because I bent it in place and overheated some areas. They'll come to the top of the DF mount and bend back to the top of the track frame. Look at my pictures and you'll see it if you haven't seen it yet. City frame guys would need some kind of other support for the top because it will not be strong enough to self support.
It's made from .177" Polycarbonate that is listed as having impact strength of 18ft-lb/in. and has passed UL972. (burglar resistant test that consists of dropping a 5lb steel ball on it from 8', 10', and 40'). It's very hard but still a little flexible and light with "enhanced UV resistance". The weight of my windshield is about 8-10lbs. There are thicker sheets available but I don't think they are necessary unless you just want a thicker windshield.
I want to see what the interest would be on this. If enough people want it, I'll reach out to a specialty fabricator about bending them. If it's just a few, I'll bend them myself. There could be the possibility of some bubbles at the bend if I bend them myself but I'm working on that....
The price on a windshield would be about $300.00-$325+shipping depending on how many people want them. Less is more, more is less. Also, this does not include the DF mount. You'd need to have it, get it, or make your own.
Please let me know if you're interested. The timeframe on this will be in the next month or so.
It's made from .177" Polycarbonate that is listed as having impact strength of 18ft-lb/in. and has passed UL972. (burglar resistant test that consists of dropping a 5lb steel ball on it from 8', 10', and 40'). It's very hard but still a little flexible and light with "enhanced UV resistance". The weight of my windshield is about 8-10lbs. There are thicker sheets available but I don't think they are necessary unless you just want a thicker windshield.
I want to see what the interest would be on this. If enough people want it, I'll reach out to a specialty fabricator about bending them. If it's just a few, I'll bend them myself. There could be the possibility of some bubbles at the bend if I bend them myself but I'm working on that....
The price on a windshield would be about $300.00-$325+shipping depending on how many people want them. Less is more, more is less. Also, this does not include the DF mount. You'd need to have it, get it, or make your own.
Please let me know if you're interested. The timeframe on this will be in the next month or so.
Towerdog
Goblin Guru
Tim Moland
Well-Known Member
- Tim Moland Well-Known Member
That is exactly my problem with the DF windshield. It is very susceptible to scratches. Then you have to buy special rubbing compound to get it clear again. I want a glass windshield so bad.
SACTX
Well-Known Member
- SACTX Well-Known Member
It will scratch but not super easy. It's a very hard material. I selected this specific material because it's so hard. It's Rockwell R118, made specifically for use outdoors, and it's impact rating of 18ft-lf/in is about 78% as hard as tempered glass. It also weighs less than half of what glass does.
I've wiped it a couple of times with microfiber towels and water with no issues. I actually put some light scratches in it with my other windshield blank when it was off of the car for paint... That being said, any polycarbonate will scratch (including the scratch resistant stuff) unless it is the military grade/aerospace grade stuff that's used on aircraft windshields.
I did test it with Rain-X (a big no-no for acrylic apparently) because of the hit/miss rain chances we have in Houston, and it didn't do anything to it.
I have not tested it in direct comparison with the DF supplied windshield. They are different makes. I also have not tried to polish it. I can do both of those things and report back so you guys can have a good idea of what it does.
I've wiped it a couple of times with microfiber towels and water with no issues. I actually put some light scratches in it with my other windshield blank when it was off of the car for paint... That being said, any polycarbonate will scratch (including the scratch resistant stuff) unless it is the military grade/aerospace grade stuff that's used on aircraft windshields.
I did test it with Rain-X (a big no-no for acrylic apparently) because of the hit/miss rain chances we have in Houston, and it didn't do anything to it.
I have not tested it in direct comparison with the DF supplied windshield. They are different makes. I also have not tried to polish it. I can do both of those things and report back so you guys can have a good idea of what it does.
SACTX
Well-Known Member
- SACTX Well-Known Member
I did some more looking and found a sheet that is almost identical to this one, UV resistant, 3/16" thick, R118 hardness, 16ft-lb/in impact, with a scratch resistant coating. It's not UL972 rated.
It is A LOT more expensive. I'll have to buy it retail and not through my other supplier. I'll get a small sample piece and try it out.
Once I get the bending technique down, we should be able to do either one since they have close to the same characteristics. Not sure what heat will do to the coating.
It is A LOT more expensive. I'll have to buy it retail and not through my other supplier. I'll get a small sample piece and try it out.
Once I get the bending technique down, we should be able to do either one since they have close to the same characteristics. Not sure what heat will do to the coating.
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Ross
Goblin Professor
- Ross Goblin Professor
There are lots of "tempered" polycarbonate windshields made for ATV's. It might be the same as the scratch resistant coating one you mentioned.
The tempered ones are suppose to be a lot better at scratch resistance, but no where near as good as glass.
I have always wanted an Atom 2 windshield clone. It would end up using an extra foot of hood space, that would become an inner dash, as the lower angle requires starting the windshield much earlier than the current windshield.
This wouldn't require heating the polycarbonate, as it is a portion of a cone well within the flexibility limits of the material. It only flexes in one direction, so no compound curves, no optical aberrations from heating. Probably able to find an ATV tempered windshield to cut down to the shape needed, as I am not sure how easy it is to find tempered polycarbonate full sheets.
The tempered ones are suppose to be a lot better at scratch resistance, but no where near as good as glass.
I have always wanted an Atom 2 windshield clone. It would end up using an extra foot of hood space, that would become an inner dash, as the lower angle requires starting the windshield much earlier than the current windshield.
This wouldn't require heating the polycarbonate, as it is a portion of a cone well within the flexibility limits of the material. It only flexes in one direction, so no compound curves, no optical aberrations from heating. Probably able to find an ATV tempered windshield to cut down to the shape needed, as I am not sure how easy it is to find tempered polycarbonate full sheets.
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Goblin Graber
Well-Known Member
- Goblin Graber Well-Known Member
A little off topic, but for everyone that scratched their windscreens try this from Novus. I’ve taken some pretty gnarly scratches out of motorcycle windshields with this stuff.
Ross
Goblin Professor
- Ross Goblin Professor
That is a really nice offer. I wish I had the A pillars and a DF hood to be able to do some cardboard design.
Anybody with a track frame and a DF hood interested in doing some cardboard windshield design work?
I bet it would only take me 3 or 4 cardboard cutting attempts to get the shape right, or at least see if it is possible to attach to the DF A pillars at the steep windshield angle that the Atom 2 has.
Tim Moland
Well-Known Member
- Tim Moland Well-Known Member
This is the stuff I use. Your not stopped to use novus 3 on poly carb. Novus 2 works, but it takes a lot of elbow grease.
comegetjoe
Goblin Guru
- comegetjoe Goblin Guru
Being from Pennsylvania and knowing what I have to go through to get it titled/registered, i wonder if the proper cut out can simply be *glued to the front frame and have a welded in support for the bottom of the windshield.
I wonder what kind of hand room that would leave between the windshield and the steering wheel.
I wonder what kind of hand room that would leave between the windshield and the steering wheel.
