Thief breaks window beside the door of 1995 Excella 30' -- replace w/ polycarbonate?

[Bob Blarney]

Hello, I recently acquired a '95 Excella 1000 30', and while it was parked on a storage lot a thief broke the window beside the door and tore the shade, in an attempt to enter (he didn't succeed). So I've covered it over temporarily, and will need to replace it soon. Are windows commonly available? I think the hardware can be re-used.

In the meantime, I have a piece of 6mm polycarbonate glazing that would make a fine temporary ( or permanent?) window. I'm wondering if the curvature of the body is gentle enough so that the polycarbonate would flex enough to seal. If it isn't, I'm considering thermoforming it to shape over a MDF mold (as I bend guitar sides). Does anyone know if another side window has the same curvature, so that I could pattern the mold after it? Does the window near the galley match the curvature, and maybe size?

[OTRA15]

Sorry to hear about this! Won't 6mm polycarbonate conform to that curve when the stops hold it in place?

6mm is about 15/64" or just under 1/4" . . . so thinner material might be easier to use. Not sure material which is thicker than the AS glass will work with the stops. How thick in the AS glass?

Do you have enough material to cut a piece to the rough size needed, and then press it against the window frame to check the flex?

Is the outer window trim what holds the glass in place, as it is riveted from the outside, or does the inside stop hold the window in place?

I would guess that the side of an AS is a uniform curve on each actual trailer, so that another window on either side, at the same height, would have the same curve IMO.

Good luck!

Peter

[Bob Blarney]

The window frame is intact, but the lifting arms are bent up - the glass shattered.

I have a piece that is plenty large enough. The material is Bayer Makrolon, and is manufactured as glazing for buildings. It has UV protection as well as resistance to high winds and impacts. It is easy to work with hand tools and power woodworking tools with proper blade selection. In the pic below I am cutting a window for my 'craftsman-built' foamie micro-camper (see Member Intro thread) with a Vaughan Bear pullsaw and touching up the edge with a Stanley No.4 handplane (two essential handtools!). The wax greatly eases cutting wood or plastic.

[OTRA15]

Thanks. Just not sure what thickness the AS stop system will accommodate . . . was the old glass auto safety glass, and how thick?

[OTRA15]

Oh, just saw your edit with the new first sentence -- an operable window. I had been picturing a fixed panel. You probably need new parts from Airstream to have the thing work right.

[Michael_Wild]

Check out this solution from 3M:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96x2tO9Xuxw

I may just get some and do all the windows on our 1978 Sovereign.

[Bob Blarney]

Originally Posted by planBe

Check out this solution from 3M:

I may just get some and do all the windows on our 1978 Sovereign.

Hmm, I wonder what the price of the 3M product is. There is a similar product of 36" wide x 25 feet for ~160$, but I don't know if it has the same deterrent qualities. But it may not be a workable solution anyway. If the storage location is not monitored lot, a thief has as much time as needed to break in, and I'd really be disappointed if the thief got frustrated and broke more than one window.

As for making a window, i drove the 40 miles to the storage location and looked things over. The broken window is the same size as the kitcen/galley window at ~18.5" x ~22", and the curvature has a long radius (is quite shallow). I can remove and use the galley window as a template for locating mounting and adjuster holes, and then see the polycarbonate window will flex without excessive tension. I'm inclined to think that it will flex enough, but if it doesn't I'll try making a mold either by calculating the radius from measurements of the chord of the window curvature, or by an offset tracing using a pencil and metal washer.

[OTRA15]

Seems like a lot of work, with unpredictable results IMO. The breaking and (not) entering you experienced is a fairly rare occurrence, and will probably never happen again to you.

Much easier to just buy a replacement window and operator arms and be done with it, again in my opinion.

[ . . . rather be on the road and camping . . . ]

Over and out -- good luck!

Peter

[GM Airstream]

Wow why go to all that work.. you can get replacement window from either airstream or PPG... they come tinted... and you can get the doubble pain ones... that help with the thermal part... I replaced mine.. and was not a big problem.. but it was about a 5 out of 10 to do.. yes you had to strip the interior out... (re-useable) just watch the drill and the pop rivets on the plastic... Use real aircraft rivets... and the proper sealant around the frame.. and its a 2 hour job... I used cecos to hold the outside window frame in... and with a little help from someone holding the bucking bar... shot all the rivets in ... in less than 20 min... the window from airstream was a little price'y but hey nothing like OEM stuff to go back in and keep it orginal... to help save the window from pitting and being hit.. I put a sheet of the 3M protector on... but others that we have worked with... didn't feel it necessary... good luck.. but plastic (acrylic) will eventually craze when you try and bend it and fit it to the trailer wall... not to mention that it scratches real easy.. even cleaning it... Avion used it for a while but went back to glass as they found it was not clear.. without waves... after a period of time... Good Luck and if I were you.. I'd go find a aircraft sheet metal mechanic to help you put 'er back in the right way... G.M>

[GM Airstream]

you might try and see if you can get a surplus or salvaged window on the wanted part of the airstream swap-n-shop... and just replace everything.. frame and all... I know mine got broke into in a storage yard... (they didn't have any insurance.. go figure)... and they bent the locking latches opened the window and cut the screen... to get in... I had a hunting motion camera inside... hanging on a hook.. they didn't take it... and I got some great shots of the thief's... young kids... I found out who they were.. and on my way to batting practice... I paid them a visit... in the park... which I think they won't forget for a long time.. payback is a bitch... if you ask them... about their kneecaps... needless to say the law is not much help for the offended... and around here no one bothers to call a cop... as they don't do much anyway... but, most of the kids around here are pretty respectful... just a few bad apples that move in from the big city and THINK they are BBOB ... I was surprised to find that other kids fingered the bad guys almost without hesitation... sweet...

[fwjumper]

Is this it?

http://www.inlandrv.com/catalog/prod...roducts_id=540

Wishing you success.

[fwjumper]

Or these, better price, maybe. Didn't know if you need arms or not. All of it is available.


http://airstreamsupply.com/New-Airst...-5-8-195510-12

http://airstreamsupply.com/New-Airst...OPENING-382362

http://airstreamsupply.com/New-Airst...OPENING-382361

[Bob Blarney]

Only the window is shattered, and the lift arms that pass through slots in the frame are bent and can probably be straightened. The frame itself is intact. Why would I drill out rivets and pull the frame out if it's not damaged?

When I get the AS home for close inspection, I'll know more about what exactly needs to be done. I couldn't do much more than a cursory inspection today because I discovered an infestation of bumblebees (really, bumblebees that are usually underground nesters!) flying around inside.

I don't think it's at all difficult to cut a window from polycarbonate if flexing it is not a problem. I have the appropriate material at hand at no cost, and I have the necessary tools and experience. A tracing of the kitchen window, a careful cutting out, and a touchup of the edges with a plane and sandpaper, and it's done.

[Bob Blarney]

Hello, I fabricated and fitted the polycarbonate window today. I installed it temporarily until I buy new, longer, stainless steel nuts & bolts. It was not a difficult job to do. I need to do some other work today, but I'll post pictures if you like.

[Bob Blarney]

Here is the polycarbonate window. The polycarbonate was 0.085 thicker than the glass, so it was necessary to route a rabbet for the hinge plate along the top edge. Other than that, the entire job was done with hand tools: A Japanese pull saw and a 14tpi coping saw (lubed with wax), and a file and a bit of sandpaper for the edges. (And a hand or electric drill for the holes!) The polycarbonate is just flexible enough that heat-forming the curve was not necessary. I replaced the original nuts & bolts with stainless steel, and the black screw caps as well for about $10.

[TRIPPPIN]

Looks perfect! Well done.

[OTRA15]

Great job, Bob! How many total labor hours were involved in going for the poly as opposed to new glass from AS, including the discussions here about the various possible solutions?

Thanks,

Peter

[Bob Blarney]

Originally Posted by OTRA15

Great job, Bob! How many total labor hours were involved in going for the poly as opposed to new glass from AS, including the discussions here about the various possible solutions?

Thanks,

Peter

I've had the materials on hand from another project, so I didn't spend time on acquiring them.

I just measured a scrap and found that it is 3/16" thick, not 6mm or 1/4". The glass is about 7/64" (0.109") thick. A 4x8 foot sheet of 0.118" Makrolon is $165 from Home Depot; maybe it's available in 2x4 ft sheets as well. I think the 0.118" Makrolon would be a better choice.

That said, the labor time was about a leisurely 4 hours. First, to get the corner radius and width, I made a pattern from thin plastic (the dog mat) by tracing the bottom half of the galley window, which is conveniently the same size. After cutting the pattern out, then I measured and marked the height of the window and locations of the hinge plate, lift-arm brackets, and lock plates. After that, it was a matter of cutting out the piece, then cutting and smoothing the corners with the coping saw and then filing/sanding to the line. The top edge was rabbeted with an electric router to fit the hinge plate, and then the rest of the hardware was clamped in place and the holes drilled with ordinary twist bits ("F" bit for the hinge plate, and 11/64" for the bracket holes.

When cutting polycarbonate for small projects, I think it is much safer to use handsaws than a table or radial saw. A bandsaw can cut safely, but the blade sometimes gets clogged. So I use a Japanese-style Vaughan Bearsaw and a coping saw with 14tpi blade. When using a handsaw, the keys are to lube the blade with wax, and keep the saw at a shallow angle as in the picture, so as to keep many teeth in the kerf with light to moderate pressure. This way, you can split a pencil line and leave a clean edge. To finish into an inside corner, bring saw up to the vertical and cut on the push stroke(instead of the pull stroke) with light pressure.

[OTRA15]

Thanks, did you price out replacement glass from AS?

[Bob Blarney]

Originally Posted by OTRA15

Thanks, did you price out replacement glass from AS?

Not from Jackson Center, but from another A/S supplier it was ~$240 shipped to me, but not installed.