| Author | Message | ||
     Phelan |
Just curious if anyone has ever cut polycarbonite? I've been looking for a longer windshield for my S2 that has a laminar style lip built in, but no one makes, so I'm thinking of cutting down a screen from another model. | ||
| 86129squids |
Holler at Etennuly (Vern), the guy with the barn-door windshield on his bike...  | ||
| Etennuly |
If it truly is polycarbonite that is not really old, it will cut well with a jigsaw with a fine blade. Cover it with masking tape to protect it from scratches and to have a good surface to mark your cut lines. Just work slowly and carefully to stay on the lines. After cutting sand the edges to shape with 80 grit, then 180, and finally with about 400 for a nice edge then remove your masking tape. | ||
| Phelan |
Thanks! | ||
| Torquehd |
Or a dremel tool with a cutoff wheel. Or a pneumatic cutoff tool. Etennuly's got it - tape it, draw the line, cut, file, sand. | ||
| Hughlysses |
Polycarbonite? That sounds even better than the stuff Hans Solo was encased in! | ||
| Aesquire |
What screen are you going to cut down? The only one I know of is made by Rifle. Please let us know of a different one. http://rifle.com/Motorcycle-Windshields-Motorcycle-Fairings-Motorcycle-Parts-Accessories-for-1995-Buell-S2-S2%20%20Thunderbolt/B156.aspx The S3 shield can be made as a single bend shape, but the lip you want requires 2 bend planes... If using sheet polycarbonate leave the protective coating on until you re-install it for the last time after getting it to fit right. It will go on and off several times while you carefully get the holes in the right spot. Follow Etennuly's advice and do the same bit with tape for drilled holes. A home oven set on the lowest setting will make it bendable enough to mold to fit. Use heavy leather gloves. I've done this process for fairings before. I've also made some hideous screw-ups. Like, don't forget the plastic in the oven because of a football game. I have a Laminar Lip on my S3 fairing, and it diffuses the wind blast, and makes more noise. It's been a good trade off. Honestly the bike was quieter inside the helmet with the M2 gauge shield. http://www.laminarlip.com/ http://www.laminarlip.com/s3.php I'm amazed the industrial plastic interlock stuff holds so well. ( 3M interlocking plastic balls on stalks ) never had a problem. (Message edited by aesquire on July 18, 2014) | ||
| Phelan |
I'm thinking of using a sport touring variant of the ZG S3 shield. I think I can make it work to my satisfaction without having to add and bends. The lip isn't as aggressive as the laminar lip but it should still be a bit better than the stock shield. | ||
| 7873jake |
If you can keep the cut speed down so you're cutting, not melting, you can knock down the rough edge with light sanding to get the finish mostly there (like Vern described). From this point, if you want it to shine, heat the edge with a heat gun or torch (prefer heat gun) and it will smooth out shiny and clear. A quick wipe with an MEK wipe or isopropyl alcohol wipe will add additional luster. (By wipe, I mean a clean rag, not one of those little medical office wipe things. We generally use alcohol vs. MEK but our product rep says MEK works well. YMMV.) If you can hit the cut edge with a roundover bit on a router, it will give it the additional factory made look. We make server rack doors for our command vehicles this way from poly stock and they come out looking phenomenal. We use smoke and clear, depending on the customer's request. ALWAYS practice with a scrap piece first. Cut, heat, wipe. Experiment to see how close you need to be and how hot you need to run with your gun or torch. Lexan requires a little more heat and quicker work time than regular "generic" polycarbonate, at least that's been our experience. |
