Hi Gents,
I'm sure I'm dreaming but I want to cost a new screen and canopy to make the rig into a all weather venture.   Even more than that I would like a good cheap fabricator next door on the central coast. I know right...

I'm sure the missus will lose some interest when she in caught sitting in a mobile bath 
as the existing screen and canopy is about a head to low.
So collective brains trust what options do I have?
 
Regards my recent request for info the failed Odometer, I pulled it down and I have damage  teeth missing to two gears and further minor damage to another so rather than mix and match I've ordered a new Odometer series two gear set. (all four) now I just have to wait

Waiting with anticipation

 Cheers Gordon

Any motor trimmer/upholsterer can make you up a tonneau if you either give them the measurements or take the chair along for them to look at. That shouldn't be a problem.
If you have the original windscreen with its edgings you can buy yourself some 2mm perspex and shape it to fit. 2 or 3mm should give you enough flexibility to cut to shape and trim. I think I read you're down on the central coast or somewhere so you shouldn't have any trouble finding what you need. Here in the wilds of Guyra the local glass and aluminium business keeps the perspex so you could try something like that. Just make sure the sheet is thin enough to work with.
Sean,

We have a local shop that works in Perspex and plastic and will make things to order. You need to check the yellow pages Perspex and plastic fabricators for one in your area. I normally make a template in cardboard and mark where I want the curves or bends. With a windscreen I would make a template and then take the sidecar to him so he could get an exact fit.
Regards Martin.

Lexan will both cold or hot form - I've done both with 2mm Lexan. A hot air gun works a treat to get gentle (and not so genttle) curves into it.

Gmac wrote:Hi Gents,
I'm sure I'm dreaming but I want to cost a new screen and canopy to make the rig into a all weather venture.   Even more than that I would like a good cheap fabricator next door on the central coast. I know right...

I'm sure the missus will lose some interest when she in caught sitting in a mobile bath 
as the existing screen and canopy is about a head to low.
So collective brains trust what options do I have?
 
Regards my recent request for info the failed Odometer, I pulled it down and I have damage  teeth missing to two gears and further minor damage to another so rather than mix and match I've ordered a new Odometer series two gear set. (all four) now I just have to wait

Waiting with anticipation

 Cheers Gordon

What sort of sidecar is it.  I've done a few HRD hoods over the years.  I am a trimmer, wouldn't do anything from measurements because I'd actually want it to fit.

Al

Dai wrote:Lexan will both cold or hot form - I've done both with 2mm Lexan. A hot air gun works a treat to get gentle (and not so genttle) curves into it.

Lexan will bend between 140 and 145C. It is almost impossible to get an even radius with a heat gun. It won't bend or it burns. To get a radius you need a large oven and a mold.
If you can bend angles or install under tension (in a frame) Lexan is fine and safe. But in all other occasions i would use PMMA, Plexiglass.

I need a screen with a 40cm radius and was quoted 400 euro's to make it for me, including a mold. I have tried it myself, Lexan, with a heat gun and a mold, impossible. One side burned and the other side not enough curve. I will have to do it again but now wit PMMA.

From what I know (not a lot) the sheet of Lexan/Plexiglass is hanged in a room and heated with dry steam. When it's really soft, they drop it onto a form and let it cool down.
I personally tried to use a heat gun and the result was less than acceptable.

Crazy Frog wrote:From what I know (not a lot) the sheet of Lexan/Plexiglass is hanged in a room and heated with dry steam. When it's really soft, they drop it onto a form and let it cool down.
I personally tried to use a heat gun and the result was less than acceptable.

That is almost the truth for Plexiglass (PMMA) That strarts to get flexible at about 100c. Draping over a form requires more heat up to 150c.
Lexan (Polycarbonate) is a completely different beast. It absorbs water. If you heat it at once the the water will make bubbles in your sheet. You have to dry it in an oven at around 110c for several hours. Than you have to raise the temp to a little over 140c to make it plyable. Then the Lexan will let itself drape over a mold.
Lexan is magnificent stuff. It is near impossible to shatter it. But it is hard to form with heat, unless you have a large oven.

Admittedly I've never tried to put compound curves in a sheet of Lexan but I've made a couple of K-screens with extended upper edges to cut the wind noise down. Come to think of it, I used a piece of 50mm steel pipe as a former...

I've bent plastic for a couple of projects where temperatures are not as critical as Plexiglass. If temperatures to bend this successfully are critical could you not use a laser temperature gun and an assistant. Two or even three people might make the process go a bit easier.
Regards Martin.

If you have a screen that is in not too shabby a condition you can send it to Eaglescreens.com.au and they can make you an identical one longer if you want just send a note with the height measurement you require, they take about a week and a half to get it back in the post to you. I bought a 4inch over screen for the K1100LT and it now delivers a beautiful quiet ride behind it. Fitted as if OEM they did that good a job. cost was 160 plus freight so with charges on paypal it came to 220 odd dollars.

If no screen email them and they may ask you to send a buck over a three ply formed duplicate (the buck) they can work from.