Asking advice on difficult mod - making new curved screen etc

I'm glad you appreciated. Good point re. sun glare though, I didn't think about it.
Judging the perspex angle and the helmsman position from the pic, I guess it might be a problem only with the sun almost perpendicular above and slightly behind your head, which means very rarely. Worth checking in advance though.
I agree re. a slight curvature of the perspex, both to make it less flexy and also aesthetically - otoh, that would increase the sun glare risk a bit (more potentially annoying sun positions).
Keep us posted, I'm curious to see what you'll come up with.
But I wouldn't be surprised if it'll be much nicer than the original one, which seems just a useless dirt trap (in its bottom part), for what I can see from the pics.
 
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Thanks mapis. Lots of nice lateral thinking on here. That is food for thought, I'll make a mock up and see how it looks. It might get caught by a lot of sun glare? And actually I want to get some curvature into the perspex becuase it is too flexy if flat, but I might be able to make it slightly curved with your design. Thanks!

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Another reason to use what boat manufacturer's use - Lexan
It is very tough and will not shatter, scratch resistant and easy to cut, shape and drill.
Have a look at your main flybridge screen and that is probably Lexan.
Perspex is alright for cup holders, but not screens of any size, it will break if any one falls against it?
 
Sorry Chap, saw this but have been flat out.

I think the idea of compound moulding might be one challenge too far, could look v flash though...

Adding some curve into the sheet will add stiffness and I think you'll need it.

What about making it more 3D ish by cutting the flat sheet like an unfolded cardboard box and then bending along the 'folds' and cyanoacrylate glue the joins? Could be tidy but maybe a little boxy. Some promotions fixtures in shops made like this and tidy finish, maybe plastics experienced shop fitting firm?

Aside from trade names, plastic sheet will be either acrylic or polycarb, first is more scratch resistant but harder to work. Polycarb edges can be planed and it can be bent cold. Perspex is acrylic. Makrilon is polycarb.

Toblerone idea sounds good to me, maybe a length of aluminium? (get lucky and find a suitable extrusion?), then have it hard anodised?
 
Thanks BB. Yup, I've gone off compound curving, though I did find how to do it one-offly on 'net. You make a former (wood, whatever) with the compond curve in it, then stick the plastic in oven and just drape it over the former, and it just flops to the shape. Very full tech info on Lexan website. The website also explains cold versus hot bending. It'll cold bend but there's a min radius, so I'll have to hot bend for my partic job, but it's easy enough. I want quite a decent thickness so it feels quality and not floppy. 5 or 6mm

I had kinda decided to use poly carb, Lexan, cos easily avaialble, stronger, and easier to work. The sheet I need is only something like £150. But I hadn't realised it scratches more. Hmmm

I cant use a shopfitting type firm cos the boat is in France and I dont speak good enuf franglais to hire a local and get what I want. I gotta do the prep in UK then DIY it

Yup I'd prefer aluminium toblerone but I dont think I can bend it to the arc of the helm unit, esp at the ends where the radius reduces. It'll be a kinda 50x50x50mm triangle section. I can bend nylon, and also heat gun it if needed

Wakeup has kindly send me tech info and drawings/specs on some LED units which I can install for an edge lighting effect. Makes the top cut edge of the polycarb glow subtley. Or not subtley. It adds some engineering challenges installationwise but I might give it a go and he and I have got the installation design to a point where we can give it a go and if it's no good I can chuck it.

Look for another post in a month or 2 witht he finished job! Thanks
 
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