Repairing a crack in a perspex hatch

[Peter]

Our aft cabin hatch has a approx 200mm long crack in, 12mm perspex on a wood frame. At th moment cannot afford to replace the perspex, over £200 for a piece pf perspex. plus fitting it. Are they any methods for repairing this crack? heat, glue, epoxey, sealant etc

Peter

 

[sarabande]

it might not look the best, but if you glue another piece of e.g. lexan over the top, it will

a) prevent the crack from lengthening,

b) make it water proof

c) strengthen the original ppex..

 

[NorthUp]

drill a small (1/8" or thereabouts) hole at both ends of the crack to stop it spreading.
Then see above post!

 

[Silent Lady]

First Thing to do ..

The first thing to do is drill a hole at the end of the crack to stop it spreading then you can sort something out. You could stick some thin perspex on to using silicon or you could use a decent hot soldering iron and melt the crack back together. You need one that has got some go in it so a gas one with a decent tip.

 

[The engineer]

This has such a great name

Captain Tolley's creeping crack cure, but it is for real and does work.

http://www.captaintolley.com/

 

[savageseadog]

Dam round the crack with plasticine and drop the correct solvent cement onto the crack.

 

[Norman_E]

If I remember it right one solvent is chloroform, but the usual tecommended one is MEK (methyl ethyl ketone). I found this stuff advertised and it appears to have a different chemical name on it.

 

[Hoolie]

"Superglue" has very good crevice penetration, though its difficult to control where it gets. Plasticine as per savageseadog's suggestion perhaps? Then polish the surfaces.

 

[awol]

Acetone will melt perspex. We used to use acetone with perspex shavings dissolved in it as perspex glue. Simply taping over the bottom surface and dripping acetone into the crack may be sufficient to seal it - but be careful!

 

[Rigger Mortice]

Our aft cabin hatch has a approx 200mm long crack in, 12mm perspex on a wood frame. At th moment cannot afford to replace the perspex, over £200 for a piece pf perspex. plus fitting it. Are they any methods for repairing this crack? heat, glue, epoxey, sealant etc

Peter

When mine cracked a couple of years ago I tried Captain Tolleys and acetone. All I can say is that they didn't work for me. Maybe it's just down to luck.

In the end I resorted to Duck Tape till the end of the season. It wasn't pretty, but it kept us dry.

How big is your hatch? £200 for a piece of perspex, even at 12mm thick, is a lot. Or does that include machining?

 

[Tranona]

Our aft cabin hatch has a approx 200mm long crack in, 12mm perspex on a wood frame. At th moment cannot afford to replace the perspex, over £200 for a piece pf perspex. plus fitting it. Are they any methods for repairing this crack? heat, glue, epoxey, sealant etc

Peter

Any repair (even if it works) will only be temporary. Replace it with a polycarbonate such as Lexan. Can't believe £200 unless it is patio door!

 

[john_morris_uk]

Try a sign writing /sign making shop. I've bought Polycarb sheet very cheaply to repair hatches in the past. £200 sounds a lot - or was that including labour to fit it etc?

 

[Pete735]

Perspex Prices

I also need a hatch in 12mm, size 700 x737 mm tinted. Tried several places including a couple of companies mentioned recently in YBW threads. With two machined edges to slim hatch down to 10mm (clearance in ally track) lowest price I've got is £138.00 + £22.00 carriage + VAT, total £192.00. So in my experience £ 200.00 is not untypical. Polycarb in my experience is so soft it scratches too easily.

I've tried local signwriters and 12mm is much thicker than they normally use, so no joy there. They will happily get me an 8 x 4 tinted sheet at over £500.00, but I declined the offer.

I do have a large section of 6mm tinted perspex and have wondered about gluing 2 sheets together. Has anyone experience of this on sheets the size I need?

 

[Tranona]

I do have a large section of 6mm tinted perspex and have wondered about gluing 2 sheets together. Has anyone experience of this on sheets the size I need?

I did that once using the proper adhesive. Not a success as the adhesive smeared as the two panels were clamped together so you could always see it was two panels. Stayed stuck though - and still is after nearly 30 years (although no longer on the boat, but in the "might be useful one day" department.