Windows ( again!)

[BobE]

Back in last August I started a short thread on Leaking windows...
Now I've actually taken one out..
Followed all the instructions I could find and just have a couple of points with which you lads and lassies might be able to help...
The glass is contained in two half sections of extruded alloy which look like a lower case "h". These fit into the coach roof openings and are secured by "interscrews" to a corresponding d section which is inside the boat and the fastenings go through the top upright part of the "h " so the finished item is clamped into the hole in the GRP.
So that bit's fine and I guess from what I've found back in August I'll use some kind of one sided tape between the outer flange and the outside of the GRP coachroof.
But the glass itself was held into the channels by what semed to be a formed seal which I think was in turn bedded in the channel with some kind of grey goo... Had a job getting it out but finally cleaned it up with white spirit and a pointed bit of wood..
The seal seemed to have small flat bits of rubber to hold it off the channel... (makes sense) and allow the goo to seal the two items together...
So all is ready but I have two possibilities..

One... I wrap the new rubber seal ( which I dont have yet) round the glass, squirt some gunge ( which I dont have yet ) into the channel and then slide the Glass and seal into place...and secure the fishplates (which I haven't mentioned yet)
or
Two... I put the rubber seal in two bits into the two "gunged" channel sections and slide the glass into one section and the second section over the protuding glass and again secure with the aforementioned fishplates...

System one seems to mebbe be better 'cause I might just getaway with only one joint in the seal.....system two would obviously mean a joint at the places where the two extrusions but up together...
and in both cases I'm a bit concerned about the little bits of rubber which I think support the seal in the challel..

Comments help or whatever welcomed....Should I copy this to the PBO forum??

Btw Ive got the rounnd the wight by night race on Friday so look out for a drunken boat with a black ducktape patch on a windopw on the stbd side!!
at least when we take it off we'll have good night vision...

Cheers Bob E..

 

[gandy]

Those sound like the same windows on some Westerlys. This is a very full write up on one renovation process ..

http://www.btinternet.com/~inadee/windowprocedure1.pdf

 

[BobE]

Thanks for that I'm just going to print it out

Cheers Bob E...

 

[LadyInBed]

For my tuppence worth (younger viewers might not understand that /forums/images/graemlins/ooo.gif ) Put the rubber on first (you know it makes sense) and use some lubrication! silicone grease is good or you can go the whole hog and use some 'gunk'. People recommend Sicaflex as it's the best, but I have found that Black 'Roof Gutter' sealant is good, it doesn't quite set hard (Sicaflex does) and has a bitumen texture.
Make sure that the rubber seal ends join at the bottom of the frame.
I also use Roof Gutter sealant to gunk the frame to the GRP, it gives a bit of flexibility, sticks like sh!t to a blanket and is easy to wipe off excess with a drop of petrol.

 

[BlueChip]

There is another technique that works well
Dig out all the old sealant material both sides of the glass with a wire hook so the inside is as clear of old sealant as possible. Wash the window and frame with degreaser and dry well. Lay the frame flat with the window resting on the lower frame. Inject sikaflex into the frame above the window, allow to cure for a few days and clean up.
Turn the frame over and place some very heavy weights on the window so that the new lower seal is compressed leaving a gap above between the frame and window, inject sikaflex into this gap and allow to cure. Take the weights off and clean up.
This was a technique recomended by a surveyor, I used it some years ago on a former boat and it worked for me.

 

[Stemar]

I just did a refurb on one of my windows & have plans for the rest during the season. I got my bits from Seals Direct Measure up your frames and work out what you think you need and give them a call. I found them very helpful.

Their recommendation was goop between frame & seal and between seal and glass. For the seal between the frame and the boat, I used self adhesive expanded neoprene glued to the frame as I want to be able to remove the windows later this year to paint the deck and cabin. Because my frames weren't very well matched to the cabin, I used 6mm thick, rather than the recommended 3mm. It seemed to have worked, 'cos my bed was dry when I went down to the boat last weekend.

 

[BobE]

Thanks for all the advice...
I've just been to see Phil at Seals+Direct in New Milton...
Nice chap took my money painlessly...
He said I should use a rubber extrusion (U shaped) and make it up tight round the glass, sticking the ends together with Locktite super glue.(Glue it off the glass having measured a tight fit)
Then using a lubricant of some sort, (I'm trying Dry PTFE spray that I use for the mast track) slide the glass and seal into one half surround.. Then the other..
He also said to use neoprene single sided tape to seal the frame to the coachroof... Said I should stick the tape to the window surround and make the relative holes for the interscrew assemblies in it ..
This way the whole messy part of the job can be done in comfort on my bench..
So I'm off to give it a go..
Btw he did say I might have to "nick" the seal and/or the tape to get them to fit round the outer ends of the frames and surrounds..

So here goes... Thanks again 'n Cheers Bob E

 

[BobE]

Re: Windows ( again!) UPDATE

Well I finally did the first one last night...
First time I tried to slide the glass and seal into the surround after spraying with Dry PTFE ..had a right game.. NBG so struggled and pulled and yell ( as Sonia Snell!!) and started with the same seal but sprayed with WD 40..
No Prob shoved the thing in and slid the fishplates in afterwards.. Don't look at all bad... Replaced the two broken internut "nuts" with new and araldited them and left on AGA overnight..
Washed the windo assy well with Fairy Liq to get rid of the WD40 and it looks pretty damn good..
/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif


So I'll mow the lawn then go down to Christchurch to try to fit it after sticking the single sided tape on the surround..
Then Round the Wight by night on Friday...
Then start on the next window on Sunday or Monday...
Thanks Pals.
'n Cheers Bob E....

 

[LadyInBed]

Re: Windows ( again!) UPDATE

"So I'll mow the lawn "
As I remember, that is a dangerous past time for you.
Should you still be driving? /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[gandy]

Re: Windows ( again!) UPDATE

Are you using anything else to seal the glass into the frame, like a bead of silicone or Sikaflex? Or does the rubber seal do the whole job?

(I probably have the same job to do, but I'm putting it off)

 

[BobE]

Re: Windows ( again!) UPDATE

I really don't know what to say Nigel... For once words fail me ..
Maybe I should wear one of my old crash helmets??
Cheers Bob E...

 

[BobE]

Re: Windows ( again!) UPDATE

According to Phil at Seals + Direct (who measured the channels and glass there should be no need for anything else...The sticky tape job is a bit of a pain (windows have very tight small radii) but now I find I can buy the same thickness of material in sheet form so could cut out the ends and just use the tape for the straight bits...
( Iv'e ended up eith four joins of the tape on the one window I've done)
This would, I think, make it much easier (but still four joins)...
However Seals + Direct only sell the sheet without the adhesive so I'd have to glue the cut out bits to the frame with whatever the man suggests...
Still on small ends like the Sadler 32 windows ( 4 of them anyway) I think it'd be easier and I'll try it on the next one!!
Just hope the first one doesn't leak!!!
Cheers Bob E...