windshield custom made

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I assume if its curved, you would have a stock one cut down?

The older trucks were flat, and any glass shop that does laminated auto glass can cut those.
 
You can trim the stock windshield (or have it trimmed) if the shape of the windshield opening still allows for that. If you actually have to have a curved windshield made, you are in for a BIG expense.....multiple thousands of dollars.
 
Trimming a curved windshield requires a delicate hand. The best way is to use a belt sander (not the hand held kind) that has a coolent flood. Most glass shops will have this piece of equipment. It'll take several abrasive belts because it needs to be sharp, lots of coolent to keep it cool and patience. You'll need to make blocks to support the windshield while working it, especially when you work the corners. Any vibration and it'll crack. Water jet can also be used, there are some services that do this but I'd be concerned about the process with big curved glass.

Is it a big window cab? Rear window glass is more difficult if it's tempered.

I've also seen glass cut down with a sand blaster, but it needs to be supported or it will crack. You'll also want to use sand blast sign tape to protect the glass.You'll want to finish the edges with a belt sander though. Remember, heat and vibration are your enemy.
 
good luck! I'll keep happy thoughts for you. I did a 56 F100 with a 6" cut, took seven to get a good one.Old glass seems to work better? [cl
 
Straight windshield, no problem. Curved windshield, big problems. Like Gastrick , klink, and soltz said, it can run into HUGE money and they sometimes break a lot of windshields before they get one to work.

Don
 
Coming from some one that makes glass, if you have your stock window, take it to a place that makes glass. I have seen some of the guys at the plant I work for do some jobs that I would have swore were impossible.
 
Sam, I like your idea of the expandable foam. That would be the ticket for curved glass and would glue the piece to something so it would be real stable. You could even cut through it so it would support both sides of the cut.

I cut a flat VW windshield using a wet diamond saw I used when I did Laboratory counter tops. This will be the dividing glass on my mid engine car. I bought the saw at Home Depot for under $100. It is made by Workforce and uses a 4 or 5" diamond blade. I'm going to use Haggan's roll lock method to dress the edge.

This was just a strait cut but you could do curves if you make some extra cuts and you can use the sides of the blade to sand/grind the edges.

Before
glass001.jpg


After
glass003.jpg


Saw
glass002.jpg
 
Was that glass laminated?

An old trick I have seen done is to score the top side of the glass then snap the first layer. Dump lighter fluid in the new crack and light it, that burns the lamination off in the score. Then flip it over and score/snap the other side.
 
Yes, it is a VW front windshield. I doubt that the saw would work at all on tempered glass.

An old friend of mine cut down my 5" chopped Chevy truck windshield years ago using the score method you mention. We broke two before we got a good one. When he lit the lighter fluid, he let it burn just enough to heat the plastic so he could get a razor between the cut to slice through it.
 
Yes, it is a VW front windshield. I doubt that the saw would work at all on tempered glass.

Uhh yeah the saw on tempered would work in the fact that it would cut all the glass, in one nick, on the edge........... You try and do that with tempered glass and it would just explode. I just didn't know if they did laminated glass that long ago or not.........
 
My 48 has laminated glass. Tempered glass - I got 1/8" into it with a glass saw before it shattered (just wanted to see what would happen:D)

I cut a couple of my side glass windows the old school way. Score one side, flip it, and score the other. Use the ball on the other end and tap both scores until it is fully cracked through. Lighter fluid trick and separate. Grind the edges forever.
 
dremil tool,diamond cutting wheel from kingsley north lapidary supply also get the ground fault breaker you wont get shocked really bad. place a garden hose on the glass with a small amount of water running to keep it cool,when u cut into the glass support your cut with a wood clamp "padded" and remove the excess every 8-9 inches to eliminate the excess weight if you don't support your cut it will break every time. there is another tool a Berranca that you connect the garden hose to and it is just like a 4" grinder but you use a flat diamond wheel with grit from 20 up to 80 thousand grit.
http://www.kingsleynorth.com/skshop/category.php?catID=809

this is the water grinder
100_0947.jpg



these were made from rainbow obsidian "volcanic glass" which was made using the berranca hand held water grinder. I do alot of lapidary work ??
100_0246.jpg

100_0256.jpg

100_0245.jpg

100_0248.jpg
 
Got mine on the 4th try.
After the first one was cut, I had to go back and make a minor adjustment to make the opening fit the glass.

It was worth it.

56fordf100_01.jpg


Enjoy!
 

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