Some aircraft windows are made of acrylic plastic.
Acrylic plastic, or Plexiglas, is the preferred glass substitute for windows but can also be used for a variety of other purposes which require transparent, rigid material. The fact that it can be heat-formed at 325 degrees F make it a favorite for complex shapes such as car taillights. Since it is strong and shatter-resistant, it is used in shower enclosures and in aquariums. Because it is lighter than glass, it is used in greenhouses and other structural applications where weight is important.
Instructions
1. Replace window glass with acrylic panels for increased strength, shatter resistance and slightly better insulation. Cut the acrylic panels of the same thickness as the glass to the size of the window frame, leaving 1/8-inch space around the edges. Use a saw with a special blade for acrylic or plastic cutting. Scrape the edges with an acrylic edge scraper and sand the edges smooth. Remove the inside moldings and putty around the glass and remove the glass panes. Place a bead of silicone sealer around the window frame. Place the acrylic panels against the outside moldings and seal in place with silicone sealer. Replace the inside moldings. Seal the moldings against the acrylic panels with silicone sealer.
2. Install a transparent shower enclosure wall using an acrylic panel because it is lighter than glass and shatter resistant. Get a precut, 1/2-inch-thick acrylic panel with the edges finished smoothly. A typical size is 4 by 7 feet, a size which will keep the water spray in but let hot air and steam escape over the top. Install heavy, stainless steel fixtures designed to hold transparent, 1/2-inch panels in shower enclosures on the wall and floor according to the manufacturer's recommendations. Drill holes in the acrylic panel as required by the mounting fixtures and using a special drill for acrylic panels. Mount the acrylic panel on the mounting fixtures.
3. Construct a cover made of a curved acrylic panel for a display on a shelf. Cut the acrylic panel to the correct length and cut to a width equal to the width of the shelf plus the height of the display. Scrape and sand the edges. Place the acrylic panel on the edge of a table or counter so that a width equal to the width of the shelf protrudes over the edge. Apply heating tape to the area of the acrylic panel along the edge of the table or counter. Plug in the heating tape and, when the panel has softened, bend the protruding part gently downward to form a right angle. Let it cool. Attach it to the wall over the shelf with hinges so that it can be raised to access the display.
4. Build a small aquarium with 1/4-inch-thick acrylic panels. Cut the panels for the bottom and the four sides of the aquarium. Typical measurements are 12 by 18 inches for the bottom and sides, and 12 by 12 inches for the ends. Assemble the panels and tape them together with masking tape on the outside to keep them in place. Apply solvent with a needle-nosed applicator along the inside of the joints, letting the solvent be sucked in by capillary action. Let dry for 48 hours. Apply silicone aquarium sealer to the inside joints to make them waterproof.
